Geyer was first mentioned in official documents in 1381, although mining in the Ore Mountains had already existed a few decades before.

With the decline in ore-mining in the area, Geyer (as in many other towns and villages in the Ore Mountains) turned to wooden toy manufacture - such as Schwibbogen, nutcrackers and Christmas pyramids – as well as bobbin lace as a matter of economic survival.

This was done to create room for the Türmerfamilie, a fire guard (and his family), in order to provide warning from the devastating and frequent conflagrations in those days.

In 1952 this tower was converted into a museum, which shows on seven levels historic items related to mining and the town's life through the centuries.

At the former station site, there is a historic Saxon IV K narrow gauge steam locomotive together with railroad cars on display, a reminder of the time when Geyer was part of the Thumer Netz within the narrow gauge railways in Saxony.