Gardner

History

Gardner was founded where the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon/California Trails divided. The Santa Fe Trail sent travelers southwest through Santa Fe and Albuquerque toward Los Angeles and San Diego. The Oregon/California Trails bore west for a few miles before turning north toward the Kansas River valley, followed the Big Blue River into present-day Nebraska, followed the Platte River west, and ultimately split in present-day Wyoming, Idaho or Utah. Gardner was founded as a Free-Stater settlement in 1857. Settled primarily by emigrants from Massachusetts, it was named for Henry Gardner, then governor of Massachusetts. Four years after its establishment, it became the first community in Johnson County—and perhaps the first in the state—to experience an attack by Confederate forces. The first post office in Gardner was established in 1858.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The most notable body of water in Gardner is Gardner Lake, on the north side of town, off South Gardner Road and 151st Street. The headwaters of Kill Creek, which runs north joining with the Kansas River in De Soto, are also in Gardner. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Gardner has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  14,944
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  13,267
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  12,699
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  11,555
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  10,879
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,484
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  9,139
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,464

Largest nearby schools

• Olathe North Sr High
  High · Olathe · 2,230 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Olathe Northwest High School
  High · Olathe · 1,952 students · 16:1 ratio
• Olathe South Sr High
  High · Olathe · 1,841 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Gardner Edgerton High
  High · Gardner · 1,789 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• Olathe West High School
  High · Olathe · 1,662 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Spring Hill High School
  High · Spring Hill · 983 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Prairie Trail Middle School
  Middle · Olathe · 754 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• Trail Ridge Middle School
  Middle · Gardner · 693 students · 13.6:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2024-03-15
  2 km NE of Ferrelview, Missouri
• M 2.8 — 2014-11-13
  5 km WNW of Prescott, Kansas
• M 3.1 — 2007-03-23
  5 km N of Nortonville, Kansas
• M 3.3 — 2005-05-18
  Missouri