History Stillwater, Oklahoma

stillwater welcome sign (2010)

according 1 legend, local native american tribes — ponca, kiowa, osage, pawnee — called creek “still water” because water still. second legend states cattlemen driving herds texas railways east found water still there . third legend holds david l. payne walked stillwater creek , said, “this town should named still water”. members of board thought crazy, name stuck.

stillwater creek received official name in 1884 when william l. couch established “boomer colony” on banks. while creek tranquil, next few years saw turmoil pioneers sought free, fertile land , soldiers held them off while complicated legal issues , land titles creek , seminole tribes hashed out. on april 22, 1889, cannons fired signaling first land run opened unassigned lands of oklahoma territory, included stillwater. end of day, 240 acres (0.97 km) had been claimed , designated stillwater township , tent city population numbering 300 had sprung on prairie. encyclopedia of oklahoma history , culture says name officially became stillwater when post office opened on may 28, 1889.

on christmas eve, 1890, legislature of oklahoma territory passed bill certifying stillwater land grant college site. in 1894, oklahoma agricultural , mechanical college held dedication of first brick building, assembly building, later known old central. between 1889 , statehood, stillwater grew. statehood in 1907, downtown stillwater home more 50 buildings including several banks, churches, grocery stores, hotels, , department stores.

the first newspaper stillwater gazette; telephone , gas service arrived in 1899; , eastern oklahoma railroad arrived in 1900.

the population in 1917 3,000 , world war ii had grown more 10,000. during war, town leaders’ aim convert oklahoma a&m war training center. succeeded in creating 12 training units involved bringing 40,000 service men , women stillwater. waves (women s accepted volunteer emergency service) largest 10,000 participants. quonset huts dotted across town , barracks occupied site stillwater medical center , careertech headquarters now. vast operation tided city through war , served base healthy economy in postwar period.

in 1952, industrial foundation established , trustees worked bring new industry town: moore plant in 1966, mercury marine in 1973, national standard plant in 1988, world color press in 1974 , armstrong world industries, inc. in 1988. census of 2000, population 39,065; however, population adjusted 46,156 in 2009.