Oklahoma’s Wild West history began in the 1880’s when settlers pushed the President into allowing movement into the area.  Originally acquired in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, for decades the land had been occupied by displaced Native American tribes that had been made refugees by the westward push of Manifest Destiny.  Ultimately, these Oklahoma (Choctaw for “red man”) lands too were taken over by whites as President Benjamin Harrison authorized a land run on March 2, 1889 that took place 51 days later, establishing Oklahoma City with an immediate population of just under10,000.

Bloodshed characterized the birth of the city as settlers feuded with one another over property boundaries in the absence of any official municipal government.  With provisional government and the establishment of a Chamber of Commerce, the town began its existence as a railroad center, bringing prosperity to the region.  By 1910, Oklahoma City was the capital of the fledgling state of Oklahoma.

In 1928 the city struck oil with the discovery of a deposit that would, in the end, yield a million barrels.  The city’s economy spouted at the rate of the oil strike, initiating a period of prosperity that would not end until the 1980’s, when population and real estate numbers began to fall.  Today, the city exports additional other resources, including coal and metals.

In 1995, the city fell victim to a terrorist attack when a Ryder truck blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168.  A monument dedicated to those slain was erected in 2000.  In the last few years, the city has been on the mend, with a large amount of money being invested into downtown revitalization projects.