Garden City’s population was listed in the 2000 census as 700 people.

On Saturday night, the blink-and-miss-it historic town just off Highway 169 that occupies all of about eight city blocks more than doubled in size.

There were hundreds of cars parked on the lawn in front of the old Garden City schoolhouse. There were families and babies in strollers. There were teenagers and seniors and a faint smell of buttered popcorn lent an almost carnival-like feeling.

“You can’t underestimate what small groups can do with the blessings of the Lord,” said Rudy Maurer, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Good Thunder.

Some while ago, Tracy Jones started tossing around the idea of booking famed Christian comedian Ken Davis.

Davis, a Brainerd native, has a daily radio show on more than 800 stations, has written several books and has made a living for 25 years as a comedian who intertwines Christian inspiration and everyday humor. He charges as much as $10,000 for a chance to laugh along at his stories of a Kansas cow that haunts his car and confronting chainsaw-wielding intruders in his underwear.

Maurer showed a video of Davis’ routine during a bible study session and the feeling was unanimous:

As good as advertised — but much too expensive for Garden City.

For complete story, see the Sunday, May 18, 2008, print edition of The Free Press or sign onto our e-edition.

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