Peter Geiser: Smithsburg's Inventor

Geiser Way in the Whispering Hills neighborhood of Smithsburg, is named after Peter Geiser, the inventor of the first practical machine for thrashing grain, who was born here.  In 1852 at age 26, Geiser received a patent for a grain separator.  The device made the once slow process of separating grain from the stalk easy for farmers.  This year, 2026, is the 200th anniversary of Peter Geiser's birth.  Join us for a lecture by Ian Dawson, Smithsburg Historical Society member, and learn about Geiser's rise to success from humble beginnings in creating a major manufacturing plant in Waynesboro.  Join us for a lecture and a piece of Peter Geiser's birthday cake!  Please register.