Editing Erie, Kansas (section)

==History==
A settlement named "Erie", later referred to as "Old Erie" and "Beantown USA", was [[plat]]ted {{convert|2|mi}} northwest of the present townsite, while another community, known as '''Crawfordsville''', was started two miles northeast of the current site.  In 1866, the proprietors of these two towns made a compromise to abandon the towns and combine with the settlement at the present Erie site.  Four men gave 40 acres each, that butted together, out of their 160-acre shares, to create the city plat of Erie.  These men were: David Bray, Luther Puckett, John Himmelwright and Peter Walter.<ref>Beantown, USA: The History of Erie, Kansas (1866-2014 and Neosho County, Kansas Old Soldiers' and Sailors' Reunion, Mem-Erie Historical Society, Ralph Bowman, editor, publisher: Steuben Press,  steubenpress.com,  pg.15</ref>  In November of that year the '''Erie''' Town Company was formed.  Each member of this company donated forty acres of land in the center of Section 32, Township 28, Range 20 east.<ref name="Erie History">{{cite web|last=Cutler|first=William|title=Neosho County, Part 3: Erie | url=http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/neosho/neosho-co-p3.html#ERIE| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030904161947/http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/neosho/neosho-co-p3.html#ERIE| url-status=dead| archive-date=4 September 2003|work=History of the State of Kansas | publisher=A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL|access-date=9 July 2010}}</ref>  Each member was to buy city plots and improve them.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5zdAAQAAMAAJ | title=Biennial Report of the Board of Directors of the Kansas State Historical Society | publisher=Kansas State Printing Plant | author=Kansas State Historical Society | year=1916 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5zdAAQAAMAAJ/page/n358 251]}}</ref>

Erie's first [[fire department|fire company]] was established in November 1866; its [[charter member]]s were those men who had donated the land on which the community was built.  The first log home in Erie was built in 1866, while the first businesses were built in the following year.  By 1883, the city had two general stores, two blacksmith shops, one drug store, two hotels, one newspaper office, two churches, and a population of about 300.<ref name="Erie History" />

Erie was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] on December 25, 1869.  On December 30, the trustees met and declared Erie to be a city of the 3rd class.<ref>{{cite web|title=Neosho Country Planning Area Profile and Capabilities, City of Erie Overview|url=http://www.neoshocountyks.org/Mitigation%20Plan/2%20Profile%20and%20Capabilities_Neosho.pdf|access-date=9 March 2011|archive-date=July 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727115134/http://www.neoshocountyks.org/Mitigation%20Plan/2%20Profile%20and%20Capabilities_Neosho.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1872, Erie was designated the [[county seat]] of Neosho County, defeating "Osage Mission" (later renamed Saint Paul) in a contentious election.  After a lawsuit reached the [[Kansas Supreme Court]], Erie retained the position of county seat.<ref name="Erie History" />