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Homesteading in Greeley County

Prentice, Noble Lovely. "History of Kansas". Winfield, KS: E. P. Greer, 1899.

Greeley 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 1890s 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.

Sources

Smith, Winifred, et al. History of Early Greeley County: A Story of its Tracks, Trails and Tribulations. Vol. 1. Tribune: Greeley County Historical Book Committee, 1981.

Paragraphs about the towns were written by Bart Ecker, Special Collections