A BRIEF HISTORY OF GEARY

When pioneer trailblazer Jessie Chisholm died in 1868, the main Chief of the southern Arapahoes was Left Hand, who lived several miles northeast of present day Geary. Jessie's gravesite is located close to Left Hand Springs. As a memorial there is a historical marker by the side of the road.

In the 1890s, Edmund Guerrier (a half-Cheyenne half-French trader and interpreter for the U. S. Cavalry) lived a short distance east of Geary. When the Cheyenne and Arapahoe lands were opened to settlement in April of 1892, a post office was established one and a half miles northwest of present-day Geary. It was named in honor of Guerrier.

Early in 1898, the Geary Townsite Company was formed. The town was named Geary because some homesteaders had difficulty pronouncing Guerrier or it was named after W. E. Geary, one of the original homesteaders. The new town sprang to life and the post office was moved to the town site. The first child born was a girl named Geary Hannan.

On July 4, 1898, the first train arrived to a rousing welcome. The first newspaper was named The Geary Hustler or The Geary Rustler, depending on who's version is correct. It was so named because of the hustle and bustle of a new town or other activities.

In 1900, the first telephones were installed.

In 1901, the volunteer fire department was organized.

In 1902, Geary was designated a first class city with a population of 2,561.

In 1904, Geary was incorporated.

By 1921, streets were paved, highways connected towns, and automobiles, trucks and tractors were replacing buggies, wagons and horses.

In the 1930s, Red Rock Canyon State Park was developed 15 minutes from Geary.

During the 1960s, American Horse Lake was created about 10 miles northwest of Geary, adding more fishing and camping opportunities to those already located at Roman Nose State Park, Red Rock Canyon and the North and South Canadian River, which are all within a 25 mile radius of Geary.

The Canadian River Historical Society was founded in 1970 and maintains a museum full of memorabilia and artifacts in downtown Geary. Also on display are the original one room log cabin jail, a railroad caboose and town horse watering trough.