The village of Cherokee City is situated in Section 26, Town 19, Range 34, about three-fourths of a mile from the Indian Territory line. It was surveyed by David Chandler in 1880, for himself, James Ingle and M. D. Cunningham, the original proprietors. Before the war there was a place kept on the opposite side of the branch at Cherokee City, called “Hog Eye,” where whisky was kept to sell to the Indians. Cherokee City was built up in 1881 and 1882, by a “boom” it acquired as a summer resort. Like several other places, it has some excellent springs of good water. It was built in a great hurry, to accommodate its guests who resorted there in 1881 and 1882, consequently the houses are small and of a temporary character. W. D. Cunningham opened the first general store in the place. The directory of business at present is as follows: General stores, J. M. Tucker, Crawford Bros; drugs, J. M. Norris, Eurial Farmin; furniture, Mr. Baxter; blacksmiths, A. E. Funk, Cook; hotel, Cherokee House, by Samuel Haag; physician, Dr. O. M. Dodson; churches, Baptist, Christian, Methodist Episcopal, South, Congregational. The population of the place is about 200. T. A. Fleener has an orchard of 2,200 apple trees and many other kinds of fruit, adjoining the village.
Back to: Benton County, Arkansas History
Source: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago, IL, USA: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.