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Read on to learn more about the city and its chimneys:
A Quick History of Gardner, KS
What is now known as Gardner was known to travelers in the 1800s as the city “where the trails divide”. Westbound settlers taking the Oregon/California Trails and Santa Fe Trails would go their separate ways when they got to Gardner. The Santa Fe Trail steered them southwest towards New Mexico and the Oregon/California Trail sent them northwest where the trail would later split to go to California or Oregon. In 1857, Gardner was established as a free-stater settlement. The town allegedly got its name in honor of the Massachusetts governor at the time, Henry Gardner, because the town was mostly settled by Massachusetts emigrants. The first high school was built in the 1920s and Main Street became home to many businesses.
The population stayed under 1000 residents until the 1960s. Since then, Olathe and other cities to the north have sprawled. The population saw an increase of nearly 16,000 people between 1990 and 2010. Not only did Gardner see significant residential growth, several unoccupied areas in the outskirts of town have been zoned for warehouse and commercial development due to intermodal that went in within the last few years. Rather than where the trails divide, it is now where the railroads come together. Residents enjoy a quality school system, modern public amenities, and the accessibility of the bigger cities right up I-35.
The Chimneys and Fireplaces of Gardner, KS
BY ROBERT BERRY, OWNER OF FULL SERVICE CHIMNEY
Fireplaces and chimneys in Gardner are of two broad categories. Those common to the first half of the 1900s have a utility design. Then, starting post-WWII, a transition happened to hearth and chimney systems. Both a heating and fireplace ambiance design began to influence home and hearth design. The chimneys and the appliances they serve were constructed with the common materials available. These materials were limited in an isolated agricultural community, remote from the supplies commonly found in larger metropolitan cities. A common chimney for a home prior to 1950 is a straightforward brick and mortar masonry structure, often without a fireplace extending from the basement through the middle of the home. These utility chimneys served to exhaust the byproducts from heating the home’s water and air. Coal and, later, natural gas or propane was a common fuel source in early Gardner. Homes of a grander nature would have a second chimney for the fireplace hearth. Frequently these were constructed of matching brick, but on occasion, made from stones common to the area.
Preserve the style of yesteryear with safe and functional fireplaces and chimneys
Gardner’s recent construction has been attracting homeowners who value the charm of this history-rich community. Subsequently, wood and gas fireplaces are a common amenity to homes. Full Service Chimney is a resource to the residents of Gardner in both maintenance and presenting new options for entertaining, heating, and venting needs that homeowners may have.
A gas fireplace makes enjoying a fire as easy as watching television
Home hearth design through the year 2000 was still focused on wood-burning fireplaces. Many of these fireplaces were built in a factory and installed at the time of the home’s construction. The average lifespan of a factory-built fireplace (or “pre-fab”) is an average of 10 years. This is assuming that the unit has been maintained and is influenced by the amount of use the fireplace has had. Many of Gardner’s homeowners have opted to enjoy their fireplace hearth with the use of gas logs with new units or by replacing the fireplace with a gas fireplace insert. A gas fireplace, also called a direct-vent fireplace, allows the customer the convince of remote control thermostat control. This makes for a user-friendly hearth design that can be enjoyed without the preparation common to a wood burning fireplace or stove.
Don’t know what is available for your home? Give us a call
Whether your home is only a few years old or a turn-of-the-century cottage, let Full Service Chimney be your one-stop resource for all things hearth and chimney. We are the chimney and fireplace experts. With a visit from a Full Service Chimney certified technician, you will understand what you have now as well as understand what options are available for your specific maintenance, repair, and remodeling needs. Take the steps many of your neighbors have and schedule a visit with us today!
Take a look at Full Service Chimney satisfied customers in Gardner:
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Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardner,_Kansas
http://www.gardnerkansas.gov/discover/about-gardner/history
https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF