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History of Neodesha

The land Neodesha now sits upon was first settled by the Osage Indians in the early 1800's.   Coming from an Osage word, Neodesha (Knee-o-day-shay) means "where waters meet."   And the town is appropriately named, sitting between the Verdigris and Fall Rivers.

In October of 1867, A. McCartney and A.K. Phelon came from Neosho Falls to the neighborhood of what is now Neodesha and established a trading post for traffic with the Osage Indians.  In one year, from the erection of the McCartney and Phelon store there were 200 buildings in the town, and six months later the population had reached 1,000.

 In March, 1871, Neodesha was incorporated as a city of the third class.   A post office was established at Neodesha in 1870, and A.K. Phelon appointed Postmaster.  The first school was taught in the town in 1870, James A. McHenry being the teacher.