From a little village, in 1879, with only 250 people, Cherryvale, in about one year's time, was ready to become a city under the law, as she already was in size; and in March, 1880, pursuant to a petition signed by the citizens and presented to the court, by E. D. Hastings, was duly incorporated as a city of the third class. On the first Tuesday of April, city officers were elected as follows: C. C. Kincaid, Mayor; A. Buch, J. M. Richardson, Frank Bellchamber, J. A. Handley and A. V. McCormick, Councilmen; A. Wood, Police Judge.

At the first meeting of the mayor and council, A. Phalp was appointed Treasurer, M. F. Wood, Clerk; J. C. Cunningham, Marshal, and B. F. Hinds, Street Commissioner. In the following May, Councilmen Richardson and Bellchamber moved out of the city, and, at a special election in June, N. B. Sawyer and C. P. Buffington were elected to fill the vacancies. The present city officers are: A. Phalp, Mayor; M. F. Wood, Clerk; C. C. Kincaid, Treasurer; S. P. Moore, Police Judge; J. W. C. Osborn, Marshal and Street Commissioner; E. B. Clark, C. A. Mitchell, E. D. Hastings, W. E. Martin and E. S. McDonald, Councilmen.

Schools, Churches, Etc.
The first school was taught in Cherryvale in the summer of 1873, by Miss Mary Greenfield. A schoolhouse was erected in 1872, and is a small two-story frame structure. This building has long since become insufficient for the accommodation of the schools, which were provided apartments in such rooms as could be had suitable for the purpose. A commodious new school building was erected in the fall of 1882, and is a fine two-story brick structure containing four large rooms, and cost about $6,000. The schools, now systematically graded, enumerate a population of 490 pupils, enrolling 354, with an average daily attendance of 204, and are superintended by G. B. Leslie, assisted by four competent teachers.

Cherryvale, also, has her quota of church organizations, as follows:

The Methodist Episcopal congregation was organized in 1871, and a regular church edifice was erected in 1880. It is a brick building of moderate dimensions, and of suitable architecture. The building was begun under the administration of Rev. William Shambaugh, and completed under that of Rev. James Murray, the present pastor of the church.

The Baptist Society was established here, on May 18, 1873, by Rev. J. R. Baldwin, with eight members, and was effected in the schoolhouse, in which the early services were held, until the removal to the Opera Hall. The congregation, numbering thirty-two members, is under the charge of Rev. Mr. Johnson.

The First Presbyterian Church was organized December 11, 1881. First meetings were held at Opera House, and the congregation continued to worship there until January 1, 1883, then moved into their new church edifice, which has been constructed at a cost of $2,700. Present indebtedness only $400. It is one of the best church buildings in Southern Kansas belonging to the Presbyterian denomination. Original membership twenty-four; present membership fifty. They have a well attended Sunday school, average attendance being fifty. First pastor, Rev. W. B. Truax, remained from December, 1881, to April, 1882; succeeded by present pastor, Rev. S. W. Griffin. To the personal efforts of C. L. Berry and Rev. W. B. Truax may be attributed the successful organization of the First Presbyterian Church of Cherryvale. The present officers of the church are: C. L. Berry, treasurer and superintendent Sunday school; James Morning, clerk; J. B. Odil and D. R. Griffith, deacons.

The Catholic Society, organized in 1875, and a church house was built in 1877, and is a small frame building. The society here is small, and is under the spiritual advisement of Father Scholls, of Independence.

The Cherryvale Globe was established and the first issue made August 3, 1878, by Pratt & Buffington. In about a year Pratt sold out his interest to Buffington. This change took place in September, 1879, and in the latter part of December the establishment was burned up. The citizens, realizing their loss in being without a paper, lent their aid and influence towards its re-establishment, and, in April of the next year, the paper was resurrected from the dust and ashes of the conflagration, by Buffington & Rambo. For awhile, until the material and press and everything was in shape, the paper was printed at Kansas City. In November, 1880, T. C. Copeland bought Rambo's interest, who, in turn, soon disposed of his part of the concern to C. T. Ewing. Another change was soon made, and in May, 1881, the Globe Publishing Company was formed, composed of C. P. Buffington, J. D. Hinkle and J. J. Chatham, and on February 10, 1882, became the sole possession of J. D. Hinkle, & was subsequently united with the Cherryvale News, edited and published by S. P. Moore & Son, the new paper being called the Globe News, and is now in successful operation.

The first issue of the Cherryvale Torch was made in February, 1882, by C. P. Buffington and T. C. Copeland. After running about three months, Buffington sold his share to C. T. Ewing, who, in September, 1882, bought Copeland's interest also, and became sole proprietor, and employed A. S. Duley as editor and manager of the paper.

Cherryvale Lodge, No. 137, A., F. & A. M., was instituted October 16, 1873, with thirteen charter members. The officers elected were: O. F. Carson, worshipful master; Seth Paxton, senior warden and J. C. Breckenridge, junior warden. The present membership is fifty-five. The present officers are: O. F. Carson, worshipful master; M. L. Crowl, senior warden; William Hummell, junior warden.

Cherryvale Lodge, No. 142, I. O. O. F., was organized October 10, 1877, with five charter members, as follows: W. B. Baldwin, George Lutz, Cyrus Campbell, N. B. Thorp and S. F. Smith.

The society of the Ancient Order of United Workmen was instituted in February, 1882, by Deputy Grand Master, D. M. Legg, of Winfield, with twenty charter members. C. P. Buffington was chosen past master workman; C. C. Thompson, master workman; S. L. Gibson, overseer; A. D. Smith, foreman; A. K. Cain, recorder; and J. P. Baker, receiver.

The Cherryvale Opera House Company was organized and incorporated as a joint stock company in September, 1880, with J. W. Willis, president; E. B. Clark, secretary; and O. F. Carson, treasurer. A large one-story frame opera hall was constructed, and is used as an opera and town hall, and also for school purposes.

Bank. - A banking house was established here, in the spring of 1880, by C. T. Ewing, he being president of the institution, and C. A. Mitchell, cashier. A bank building was erected in the fall of 1881, and is a substantial two-story brick structure, suitably arranged for banking purposes.

Besides the usual smaller factories as are common to small cities, such as wagon making, etc., Cherryvale has only one manufacturing establishment of importance, and that is, the flouring mill, which was established here in 1873 by a man named Dodd. The mill contains four run of buhrs, and has a capacity for grinding 200 bushels of wheat and 100 of corn per day. The building is sixty feet long by thirty wide, and is two stories high. The establishment, after changing hands several times, is now owned by A. Buch, and does a flourishing business.