Volume 14 , Issue 21

Alva (O.T.) 1893

As we were going through some old boxes this week, we found this 4 page booklet that we believe dates back to 1893, or thereabouts. The pages have aged to a brownish, delicate condition.

The image on the left is an AD in the booklet. Did you know that R. A. Cameron & L. W. DeGeer were attorneys at law, having an office two doors south of the post office, in Alva, "M" county (Woods), Oklahoma Territory (O.T.)? Also mentioned in the AD was O. C. R. Randall, county attorney, with 20 years experience before the U.S. Land Office at Boonville, Mo.; Wichita, Kans.; Guthrie, O.T.; Oberlin, Kans and Alva, O.T.

The late 19th century booklet reads as follows: "Alva was born September 16, 1893, in "M" county, O.T., one of the liveliest infants ever seen in the world. Name, Alva. Weight, the combined avoirdupois of 2,200 people, as many horses and old mules, and a few wagons and tents thrown in. since then the youngster has been growing steadily day by day and increasing in size and good looks until it has become the pride and delight of the whole county.

"There has been no boom about Alva, and the people want none. Neither has there been any unseemly usable with rival towns as has been the case in other parts of the Strip. The settlers came for business and went about securing it in the very best manner. They established themselves in permanent buildings as soon as possible, put up dwelling houses for their families and settled down to making homes and money. That is the history of Alva in brief. There have been no wild schemes to boom the town. Every thing has been legitimate and as a consequence today Alva is in a good healthy condition while many other towns which tried different means are enjoying "that tired feeling" which always follows "boom."

"The county seat of "M" county was laid out around a public square of four acres which will give an admirable location for the court house and still leave room for a beautiful park. This has been enclosed by a neat and ornamental fence and trees and flowers will be growing in it within a few weeks. In time Alva will be noted for the beautiful park around which her business is transacted.

"The first rush was made for lots along the North and East sides of the square on account of the location of the land office and those sides were built up first. However, substantial frame houses have been erected all around so that the square presents a solid front in four directions. There are about seventy business firms in Orchards will do well and many trees are being planted.

"The soil is similar to that found immediately north in Kansas which is proverbially rich. It is chiefly a red loam, sandy along the water courses and heavier on the uplands.

"The surface is generally of a slightly rolling character except along the streams where it is broken and fit only for grazing. But this land fully makes up for its roughness by the valuable timber upon it Red cedar is found in great quantitates while black walnut and other trees indicate that "M" county, when fully developed may equal eastern lands in the production of timber.

"With regard to water, no county in the Strip is better supplied. The Salt Fork of the ARkansas flows across the northern part from west to east. The Cimarron takes a diagonal course from about the center of the western boundary line down to the extreme southeast corner. The Canadian also enters "M" county and crosses it in the southwestern part. Tributary to these, the three great rivers of the southwest, are a number of smaller streams, such as Eagle Chief, Driftwood and Turkey Creek, which water every township in the county.

"The records of the past show that this section of the Indian Territory has had a fair amount of rain. But should rain fail the land could be irrigated easily, and as is well known, irrigated land is far more valuable than any other. This whole country has an underflow which could be tapped at a small outlay and which would furnish an abundant water supply.

"M county is divided into ten townships, Fitzlen, Driftwood, STella, Alva, Waynoka, Cleo, Crowell and Cimarron. The principal towns are Alva, the county seat, Cleo, Waynoka, Erwin, Smithville, Manchester, Cherokee, campbell, Warren and Eagle Chief."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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