Located within the
Southeast Region of the state, near the southeast corner of
Labette County and has an elevation of 824ft. Chetopa, an early railroad town, is named for an Osage
Native American Chief and was founded in 1868. Pop. 1,281 (2000). The
Neosho River forms the town's eastern boundry.
The town is famous for it's Pecan groves. Pecan nut harvesting is a thriving local industry. The fledgling town was nearly destroyed by Union troops early in the Civil War, rebuilt, only to be abandond by the railroads. Due to the richness of local resources, and trade with the Native American, the comunity perserverd and slowly grew. A stage line between Fort Scott National Historic Siteand Chetopa was established October 18, 1869, on which stages plied weekly trips.
