Cherokee had its start in the year 1870 by the building of the railroads through that territory. The town was located at the intersection of three railroads: The Memphis, Kansas & Colorado Railroad; The Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad; and the Missouri Pacific Railroad. It was named from Cherokee County, where it was erroneously thought to be located.
The first post office in Cherokee was established in August, 1870.
Passages that mention Cherokee, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A Twentieth century history and biographical record of Crawford County, Kansas1905 · page 555Read the page →
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ALLEN T. GILHAM Allen J. Gilliam, a resident of Cherokee, is a conductor on the Frisco Railroad and one of a family of railroad men who have made fine records in the great army of railroad industrials. He has been connected with railroad service for the past twenty-five years, having entered in 1879, and by strict adherence to duty and fidelity to the interests of all concerned he has heen promoted t" his present responsible place ami is one of the best known and most popular railroad conductors in
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A Twentieth century history and biographical record of Crawford County, Kansas1905 · page 28Read the page →
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The town of Cherokee was surveyed and laid out by Colonel Percy Daniels, since lieutenant governor of Kansas, and who resides on his farm near the site of Crawfordsville. Among the first settlers of Cherokee were George W. Brown. G. W. B. Hoffman. J. Manlove, Joseph and George Lucas, A. X. Chadscy. Captain Jameson. J. W. Fletcher, Dr.
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History of Cherokee County, Kansas1904 · page 476Read the page →
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The subject of this sketch was 1 1 years of age when he came to Cherokee County, where he was mainly reared and where he attended the common schools. He spent the period between 1887 and 1890 in California, and then returned to Cherokee County, purchasing his present excellent farm in 1895. He has improved his property and has it under a good
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History of Cherokee County, Kansas1904 · page 34Read the page →
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Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad Company, and it was for the protection of the railroad company's interests that troops had been kept in Cherokee and Crawford counties, from June 10, 1869, until December, 1872. The Supreme Court having decided the matter in favor of Mr. Joy, the troops were withdrawn. Peace then settled over the broad and
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Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikipedia, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
