Greeley County, Kansas: History
In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, and Kansas became the 34th U.S. state in 1861. In 1873, Greeley County was established. It was the last county in the state to be organized, which finally occurred in July 1888 after a lawsuit to stop organization on the basis of insufficient population was dismissed. Tribune was named the temporary county seat, defeating Horace in an election held that November.
Settlement in Greeley County was sparse until 1885, when the influx of settlers led to numerous town claims, with Horace, Tribune, and Reid among the settlements that boasted banks, newspapers, and basic amenities. The Missouri Pacific Railroad's arrival in 1887, with a depot at Tribune, facilitated further development. By 1910, the population had significantly increased, leading to the establishment of 13 school districts and a scattering of post offices including at Tribune, Horace, Hurt, Sidney, Thelma, and Youngville.