County of city: Crawford County
Location of city: dead center in county; crossroads of KS-7 & KS-47
County location is SE corner of the state
Elevation: 981 ft (299 m)
Population: 2,779 (2013)
Marker Text:
GIRARD, KANSAS
Centennial Birthday February 28, 1868~1969
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Dr. Charles H. Strong was a native of Girard, Pennsylvania
Dr. Strong's dream came true when he decided to go deer hunting and possibly locate the geographical center of Crawford County, which had just been established in Southern Kansas February 13,, 1867. While hunting, a deer jumped up out of the grass and was shot by Dr. Strong who drove a stake where the deer fell; on which he placed a card and a bunch of grass stating that he had taken the land and Girard was to be located thereon; naming it in honor of his home town Girard, Pennsylvania." ~ Girard Bicentennial Commission
"This city, the county seat of Crawford County, is located on a gently undulating prairie at the center of the county. It is regularly laid out, has a public square in the center, surrounded by numerous fine business buildings, many of them of brick, and has a large proportion of neat frame residences, surrounded by incipient shade trees. Its elevation is 988 feet above the sea. The town was started in the spring of 1868, in opposition to Crawfordville. The Girard Town Company was first composed of the following gentlemen: A. Danford, President; C. H. Strong, Secretary; Dr. Couch, Dr. B. F. Hepler, E. J. Boering, Levi Hatch, John Lash, D. S. McIntosh and Col. J. Alexander. This company was formed upon the survey of the railroad through this portion of the county and the town located upon the line. it was named by C. H. Strong, after the town Girard, in Pennsylvania, which had previously been his home.
"The first buildings erected in Girard were by the following parties, in the order given: Col. J. Alexander, a general store; C. H. Strong, a dwelling house; Chauncey Doyle, a saloon; N. Sinnet, a general store. Some time during this year (1868) the first blacksmith shop was opened in the town; the first frame house was built by A. A. Fletcher, and the first hotel was opened early in the year. In December, James Hull erected the first part of a building which was used temporarily as a court house. The first birth in Girard was that of Mary Fletcher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Fletcher; the first marriage, that of A. J. Vickers to Miss Margaret McIntosh, and the first death that of Mrs. Dr. L. F. Crawford in the spring of 1869. Immediately after the death of this lady, Judge McIntosh located the cemetery southwest of the town. The first celebration in Girard occurred on July 4, 1868. It was a Sunday school celebration and a celebration of the nation's natal day, both in one. The Hon. A. Danford and Dr. Couch were the orators of the day. When these festivities took place the town had made considerable progress.
"The necessity for some special effort in the direction of temperance was clearly perceptible, and in the winter of 1871-72, a lodge of the I. O. G. T. was organized, which did what could be done to prevent the granting of licenses. but the first Board of Trustees, having been appointed by the Probate Judge, did not feel that their authority was derived from the people, neither did they feel sure that the people would sustain them in vigorous measures to suppress salooning, and, as a consequence, matters were permitted to take their own course until the railroad had been built south and until a Board of Trustees had been elected by the people. Then an impression began gradually to be made. But it was not until after the Murphy movement commenced, in 1878, that satisfactory results were achieved. In that year a blue ribbon lodge was organized, of which C. Dana Sayrs was President, E. W. Majors, Secretary, and Miss Jennetta McMurray Treasurer. This organization vigorously prosecuted the temperance work until the prohibition amendment to the constitution was adopted by the people, since which time there has been no open saloon in Girard, and peace and prosperity have prevailed. In Girard Precinct the majority for the amendment was 248, while in the county it was only 186. The first Board of Trustees, appointed November 10, 1869, was as follows: L. F. Crawford, N. Sinnet, D. W. Burnet, W. E. Blandon and James Hull. On the 10th of April, 1870, an election was held for a new board, resulting in the selection of the following gentlemen: A. J. Vickers, George Eyestone, Harvey Brown, William Reynolds and A. B. Turner." ~ William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas