“Girard, Kansas…the Center of Adventure”
In April of 1868, Dr. Charles Strong selected the geographic center of Crawford County as the place to shoot his deer and proclaim that spot to be designated the new town of Girard, Kansas. The Girard Press, the oldest existing newspaper in Kansas began publishing in November 1869.
Girard, the county seat of Crawford County, is located at the intersection of 47 and 7 highways. Girard’s population is 2,773 and is centrally located between the cities of Tulsa, Okla. (136 mi.), Kansas City, Ks. (120 mi.), Springfield, Mo. (112 mi.), and Wichita, Ks. (141).
Explore the treasures that surround “Girard…the Center of Adventure”.
Outdoor adventure; hunting & fishing throughout the area; camping, hiking, biking, boating, and swimming at Crawford State Park; the Girard golf Course, swimming pool, and tennis courts…
Educational adventure; in astronomy, science, and technology at SEK Education Service Center in Greenbush; a first class Girard school system and a great college experience at Pittsburg State and Fort Scott Community College…
Literary adventure; in the busiest small town library in Kansas and the only Carnegie library in a community of this size…
Historical adventure; on the town square, the courthouse, and the Crawford County Museum; a socialist newspaper, the “Appeal to Reason”, published by J.A. Wayland, perhaps the largest circulated weekly newspaper in the world at it’s peak in 1913; the “Little Blue Books” of the Haldeman-Julius era; what could have been the first airplane to fly; Big Brutus, the CCC camp memorial at Crawford State Park, and St. Aloysius Church in Greenbush…
Event adventures; Hepler Rodeo & Independence Day Parade, Crawford County Fair, Greenbush Day, Girard Homecoming & Fall Festival, Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, and the Annual S.E. Kansas Farm Toy Show…
Agritourism adventure; Girard truly is the center of agritourism in Crawford County and the surrounding area. Experience the bird viewing stations along the trails of Crawford State Park. Explore the hunting and shooting lodges in the area. Take a day of discovery on a local farm tour, and enjoy the sunsets and beautiful Ozark style terrain…
Business adventure; Girard is rich in tradition and intimate hometown values. Girard Medical Center is a superior health care system that continues to expand and grow. The Girard School System is known for its long standing tradition of educational excellence. Our economic policies are aggressive and business diversity continues to increase. If you like what you see and experience here, we welcome you to be our neighbor and become a part of what makes Girard “A Great Place to Call Home”.
For more information contact the Girard Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 41, 118 N. Ozark - Girard, KS 66743
620-724-4715 • girardchamber@ckt.net • www.girardkansas.gov
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