Massacre Canyon was the site of a battle in and along the canyon when a Pawnee hunting party of about 700, confident of protection from the government, was surprised by a war party of Sioux. Badly outnumbered and completely surprised, the Pawnee retreated into the head of the canyon about two miles northwest of here. The battle became the Pawnee retreat down the canyon to the Republican. The Pawnee reached the Republican River, about a mile and a half south of here, and crossed to the other side. The Sioux were ready to pursue them still further, but a unit of cavalry arrived and prevented further fighting. The defeat so broke the strength and the spirit of the tribe that it moved from its reservation in central Nebraska to Oklahoma.