On April 18, 1857, a young Doctor by the name of George Lisle came to the southern part of Dorn County (now Labette), looking for a place to settle and build a home.

On the site of what is now the City of Chetopa, set an Osage Indian village belonging to the Osage War Chief Chetopah. Chetopah's four lodges were the dominant feature of the village.

Dr. Lisle became friends with the Chief. This is a lucky break for the Doctor, because he is one of the few white men on this Osage land. The Doctor preceeded to build his log cabin with his bare hands, hoping that other settlers people would soon arrive and do the same.

During the next six years, many other settlers did arrive and by working together, built a small community, which they named Chetopa, after the Osage Chief.

On November 19, 1863, during the course of the Civil War, union troops numbering about two hundred, burned or otherwise destroyed the entire village. This was done, it was claimed, to keep the village from falling into confederate hands.

The area where the village had stood remained empty until the end of the Civil War.

The resettlement of Chetopa commences with the spring of 1866, even though Dr. Lisle had returned with his family the previous November.

The name of the Chief after whom they city was named, was spelled "Chetopah". The town was incorporated and the post office established with this spelling. However, the "H" was dropped officially on July 1, 1880, by order of the United States Post Office Department.