In the heart of the Midwest and the center of the United States, Junction City and Geary County, Kansas, offer small-town living with big-city resources.
The history of Geary County is the story of optimistic settlers who developed a trading center for Fort Riley at what was known in 1858 as the western edge of civilization. Settlers from Germany, Scandinavia and the British Isles made the area productive, prosperous and progressive in agriculture, industry and service, through hard work and innovative ideas.
You will find Junction City nestled in the rolling Flint Hills country at the junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers. The two rivers join to form the Kansas river which flows on to the Mississippi. The location and the people make the area special. Diversity was the key in our early history and it remains so today. The scenery offers breath-taking vistas, and a short drive through any of the community's business sections highlights the multi-cultural makeup of our area.
Fort Riley
Fort Riley came into existence in 1852 as Camp Center. In 1853 it was renamed after Major General Bennett Riley. From its gates, the cavalry rode to such famous campaigns as Beecher's Island and the Washita River Fight. Fort Riley stood as the major horse cavalry training school in the country and was boasted as one of the best in the world. Camp Funston and Camp Forsyth, two sections of today's post, were vital training areas during both world wars when modernization changed the country's need to a mechanized cavalry. The First Infantry Division, more commonly known as "The Big Red One" or "The Fighting First", came to Fort Riley from Germany in 1955, returned to Germany in 1995, and came back home to Fort Riley in 2007.
Milford Lake
On the northern edge of Junction City, Milford Lake is the largest man-made lake in Kansas. It was authorized by Congress in 1954 and constructed by the Corps of Engineers in the early 1960s. It provides flood control, navigation, improved water quality, water supply, recreation, plus fish and wildlife benefits. On average, half a million people visit Milford Lake each year. Eleven parks offer camping, picnicking, swimming, boat ramps, marinas and fishing access. Approximately 23,000 acres are managed for wildlife and hunting opportunities. The lake was home to the 2005 World Series of Walleye Fishing, the PWT Mercury Championship, the yearly Kansas State Ahearn Scholarship Tournament and Governor's Cup.
Go to www.jcks.com or www.junctioncity.org to learn more about Junction City, Kansas.
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