Marie Guiraud | |
|---|---|
| Born | Marie Antoinette Chabreat October 31, 1832 Gard, France |
| Died | June 5, 1909 (aged 76) |
| Occupation(s) | Businesswoman, rancher, land developer |
| Known for | Being a successful rancher and founder of Garo, Colorado |
Marie Antoinette Guiraud (October 31, 1832–June 5, 1909) was a French-American pioneer and rancher in Colorado Territory. Born in Gard departement in France, Marie Antoinette Chabreat married Adolphe Guiraud in 1848 and set sail for New Orleans, Louisiana, one year later.
After living in Ohio and Kansas, the Guirauds settled in Colorado Territory, where they homesteaded land for their farm and ranch at the beginning of the 1860s. After her husband's death, she expanded their 640-acre ranch to 5,000 acres.
Adolphe Guiraud died in 1875, and Guiraud successfully managed the hay farm and ranch. In 1879, she had a town called Garo, platted and bought and sold land for the town. After the Colorado Midland Railway established a station at Garo, the town grew to include stores, businesses, a church, a school, and an opera house. Also in 1879, Guiraud filed a water rights suit, which became a landmark case, establishing her "right of prior approbation" of the water.