Gardner, Kansas
Gardner is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. It was founded in 1857 as a Free‑State settlement and was named after Henry Gardner, who was the governor of Massachusetts at the time. The town grew where the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon/California Trails met, and the first post office opened in 1858. Gardner was incorporated in 1887 and was the first community in Johnson County to experience an attack by Confederate forces.
Today Gardner has about 25,800 residents and covers roughly 10 square miles. It sits about 1,063 feet above sea level. Gardner Lake lies on the north side of town, and the headwaters of Kill Creek are nearby. The climate features hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters.
The city is governed by a mayor–council system. The current mayor is Todd Winters (since 2021), and the city administrator is Jim Pruetting. The Gardner Police Department has around 38 sworn officers as of February 2025.
Gardner is served by the USD 231 school district, which includes several elementary schools in Gardner, three middle schools, and Gardner-Edgerton High School. The Johnson County Library operates a branch in Gardner.
Nearby rail facilities include a BNSF refueling plant in Edgerton, about three miles away, which provides local jobs.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:28 (CET).