Towns and Townships
Grady County, Oklahoma
Acme
Acme is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 34.799 and longitude -98.019.
In southwester Grady County, 3 miles west of Rush Springs. A post
office from April 8, 1913 to May 29, 1931. It took its name from
Acme Cement Plaster Company.
Acme, Oklahoma is now a Ghost Town. It was founded when the Acme
Cement and Plaster Company built a large mill and power plant on the
sight in 1911. The Rock Island extended a spur into the
area to haul out the manufactured product. The machines used in the
mill were so large, that the buildings were built around them.
Plaster was a big thing, and there were about 100 to 125 men
employed to manufacture six to eight freight carloads every 24
hours. Near where the gypsum was being mined, large stables were
built to house the thirty teams of horses and mules that pulled the
slip scrapers moving gypsum to the loading chutes.
The roads were very bad at that time, so may workers leased land and
built their homes near the factory. There were also two boarding
houses across the street from the mill, and many single men, or
those who didn't bring their families, lived there. The company
built a home across the street from the mill for the plant
superintendent and for the team boss. There was also a privately
owned General Store across from the mill, and it supplied groceries
and other things that were needed. The Acme post office was located
in one corner of the General Store. The farm community was
served by two cotton gins and a blacksmith shop. Eventually, a large
brick schoolhouse and gymnasium were built.
During the early 1920's the gypsum beds in the area ran out. There
were other beds near the Little Washita River, so the company built
a narrow-gauge railroad to them. In 1927, a flood in the area
covered the additional beds with several feet of sand. The beds were
worked till 1930, but it was very hard to do. This finally became
unprofitable. At that time, the mill in Acme was closed. As
the buildings were built around the machinery, to get it out, the
buildings had to be torn down. After the mill closed, people moved
from the area to go where there were jobs available.
There is very little left of Acme. The school was bought and
tore down, and the boarding houses and the general store is gone
also. There are some houses left, and some of the concrete ruins of
the mill and power plant are left, but in all reasoning, the town is
now a Ghost Town.
Agawam
Agawam is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 34.873 and longitude -97.946.
In Grady County, 12 miles south of Chickasha. A post office from
June 18, 1909 to February 28, 1918. Its name, taken from an Indian
village in New England, means "fish-curing place."
Alex is a populated place located in Grady County at latitude 34.915 and longitude -97.779. In eastern Grady County, 13 miles southeast of Chickasha. Post office established December 2, 1885. Named for William V. Alexander, first postmaster.
Amber
Amber is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 35.16 and longitude -97.879.
In Grady County, 8 miles northeast of Chickasha. Post office
established November 5, 1903. Took its name from the amber color of
the surrounding countryside.
Bailey
Bailey is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 34.716 and longitude -97.798.
In southeastern Grady County, 12 miles northeast of Marlow. A post
office from June 25, 1892 to September 30, 1932. Named for J. J.
Bailey, wagon master on stage line to Fort Sill.
Bradley
Bradley is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 34.878 and longitude -97.708
In eastern Grady County, 6 miles northwest of Lindsay. Post office
established July 10, 1891. Named for Winters P. Bradley, local
stockman and landowner.
Bridge Creek is a populated place located in Grady County at latitude 35.235 and longitude -97.737. Bridge Creek appears on the Blanchard U.S. Geological Survey Map
Chickasha
Chickasha is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 35.053 and longitude -97.936.
Formerly Pensee. County seat of Grady County. Post office name
was changed to Chickasha on June 20, 1892. Record Town for Recording
District No. 19, Indian Territory. Chickasha is the correct spelling
of Chickasaw, but the popular pronunciation of the word is
incorrect.
Chickasha had a Post Office called Waco, and then Pensee, that was
established in 1890.
The Oklahoma College for Women was founded in Chickasha by an act of
state legislature, one of the few state-supported women's colleges
in the United States. Today it is coeducational and called the
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
The Courthouse, in the center of town, is a highly decorated art
deco building. It is decorated with floral and geometric patterns
and cast aluminum lamp posts at the main entrance.
The first courthouse, also in Chickasha, served as the federal court
building of Recording District 19 of the Chickasaw Nation.
Cox City
Cox City is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 34.725 and longitude -97.732.
In southeastern Grady County, 16 miles southeast of Rush Springs. A
post office from March 23, 1927, to April 10, 1964. Named for Edwin
B. Cox of Ardmore, oil producer.
Farwell
Farwell is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 34.886 and longitude -98.006.
Fred
In Grady County, 4 miles south of Chickasha. A post office from
January 2, 1884 to August 7, 1894, it was named for Franklin L.
Fred, prominent early-day Indian trader.
Off of SH 19 east of Chickasha, there is a site, long unmarked, of a
stage station where the Boggy Depot-Fort Sill road crossed the
Chishlom Trail. This trading point, established in the 1870's, was
named Fred for Col. Franklin L. Fred, early day Indian trader. A
marker was recently dedicated to commemorate the historic post.
The cemetery that was used for Fred, is the Muncrief Cemetery.
Laverty
Laverty is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 34.991 and longitude -98.075.
In western Grady County, 5 miles northeast of Cement. A post office
from November 19, 1901 to November 30, 1933. From January 4, 1904 to
December 15, 1908, the name of this post office was Hillsboro. Named
for Lealis F. Laverty, townsite developer.
Middleberg
Middleberg is a community or populated
place located in Grady County at latitude 35.106 and
longitude -97.735.
In Grady County, 10 miles northeast of Chickasha. A post office from
November 2, 1908 to March 31, 1932. The name comes from its
location, halfway between Chickasha and Blanchard.
Settlers began moving into Minco in 1889, shortly before the
railroad arrived in 1890. The name is an Indian word meaning
"chief". That same year, the area's first school, started at
Silver City by Mrs. Meta Chesnut Sager, was moved to Minco. It was
called first Minco Academy, and the name later became El Meta Bond
College.
Minco
Minco is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 35.313 and longitude -97.944.
In western Grady County. Post office established June 20, 1890. The
name is an Indian word meaning "chief". Also in 1890, the
area's first school, which had been started in Silver City, was
moved to Minco. It was called the Minco Academy, and the name later
became El Meta Bond College.
Ninnekah
Ninnekah is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 34.948 and longitude -97.924.
In central Grady County. Post office established July 28, 1892. The
name is from the Choctaw root word ninek, referring to night
or darkness. Other unofficial names are East Ninnekah and Minnekah.
Norge
Norge is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 34.988 and longitude -97.997.
Formerly Norden. In Grady County, 4 miles southwest of Chickasha.
Post office name changed to Norge, March 21, 1908, and discontinued
September 30, 1954. Named in honor of the homeland of a local group
of Norwegian settlers.
Pocasset
Pocasset is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 35.194 and longitude -97.953.
In Grady County, 10 miles north of Chickasha. Post office
established December 13, 1902. Took its name from and Indian village
of the same name in Massachusetts. The word means "where the strait
widens out".
Pocasset is the site of a bungled train robbery
attempted by Al Jennings who was, in his lifetime, a lawyer, train
robber, convict, evangelist, author, and candidate for governor of
Oklahoma. On this particular job, pulled in broad daylight while
attempting to blow up a safe in the baggage/express car, Jennings
and his gang managed to blow up the entire car. All they got away
with was some jewelry and a little money taken from the passengers.
Rocky Ford
Rocky Ford is a community or populated
place located in Grady County at latitude 34.845 and
longitude -98.072.
Rush Springs
Rush Springs is a populated place located
in Grady County at latitude 34.783 and longitude -97.957.
Formerly Parr. In southern Grady County. Post office name changed to
Rush Springs, May 13, 1892. It took its name from well-known springs
on the Chisholm Trail, which were the headwaters of Rush Creek. One
of the springs is now located in the municipal park. One of the
first Civilian Conservation Corps camps was located here in the
1930s.
On the north edge of town, on US 81 Business, a historical marker
details the tragic 1858 attack by federal troops on a Comanche band
visiting the Wichita village here on Rush Creek. The Fort Belknap
(Texas) troops were under the command of Capt. Earl Van Dorn.
Seventy (one estimate says 90) Comanche warriors were killed in the
attack which happened by mistake. The Comanches were on their way to
Fort Arbuckle to discuss peace terms with the whites at the urging
of the Wichitas. The remaining Comanches wrongly assumed they had
been betrayed by the Wichitas and sought retribution and the
frightened and innocent Wichitas sought refuge at Fort Arbuckle. In
the captain's defense, it should be said he had known nothing of the
peace mission.
Although now a ghost town, this was once a very important resting
and trading stop on the Chisholm Trail. Just north was the always
dangerous South Canadian River to be crossed and trail drivers like
to rest themselves and graze their herds, stock up on supplies, and
make repairs before attempting the mile-wide river crossing with its
patches of quicksand. All that remains today of this once busy spot
is the well-kept cemetery.
Silver City, located just south of the Canadian River where it was
crossed by the Chisholm Trail, was an important stopping point for
cattlemen on their way to northern markets. Just when the village
had its beginning is obscure. It is known, however, that a Mexican
family living nearby sold quirts to cowboys before 1880.
The Canadian may have caused the village to be located at its
particular site. In the vicinity were 3 small creeks with good
water, and the land between the creeks furnished a grazing area when
the river was in flood stages. Even when the water in the Canadian
was low, quicksand could present a problem. Cattle, one they had
started across, had to be kept moving. Most trail bosses preferred
to hold the cattle on the south bank if the crossing could not be
completed in daylight. With the opening of the Unassigned Lands, the
Cheyenne and Arapaho Reservation, and the Cherokee Outlet for
settlement, the Chisholm Trail ceased to exist.
In 1890, when the Rock Island extended its tracks south of the
river, there was a general movement from Silver City to the new town
of Minco. One of the noted pioneers of Silver City was Meta
Chestnut, who had organized a subscription school. She also moved to
Minco, where she started Minco Academy, which later became El Meta
Bond College.
The only existing reminder of Silver City is the cemetery. All land
formerly occupied by the village and trail is now farmed.
Sooner
Sooner is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 35.233 and longitude -97.854.
Formerly Haley. In northeastern Grady County, 5 miles south of
Tuttle. Post office name changed to Sooner, April 9, 1913, and
discontinued July 15, 1914.
Tabler
Tabler is a community or populated place
located in Grady County at latitude 35.044 and longitude -97.82.
In Grady County, 5 miles east of Chickasha. A post office from
February 2, 1909, to October 31, 1954. Named for Ike Tabler, foreman
of a crew laying railroad track.
Tuttle
Tuttle is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 35.291 and longitude -97.812.
In northern Grady County, 9 miles east of Minco. Post office
established August 14, 1902. Named for James H. Tuttle, local
rancher.
There is a legend about Tuttle... it is told that Jesse James and
his gang buried a cache of loot, which has never been found, east of
there. At the east edge of Tuttle is a 12 ton boulder, marking
the Chisholm Trail. Bronze tablets on the rock list the names
of pioneer residents and tell of Silver City, two miles north.
Verden
Verden is a populated place located in
Grady County at latitude 35.083 and longitude -98.088.
On the county line, 10 miles west of Chickasha. Post office
established May 5, 1899. Site of Camp Napoleon. Named for A. N.
Verden, townsite developer in 1899. Verden is best known as the site
of the massive convocation in May, 1865, of Indians determined to
present a united front to the white man. The site of Camp Napoleon,
as the gathering was called, covered almost the entire area of the
present town. It was finally agreed among the tribes represented
that if they were to survive "an Indian shall not spill and Indian's
blood." A giant boulder on the school grounds along the highway
commemorates the meeting.
Note: Some of the above information came from the book - Oklahoma Place Names - by George H. Shirk
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