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History · Geneseo

Geneseo dates to 1886, and 40% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1964 on and the census since 1890.

1886founded
0on the National Register
40%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Geneseo began, and where its name came from

When was Geneseo founded?

1886

Geneseo dates its founding to 1886 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 399 in 18902020 census: 236140 years

How did Geneseo get its name?

Geneseo was named after Geneseo, Illinois.

More on the name

In 2022, Geneseo was named the UFO capital of Kansas.

Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1887. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Geneseo’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Geneseo are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 660 in 1950; 236 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Geneseo’s homes were built before 1948.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Geneseo’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Geneseo’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Geneseo, census by census

01002003004005006007001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 660

Peaked at 660 in 1950; 236 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Geneseo’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Geneseo came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Geneseo.

Read it all →

Geneseo was founded in 1886. It was named after Geneseo, Illinois.

In 2022, Geneseo was named the UFO capital of Kansas. The Geneseo City Museum highlights local history and writings on extraterrestrials.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Geneseo, 1886 to 1964

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1886
    FoundingGeneseo is established
  3. 1887Post officeThe Geneseo post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1901Born hereJohn S. Gibson, Jr. is born here
  6. 1950CensusPopulation peaks at 660
  7. 1964On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Geneseo, decade by decade

Today5 recent
Geneseo UFO capital of Kansas mural2025Geneseo UFO capital of Kansas muralGeneseo Kansas UFO Day2025Geneseo Kansas UFO DayFlag in2022Flag inGeneseo, Kansas2014Geneseo, KansasGeneseo, Kansas2014Geneseo, Kansas
On the map

Geneseo on the map in 1964

The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Geneseo.

Geneseo on the 1964 USGS map1964Geneseo sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Geneseo.

Places that used to be

Places now gone

Geneseo’s post office has been open since 1887.

Gone or out of use
Geneseo Elementary Schoolschool

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Victoria TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Geneseo’s history

What year was Geneseo founded?

In 1886, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Geneseo’s post office opened in 1887, and the census of 1890 counted 399 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.