Cherryvale was once home to seven brick plants, including one that produced the "Don't Spit on the Sidewalk" brick. The slogan, stamped into the bricks, was made famous by Kansas State Board of Health officer Dr. Samuel Crumbine. The "Don't Spit" brick was only one of Crumbine's various campaigns to improve sanitation and combat disease. Many streets and buildings in town reflect the brick plants' presence. Cherryvale also was home to the largest zinc smelter in the world in 1898.