1878History
== History ==
In February 1878, James R.
1879Disaster
Following a sustained drought, irrigation arrived in Finney County in 1879, with completion of the "Garden City Ditch".
1885Culture
During the years of 1885–1887, a rush was made for Western Kansas, and a settler arrived for every quarter section.
1887Architecture
The Windsor Hotel, built downtown in 1887 by John A.
1890History
The Knights of Reciprocity were organized in Garden City in 1890.
1912Government
Garden City was located on the National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, that was established in 1912.
1919Architecture
The first long-distance telephone service from Garden City was a line nine miles (14 km) long, built in 1919.
1922Economy
Originally hand-dug in 1922, a bathhouse was added by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, and local farmers used horse-drawn soil-scrapers to later en...
1934History
The hottest temperature recorded in Garden City was 113 °F (45.0 °C) on July 13, 1934, while the coldest temperature recorded was −32 °F (−36 °C) on February 12, 1899, 1948.
1967Disaster
On June 23, 1967, an F3 tornado struck the north side of Garden City, killing one person and damaging more than 400 homes.
1969History
Billie Jo Spears' 1969 Billboard country hit song "Mr.
1975History
After the Fall of Saigon in 1975 immigrants from Southeast Asia began coming to Garden City.
1977History
The Windsor, which closed in 1977, is owned by the Finney County Preservation Alliance.
1999Education
The school has had success in football as well, winning the state championship in 1999.
2007Architecture
Additionally, an ethanol plant, Bonanza Bioenergy was built in 2007 by Conestoga Energy Partners which uses 19.6 million bushels of grain.
2010History
=== 2010 census ===
As of the 2010 census, there were 26,658 people, 9,071 households, and 6,355 families residing in the city.
2012History
As of 2012, 73.9% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force.
2016Crime
=== 21st century ===
In October 2016, Gavin Wright, Curtis Allen, and Patrick Stein were arrested by the FBI for plotting a bombing attack on a mosque and the housing complex wh...
2017History
New residents arrived, but even with population growth the unemployment rate was only about 3% in 2017.
2018Crime
All three defendants were found guilty in April 2018 and were sentenced to 25–30 years in prison.
2020History
=== 2020 census ===
The 2020 United States census counted 28,151 people, 9,676 households, and 6,679 families in Garden City.
2024Infrastructure
=== Top employers ===
According to Garden City's 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
== Government ==
Garden City is a city of the...