'HCc^U^UJ>L (fjijO^ Xc TO COLUMBUS, KANS SEDAN,KANS. INOEPENOENCE, COFFErVILXE, JO BAKXATNESR SPOS, CMILOCCO IAA»W •»«, ^ OEQUEEN, .ob ARK. TO PARIS.TEX . ( : vX_ yfT^OGAINESVrLUE. O TEFN«ISON.vy Keyfo OKLAHOMA TOURS TOUR ' ^^ SIDE TOUa TOUR SECTIONAL DIVISION 3a ^ 5b ^ lOc From the collection of the ^ m Pre3lpinnger a ^ Jjlib-rifary t P San Francisco, California 2008 ^(\IJ1 OKLAHOMA A Guide to The Sooner State tii\^^ ^A OKLAHOMA A GUIDE TO THE SOONER STATE Compiled by Workers of the Writers Program of the Work^ Projects Administration in the State of Oklahoma AMERICAN GUIDE SERIES ILLUSTRATED Sponsored by the University of Oklahoma NORMAN UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS MCMXLI ^<\/ll THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA STATE-WIDE SPONSOR OF THE OKLAHOMA WRITERS PROGRAM FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION Howard O. Hunter, Commissioner Florence Kerr, Assistant Commissioner Ron Stephens, State Administrator COPYRIGHT, 1941, BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHO.MA PRESS ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PARTS THEREOF IN ANY FORM Foreword OKLAHOMA is a land of timbered mountains, treeless plains, ] mesquite and sage brush, cypress and pine, massive build- ings and small homes, of pioneer newness and old tradition. Within its boundaries is found nearly everything that w^e think of as genuinely American. Here are clear fishing streams, beautiful lakes, and rugged mountain scenery. Level plains, where fields of grain bear witness to the rich soil ; remote ranch houses and great herds of cattle graz- ing on the prairies; oil-field derricks symbolizing the state's rich resources in petroleum; cities with skyscrapers, interesting towns —all these reveal the widespread enterprise, contentment, and hos- pitality of the men and women whose achievements constitute the substance of this Guide. There are people now living in Oklahoma whose memories encompass the whole history of the state. Some of the pioneers who drove the first stakes in the prairies to plat the sites of our cities, farms, and ranches have watched the remarkable progress of Okla- homa since they first arrived. Many men who sat in the constitu- tional convention and created the state's educational and welfare institutions are still living, as are members of the Five Civilized Tribes who helped to govern small Indian republics as distinct and individual as city states of ancient Greece. In many communities are children of prairie Indians who hunted the buffalo and moved their tepee villages across the plains. United States marshals, cow- boys, missionaries, and pioneer educators have been a part of Okla- homa life through the years. Fortunately, some of them survive to VI FOREWORD recount the story of territorial days as well as the moving events that have occurred since statehood. In one sense, Oklahoma is new, but in another real sense it is old. The first church was organized in 1830, the first public school law was enacted in 1832, the first printing press was set up in 1835, and the first newspaper began publication in 1844. All these agencies of civilization and culture were established by and for the Indian population; and the state's present economic, social, political, and religious structures were based on these early foun- dations. This volume is a serious attempt to present a rounded story of Oklahoma; in its pages both Oklahomans and visitors in the state will find much that is useful and interesting. W. B. BiZZELL May 15, 1941