Pond Creek, Grant Co., OK

• Place

Pond Creek was once part of the  Cherokee Nation had acquired after resettlement to lands in present-day eastern Oklahoma in 1835 as part of the Treaty of New Echota. Benjamin Harrison's 1890 Presidential Proclamation which forbade all grazing leases in the Cherokee Outlet, effectively eliminating tribal profits from cattle leases, the Cherokee came to an agreement to sell their lands in the northwest corner of present day Oklahoma to the government at a price ranging from $1.40 to $2.50 per acre. On September 16, 1893, the government held Oklahoma's fourth and largest land run with an estimated 100,000 participants hoping to stake claim to part of the 6 million acres and 40,000 homesteads on what had formerly been Cherokee grazing land. Four land offices for the run were specially set up to handle the event – in Perry, Enid, Woodward, and Alva. Infantry troops were stationed at those sites in an attempt to maintain order, while Cavalry troops were stationed at encampments near Alva, Bluff Creek, Chilocco, Clear Creek, Hennessey, Pond Creek, South Wharton, and Waynoka. Despite that, 'Sooners' – those who started before the designated time – still managed to sneak in and secure some of the best locations, especially in the eastern third of the Outlet and at many of the townsites.

From Linda D. Wilson, “Pond Creek,” The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=PO009: "A post office was established (at Pond Creek) on September 29, 1893, and Samuel H. Cummins served as the first postmaster. Originally known as Round Pond, Pond Creek was the county seat of L County (later Grant County) from September 16, 1893, to May 27, 1908.

Lying south of the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River, Pond Creek was a trade center for a surrounding agricultural area where farmers engaged in general farming and stock raising. In 1902 the community had two newspapers, the Grant County News and the Grant County Republican. Professional occupations included a dentist, several lawyers, and an architect. The Saddle-Rock and Shamrock restaurants advertised as short-order houses, and S. W. Burr owned the Pond Creek Cigar Factory. By 1909 the Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches had been organized. Area residents supported two banks, a flour mill, and several grain elevators. The town had electricity, water works, and a fire department. In 1918 two veterinarians, two horse breeders, a wagon maker, a harness maker, a blacksmith, and a dealer in horses and mules served the local community. By 1931 Pond Creek had 311 telephone connections, a library, city parks, and an airfield. In the mid-1940s the town had one bank, one weekly newspaper, and five churches, representing five denominations. In the 1940s and 1950s Pond Creek continued to have businesses such as a blacksmith, a hatchery, and feed and implement stores serving the rural community.

In 1900 Pond Creek's population stood at 822. At 1907 statehood the town had 1,155 residents. During the next three decades, the numbers declined from 1,113 in 1910 to 857 in 1930. In 1940 and 1950 population rose to 1,019 and 1,066, respectively. Between 1960 and 1990 residents numbered in the 900s....The 2010 census reported a population of 856."