Because most Kansas towns were platted during or after the Civil War and were designed to be railroad-friendly, few of them have an honest-to-goodness town square. (Think of the town square in the show Ghost Whisperer and you’ll know what I’m talking about.) However, Garnett, Kansas, really does have a town square, with four main streets surrounding it. In the center is the beautiful and historic Anderson County Courthouse.
The courthouse was designed by Kansas architect George Washburn, who designed many other courthouses, including the Franklin County Courthouse in Ottawa, Kansas. Completed in 1902, this fanciful Romanesque Revival building is still serving its original purpose and anchors both the square and the town.
Anderson County Courthouse in Garnett, Kansas.
Diana Staresinic-Deane 
So close to my hometown! We did all our county business in this building. It’s a great building, and a wonderful town square.
It’s an incredibly charming space. I like the fact that there are interesting, vibrant businesses in the area, and the library is fabulous.
I love town squares! I think Iola has one, too. Of course, with my memory, it could be a place in Texas or South Dakota, or something like that, that I remember as Iola. Like I looked for the car keys for about 10 minutes the other day before finding them in my coat pocket. The one I was wearing during my search.
By the way, talked to a friend here in Emporia yesterday, whose parents went to your book presentation in Gridley — I think it was Gridley (memory) — and they were delighted. Their daughter has been reading the book and loves it!
I think Holton, Kansas also has a town square. I don’t know Iola well enough to remember! And then there was a town square in Back to the Future, right?
Gridley was a great experience. Coffey County has some of the nicest small-town libraries, and the people who came were truly interested in the book. It’s nice to that people who attended are saying nice things!