In 1873 the Kansas Legislature established 22 new counties in the western part of the state. Geeley County was one of those counties, located in far western Kansas, bounded in Kansas by Wallace, Wichita and Hamilton counties (with the state of Colorado to the west). In 1889 the county was formerly reorganized. The county was named in honor of the founder of the New York Tribune, Horace GreeleyGreeley
County was created in 1873 and organized in 1888. In 1880 the population in
Greeley County totaled three, and these people were here to hunt for buffalo
bones. In 1885 there were ten people found in Greeley County, with most of these
people herding livestock. People began to brand their cattle in the late 1890's
and Robert Eadie was the first to register his brand in Greeley County. Later
Eadie became the county clerk for Greeley County.
In the fall of 1885 the
people who started to settle in this territory created the first settlement of
Greeley County, and this new settlement was called Hector. Hector also had the
first post office in Greeley County on December 15, 1885. The period from 1886
to 1888 gave Greeley a chance to survive with an increased number of people
moving into this area. By 1888 there were 2600 people living in Greeley County
From 1895 to 1920 Greeley County went through tough economic and
environmental problems, and the population decreased as a result. Simon Fishman
helped save Greeley County in 1920 when he put his money into the development of
the Pacific House in Horace and by the use of modern tractors and machinery
within the county. From 1920 to 1923 Greeley County started to grow once again.
The Great Depression hindered Greeley County, but Greeley County continued to
grow into what it is today. Greeley County experienced many tough problems in
its history, but was able to survive and grow to be a respected county of
Kansas.
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