1889 TERRITORIAL SCHOOL / 124 E. 2nd / PO BOX 4101 / EDMOND, OKLAHOMA 73083 / 405-715-1889
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
E D M O N D H I S T O R Y
At noon on April 22, 1889, everything
changed at Edmond Station on the Santa
Fe Railroad line. In the morning there was
station agent, John W. Steen, his wife and
2-year-old son and a couple of railroad
workers. By nightfall there were 100 to
150 people, mostly men, busy trying to
organize a town and find a place to
bed down.
What a day it had been. Beginning at
noon (and in some cases "sooner")
settlers poured over the starting points
for the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889, all
eager, many desperate, to secure a piece
of the free land in the Unassigned Lands
of central Oklahoma. They arrived by
railroad, wagon, buggy, horseback and
on foot. It has even been said one man
rode his bicycle. While many people were
bound for the larger proposed settlements
of Oklahoma Station (now Oklahoma City),
Guthrie and Norman, many found their
way to Edmond Station.
This coaling and watering stop had been
established in March, 1887 by the Santa Fe
Railroad which built a line north and south
across Indian Territory. Located at milepost
103, it was first called Summit for the high
elevation near this point but within 12 days
the station was designated Edmond for
Santa Fe official Edmond Burdick.
changed at Edmond Station on the Santa
Fe Railroad line. In the morning there was
station agent, John W. Steen, his wife and
2-year-old son and a couple of railroad
workers. By nightfall there were 100 to
150 people, mostly men, busy trying to
organize a town and find a place to
bed down.
What a day it had been. Beginning at
noon (and in some cases "sooner")
settlers poured over the starting points
for the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889, all
eager, many desperate, to secure a piece
of the free land in the Unassigned Lands
of central Oklahoma. They arrived by
railroad, wagon, buggy, horseback and
on foot. It has even been said one man
rode his bicycle. While many people were
bound for the larger proposed settlements
of Oklahoma Station (now Oklahoma City),
Guthrie and Norman, many found their
way to Edmond Station.
This coaling and watering stop had been
established in March, 1887 by the Santa Fe
Railroad which built a line north and south
across Indian Territory. Located at milepost
103, it was first called Summit for the high
elevation near this point but within 12 days
the station was designated Edmond for
Santa Fe official Edmond Burdick.
Station agent Steen, wife Cordelia and young son Charlie lived in
a little house by the tracks. Mrs. Steen started a small business,
cooking meals for the railroad crews stopping for coal and water
and the ranchers and cowboys bringing cattle to ship north on
the railroad to market. Edmond Station received freight bound for
the trading posts in the Iowa and Kickapoo reservations to the
east so the area was not unknown to many of the new settlers.
But now the Run was over and the work of building new towns,
homes and businesses and new family farms on what had been
barren prairie and timber land the day before would begin.
a little house by the tracks. Mrs. Steen started a small business,
cooking meals for the railroad crews stopping for coal and water
and the ranchers and cowboys bringing cattle to ship north on
the railroad to market. Edmond Station received freight bound for
the trading posts in the Iowa and Kickapoo reservations to the
east so the area was not unknown to many of the new settlers.
But now the Run was over and the work of building new towns,
homes and businesses and new family farms on what had been
barren prairie and timber land the day before would begin.
Within days the wives and children of the men already
in Edmond began to arrive with their household goods.
It wasn't long before a need for a school to educate the
children was voiced and an industrious group of women
formed a Ladies School Aid Society and set out to
collect supplies and money to build a school house.
Due to their diligence, and refusal to take "no" for an
answer, the new school was completed in August of
1889. The first class of 19 pupils met on September 16.
No tuition was charged as enough money had been
contributed to pay the teacher's salary...$240.00 for an
eight-month term.
Edmond had hopes of being the seat of a proposed
county to be named Ventura but no such county was
formed. The town then decided to try for one of the
institutes of higher learning and was able to get the
Territorial Normal School for the training of teachers.
Classes began in November of 1891 in the Methodist
church. January 13, 1893, the Normal building, known
today as Old North Tower, was close enough to being
finished for classes to begin.
The town was growing and prospering. In July of 1890
there was a population of 500 and by October of 1891
the population was 1,000. The streets were graded,
there were three public water wells and trees had
been planted in the park on North Broad Street
(now Broadway).
Coal oil street lights appeared in 1892 and in 1901 a
telephone system was installed with one long distance
line and 45 local phones. Wooden sidewalks had been
serving the town for several years but in 1902 the city
council ordered all sidewalks to be built of brick,
flagstone or asphalt.
The Edmond Fire Company was organized in 1903 but
structures still burned to the ground. The City Council
finally issued an ordinance in 1905 saying every
occupant of the lots on Broadway were to keep a barrel
of water and one peck of salt on hand in case of fire
emergencies.
November 16, 1907, Edmond celebrated statehood for
Oklahoma. Territorial days were over and the citizens
of Edmond prepared to move ahead developing their
village into a modern town.
in Edmond began to arrive with their household goods.
It wasn't long before a need for a school to educate the
children was voiced and an industrious group of women
formed a Ladies School Aid Society and set out to
collect supplies and money to build a school house.
Due to their diligence, and refusal to take "no" for an
answer, the new school was completed in August of
1889. The first class of 19 pupils met on September 16.
No tuition was charged as enough money had been
contributed to pay the teacher's salary...$240.00 for an
eight-month term.
Edmond had hopes of being the seat of a proposed
county to be named Ventura but no such county was
formed. The town then decided to try for one of the
institutes of higher learning and was able to get the
Territorial Normal School for the training of teachers.
Classes began in November of 1891 in the Methodist
church. January 13, 1893, the Normal building, known
today as Old North Tower, was close enough to being
finished for classes to begin.
The town was growing and prospering. In July of 1890
there was a population of 500 and by October of 1891
the population was 1,000. The streets were graded,
there were three public water wells and trees had
been planted in the park on North Broad Street
(now Broadway).
Coal oil street lights appeared in 1892 and in 1901 a
telephone system was installed with one long distance
line and 45 local phones. Wooden sidewalks had been
serving the town for several years but in 1902 the city
council ordered all sidewalks to be built of brick,
flagstone or asphalt.
The Edmond Fire Company was organized in 1903 but
structures still burned to the ground. The City Council
finally issued an ordinance in 1905 saying every
occupant of the lots on Broadway were to keep a barrel
of water and one peck of salt on hand in case of fire
emergencies.
November 16, 1907, Edmond celebrated statehood for
Oklahoma. Territorial days were over and the citizens
of Edmond prepared to move ahead developing their
village into a modern town.
Edmond Station O.T.
Broadway, 1890
Constructing Old North
Broadway trolley tracks
Interurban Trolley
and passengers
and passengers
Looking north
from 2nd & Broadway
around 1960
from 2nd & Broadway
around 1960
Looking east
on Campbell
on Campbell