Larned's First Building

 

July 17, 2021

 By Seth McFarland

In 1872, Henry Booth filed one of the first two homestead claims in the newly established Pawnee County. Booth would then float a sutler's building from Fort Larned down the Pawnee River to a site called "below the hill" which is near the present day location of the Larned swimming pool. One of the other founders of the town of Larned and Pawnee County was George B. Cox. Mr. and Mrs. Cox occupied the first house below the hill of Larned relocated by Booth. The house also served as the first post office, hotel, restaurant and saloon. It later even served as the first sight of justice of a peace court in a case between Booth and a Georgia O'Dell for payment of rent on the little house. The settlement was for two gallons of beer. The little building housed nearly every settler who came to Larned in its founding days. By 1873, the building was to be used as the first school. The first teacher, Isabelle Worrell, recounted that the words "Saloon" was still painted on the front window when she first moved into the building.