Blog update

I will be updating this blog in next few days. Looking forward to have my viewers updated on what is happening in this small city of Chickasha, Ok.

Aerial View of Chickasha, OK

Let It Snow....

Let It Snow....Let It Snow! It does not snow to often in Chickasha , Oklahoma but when it does the world seems to come to a standstill. The schools are closed and the kiddos get to stay home and play in the snow. People tend to stay home and the roads are less traveled. Here are some pictures after the recent snow.

Lake Burtschi

Lake Burtschi was constructed by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1954 and renovated in 1990. It is located in Grady County 10 miles southwest of Chickasha. Recreation facilities at the lake include two boat ramps, five fishing jetties, two fishing piers and picnic tables and grills. The lake is populated by large mouth bass, crappie, and channel fish.

December 2008 Christmas Parade

Despite the bitter cold weather there was a large turnout to see the Chickasha Christmas Parade. The parade stepped off at 7pm in front of the YMCA and headed down Chickasha Avenue to 1st street. The theme this year was *Christmas Movies* with the floats being decorated in the theme of a Christmas movie. There is a contest where you can guess what movie the float is from. If you can guess all the floats correctly and your name is drawn, you can win $50. Floats will be judged as well with prizes of $150, $100 and $50 going to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. I hope you enjoy the parade pictures!

Festival of Light

Festival of Light open to the public

The Chickasha Festival of Light opened with a dazzling display of color, entertainment and refreshments. Shannon Springs Park opens each night at 6 p.m. The spectacular display will be open through Dec. 31 with the 16-story high red-lighted tree welcoming visitors. This annual event will be between November 25 to December 31.

History

From Whistle Stop to First Class City

Located on rolling Oklahoma prairie land, the town site was once inhabited by Indian tribes and buffalo herds. Called “No-Man’s Land” in the 19th Century, the area abounds with ancient Indian artifacts and trails which mark the presence of early man. The name “Chickasha” presumably comes from an Indian word meaning “rebel, and Grady County was named for the famous Southern orator, Henry W. Grady.

A treaty known as “Doak’s Stand” signed at Dancing Rabbit Creek, first included Grady County in land given to the Chickasaw Nation in 1821. Before there was a town, the site of Chickasha was included in the “Swing Ring” cattle ranch owned by an intermarried citizen of the Chickasaw Indian Nation. Until Statehood in 1907, the area was divided into Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory.

It all began with a small shack town in 1892 when the Rock Island Railroad stopped its tracks for several months. Arrival of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad about ten years later, the Oklahoma Central – later the Santa Fe Railroad – in 1907, and the subsequent highway development that followed in later years ensured Chickasha’s future as a regional market hub.

When the Rock Island made Chickasha a whistle stop, the existing town site was purchased from the Indian family and a flourishing tent camp sprang up in the middle of a cornfield. Plenty of land meant a new life for many. Merchants, doctors, lawyers, and bankers were quickly attracted to the area. In 1902, ten years after its founding, Chickasha had a population of 6,370 and became a first class city. Its growth was greatly stimulated by the opening to white settlement in 1901 of the Kiowa-Comanche reservation, which adjoined the former Chickasaw Nation on the west.

In 1907, streets were paved and large brick and frame homes were built. The Oklahoma College for Women (now the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma) was established in Chickasha in 1908 by the First Oklahoma Legislature and quickly became a leading educational and cultural institution in the new state. By 1909, Chickasha had completed a new water and sewer system; a new viaduct was being planned to span the Rock Island tracks eastward; telephones were being hooked up downtown with three digit telephone numbers; a new $90,000 high school was under construction; a new city hall was being built; and electric streetcar lines would soon be extended all over the city. Chickasha was on the move.

Early day Chickasha businessmen formed an organization to work together in the interests of the community. Called the “Chickasha Commercial Club,” it later evolved into the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce. In 1971, Chickasha was designated an “All-American City” by the National Civic League for its continuing efforts to secure and expand industrial, educational and social programs.

Dubbed “Queen of the Washita Valley,” Chickasha is now included in the Oklahoma City MSA, and remains a prosperous city with a healthy, diversified economic base. Our schools continue to press forward with new building construction and innovative educational outreach. Our Economic Development and Chick, Inc. organizations are actively pursuant of new industry and business opportunities. Our business and city leaders are actively working together to unite and beautify our city. Chickasha is a great place to live. We welcome you to come join us.