Volume 11 , Issue 12

1893 Great Race For Homes

The photo on the left is a picture of Alva, Oklahoma Territory, businesses around the downtown government square in its early years after the Run of 1893.

The Run: On Saturday, Sept. 16th, 1893, "The Alva Pioneer" reported on January 1, 1904 that the first thing that happened was the Great Race for homes, saturday, September 16th, 1893.

The "Pioneer" goes on to state, "The line-up was 168 miles long on the north line of the Cherokee strip, (and south line of Kansas) extending from the Arkansas river near Arkansas City, Kansas, west to the west line of what is now Woodward County, Okla., and 159 miles along the south line of the strip, from the east line of Logan county, Okla., west to the Texas line. It has been variously estimated that 300,000 to 500,000 people made the race on that day; and the thrilling incidents and accidents of the day and for a few weeks thereafter, would make a larger book than has ever yet been published. The progress of the people in developing the country and building of towns and cities since the opening is more strange than even Aladin would have been capable of dreaming."

The "Souvenir Edition" of "The Alva Pioneer" dated Friday, January 1, 1904 was published by W. F. Hatfield, Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma. It gives historical facts leading up to the opening to settlement and a brief sketch of the agitation during the years 1879 to 1889, mentioning the chief and pioneer agitator -- Captain David L. Payne.

As the weeks pass by I will add little bits of stories about the pioneers that settled in NW Oklahoma and some pictures depicting the birth of this fast growing community and the people who pushed and pulled it along back in 1904."
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