And Nowhere
Which Oklahoma county or town has the most "entertaining" reputation?
- Thread starter bubbaturbo
- Start Date
Slapout. Tyrone, Turpin, Straight, Hough, Floris, Little Ponderosa, etc.
It ain't the end of the world but if you climb a tall windmill you can see it.
Don't forget Nowata and Lottawatah, which has a road sign but doesn't exist.
And Forgan
Don't forget Gotebo
Retrop is Porter spelled backwards.
Devol is Loved spelled backwards.
Porter is a town too, not sure about Loved.
Devol is Loved spelled backwards.
Porter is a town too, not sure about Loved.
In doing my research on the net, it bothers me a lot to see all the different versions and dates of my hometown Kingfisher. Below, is what I learned to be true. The following paragraphs are pretty close but as I said different.
Kingfisher was named for early resident King Fisher. April 22 1889 the Land Rush was run and Kingfisher City and Lisbon were two settlements that were born. The two merged and joined into Kingfisher in 1890. It sits on the Chisholm Trail as does Dover and Hennessey, virtually, US 81 HWY.
The Indian Territory of Oklahoma was governed by the second governor Abraham Seay and Kingfisher was the original state capital so-to-speak. There is even a governor's mansion in Kingfisher to prove it. The capital was later moved to Guthrie.
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www.okhistory.org
Because the bill opening Oklahoma did not allow a townsite to exceed 320 acres, settlers at Kingfisher organized into two cities. Kingfisher City was on the north side of the settlement, near the land office, and Lisbon lay to its south. Although Lisbon was larger than Kingfisher City when the two united on June 14, 1890, the town was called Kingfisher. On October 23, 1889, the first passenger train of the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (later part of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway) reached town. By the day of the land run the tracks had only been built as far south as Pond Creek, so settlers were not able to ride the train into Kingfisher as they could into Guthrie or Oklahoma City.
On May 2, 1890, Oklahoma Territory was organized. Comprising the Unassigned Lands, and the Public Land Strip, or Panhandle, it was divided into three judicial districts. The Western District comprised present Kingfisher County, part of Canadian County, and the Panhandle. Abraham Jefferson Seay, a Missouri native, was appointed judge for the Western District and chose Kingfisher as his place of residence.
Before the territory was established, intense lobbying began in an attempt to influence Pres. Benjamin Harrison's choice for governor. Because Harrison had been elected on a home-rule platform, many assumed that he would pick someone from Oklahoma Territory. Among the men suggested by regional newspapers was J. V. Admire, now of Kingfisher. Admire even managed to get the Republican territorial committee to recommend him, to no avail, as Harrison chose George Washington Steele of Ohio.
Politicians also fiercely contested the proposed placement of the territorial capital, with Oklahoma City, Kingfisher, and Guthrie being the main candidates. Kingfisher's and Oklahoma City's representatives agreed that the Kingfisher men would vote for Oklahoma City, and if Governor Steele vetoed the selection, the Oklahoma Cityans would then vote for Kingfisher. Kingfisher residents, however, petitioned Steele to veto Oklahoma City's selection. When Oklahoma City was chosen, he vetoed the bill. The Oklahoma City delegation honored their obligation and voted for Kingfisher. The governor, however, discovered Kingfisher's double game and vetoed that bill as well.
Steele quickly tired of Oklahoma politics, returning to Ohio in fall 1891. In February 1892 President Harrison appointed Abraham Jefferson Seay as the second territorial governor. Seay naturally hoped to make Kingfisher the capital and in April 1892 just west of town built a three-story mansion, "Horizon Hill," hoping it would remain the gubernatorial manse. Unfortunately, Seay was forced to abandon the idea of moving the capital in order to get the legislature to agree to sanction biennial elections.
Kingfisher was named for early resident King Fisher. April 22 1889 the Land Rush was run and Kingfisher City and Lisbon were two settlements that were born. The two merged and joined into Kingfisher in 1890. It sits on the Chisholm Trail as does Dover and Hennessey, virtually, US 81 HWY.
The Indian Territory of Oklahoma was governed by the second governor Abraham Seay and Kingfisher was the original state capital so-to-speak. There is even a governor's mansion in Kingfisher to prove it. The capital was later moved to Guthrie.
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Kingfisher | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
KINGFISHER.
The seat of Kingfisher County, Kingfisher lies forty-five miles northwest of Oklahoma City at the intersection of U.S. Highway 81 and State Highways 3 and 33. It is also at the confluence of Kingfisher Creek and Uncle John's Creek. At one time the stagecoach branch of the Chisholm Trail went through the site on its way to Darlington Indian Agency and Fort Reno. A stage station lay several blocks west of U.S. Highway 81's crossing over Kingfisher Creek. The cattle trail was several miles to the east. In April 1889 the Unassigned Lands opened to non-Indians, and settlers were allowed to cross the Cheyenne and Arapaho Reservation to make the run from the reservation border, one mile west of town. They were called "West Liners," and those who made the run from the Cherokee Strip border, north of Hennessey, would be called "North Liners." Contestants registered their claims at land offices in Kingfisher and Guthrie. At the Kingfisher office, J. V. Admire of Osage City, Kansas, was receiver of monies and J. C. Roberts was register of deeds.Because the bill opening Oklahoma did not allow a townsite to exceed 320 acres, settlers at Kingfisher organized into two cities. Kingfisher City was on the north side of the settlement, near the land office, and Lisbon lay to its south. Although Lisbon was larger than Kingfisher City when the two united on June 14, 1890, the town was called Kingfisher. On October 23, 1889, the first passenger train of the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (later part of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway) reached town. By the day of the land run the tracks had only been built as far south as Pond Creek, so settlers were not able to ride the train into Kingfisher as they could into Guthrie or Oklahoma City.
On May 2, 1890, Oklahoma Territory was organized. Comprising the Unassigned Lands, and the Public Land Strip, or Panhandle, it was divided into three judicial districts. The Western District comprised present Kingfisher County, part of Canadian County, and the Panhandle. Abraham Jefferson Seay, a Missouri native, was appointed judge for the Western District and chose Kingfisher as his place of residence.
Before the territory was established, intense lobbying began in an attempt to influence Pres. Benjamin Harrison's choice for governor. Because Harrison had been elected on a home-rule platform, many assumed that he would pick someone from Oklahoma Territory. Among the men suggested by regional newspapers was J. V. Admire, now of Kingfisher. Admire even managed to get the Republican territorial committee to recommend him, to no avail, as Harrison chose George Washington Steele of Ohio.
Politicians also fiercely contested the proposed placement of the territorial capital, with Oklahoma City, Kingfisher, and Guthrie being the main candidates. Kingfisher's and Oklahoma City's representatives agreed that the Kingfisher men would vote for Oklahoma City, and if Governor Steele vetoed the selection, the Oklahoma Cityans would then vote for Kingfisher. Kingfisher residents, however, petitioned Steele to veto Oklahoma City's selection. When Oklahoma City was chosen, he vetoed the bill. The Oklahoma City delegation honored their obligation and voted for Kingfisher. The governor, however, discovered Kingfisher's double game and vetoed that bill as well.
Steele quickly tired of Oklahoma politics, returning to Ohio in fall 1891. In February 1892 President Harrison appointed Abraham Jefferson Seay as the second territorial governor. Seay naturally hoped to make Kingfisher the capital and in April 1892 just west of town built a three-story mansion, "Horizon Hill," hoping it would remain the gubernatorial manse. Unfortunately, Seay was forced to abandon the idea of moving the capital in order to get the legislature to agree to sanction biennial elections.
Whenever someone called in for road conditions my Law Enforcement instructor Glen Jenlink, a former Alfalfa County Undersheriff always replied, "There's a big rock in the road at Gotebo." He got the biggest kick out of telling that to the class.
My paternal grandparents (and a few more ancestors) are buried in the cemetery at Cleveland, and we went up there for a family reunion every Memorial Day when I was a kid.
My folks used to own 80 acres just north of St. Louis. I’d say I’ve spent some time in St. Louis, but I really only drove through on the way to the 80.
Don't forget Bowlegs
