Volume 11 , Issue 33

Marland & Bliss, OK

Roy says, "You have (accidentally) created some errors here! It was Marland that was first known as Bliss. Perry began as a Santa Fe water and firewood (or coal) stop known as Mendota (the name was later changed to Wharton) and was located about a mile south of present day Perry, Oklahoma.

"The city was established on September 16, 1893 when the biggest land run of all, The "Cherokee Strip Land Run" took place. The town was known as 'the queen city' of the strip (also the 'pride of the prairie') because of its unique 'instant' growth. One week after the run, the land just east of the government land office was called 'Hell's Half Acre' because of the 110 saloons, numerous tent hotels, gambing establishments, bawdy houses, etc. that located there.

"Anything to get a dollar or so from the folks waiting to register their claims and it took many weeks of waiting to get into the land office for some. My shop is directly across the street from the original Hell's Half Acre."
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