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Gardner, Kansas

Gardner, Kansas

With its own settlement roots dating back to 1857, Gardner, Kansas holds a unique distinction among American cities. Setting at the major intersection of the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, Gardner's rich heritage derives from the great Westward movement, and the dreams of the sons and daughters of a young nation. The Santa Fe and Oregon-California trails divided southwest of town owning to its early reference as "the point where the trails west divided."

Today, Gardner is a thriving community of almost 7,000, that exudes small town charm. Brick and stone buildings line Main Street, and the historic and quaint downtown is now home to numerous unique, interesting shops and restaurants. Gardner is also well located for easy access to all the amenities and attractions of the Kansas City metropolitan region.

Recreational opportunities abound with six parks totaling 50 acres, including the Westside Memorial Sports Complex and the Gardner public golf course. Cornerstone Park, near the center of town, has an amphitheater and municipal swimming pool nestled among picnic areas and flower gardens. While you're here, read about the historic bell on display in the park, an artifact from frontier trail days. Escape to one of our nearby lakes. Picturesque Gardner Lake offers fishing, boating and picnic area, and Hillsdale Reservoir is only 15 miles away. The Johnson County Fair offers old-fashioned fun for the whole family every summer at the fairgrounds.

Attractions and Upcoming Events

Turner Barn

Gardner's Turner Barn is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1898 for W.T. Turner by Arthur J. Clinton of Spring Hill, Kansas. Clinton's trademark on the many barns he built was the "double-diamond"

Gardner, KS Historic Barns

Lanesfield School Historic Site

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lanesfield School Historic Site is a tribute to rural schooling. It consists of a restored one-room schoolhouse, outbuildings and a visitor's center featuring an exhibit on Kansas'one-room schools called "Just Plain Simple:

Gardner, KS Historic Schoolhouses

Gardner Historical Museum

The Herman B. Foster house was built in the Spring of 1893. A classic example of Folk Victorian architecture, the house was the residence of one of Gardner's early storekeepers, a partner in the Bigelow-Foster Mercantile Company. In 1902

Gardner, KS Museums

Prairie Wetland

The 55-acre KCPL Prairie Wetland includes 23.6

Gardner, KS Conservation Areas

Santa Fe/Oregon Trail Junction

In a 1924 dedication of a State Historical Marker at the edge of Gardner, Senator Rolla W. Coleman called the place where the trails divide "the grand-daddy of all highway junctions." From its beginnings in 1857

Gardner, KS Landmarks

Things to do near Gardner, KS