Garfield County

At straight-up noon on September 16, 1893, a gunshot punctuated the excitement as thousands of men, women, and children began their run into the Cherokee Strip. Over 100,000 people entered from all four boundaries of the strip on horseback, on foot, by train, wagon, and bicycle – all seeking a new life on the frontier.

About 20,000 of these people settled in what was to be designated “O” County. “O” County was provided with a county seat reserve of 320 acres, a plot of four acres for a courthouse, and one acre for a government land office. The county seat was Enid and eventually the county name was selected by popular vote to honor James A. Garfield, twentieth President of the United States.