FIRST Courthouse - Wagoner, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 57.589 W 095° 22.460
15S E 285879 N 3982097
Wagoner, the County seat of Wagoner County, has the distinction of also being the FIRST incorporated town in the Indian Territory.
Waymark Code: WMY5VK
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 04/27/2018
Views: 1
"Incorporation of Indian Territory towns became possible under the statutes of the state of Arkansas, as adopted by an act of Congress approved May 2, 1890. In fall 1895 an incorporation committee was formed and circulated a petition. On January 4, 1896, the U.S. District Court approved the application, making Wagoner the first incorporated town in Indian Territory." (Oklahoma Historical Society)
Wagoner got its name for railroad dispatcher Henry "Big Foot" Wagoner, whose idea it was for the railroad switch at this location, which later became the town of Wagoner.
On the grounds of the current county courthouse in the 300 block of Cherokee Street, the cornerstone from the first courthouse is mounted on a block pedestal. The cornerstone reads: "June 7, A.D. 1897". Beneath the stone is the inscription: "Old cornerstone / First court house / Wagoner, Ind. Ter.". The reverse side of the display shows the name of Sam Powell, a U.S. Representative from Indian Territory who was influential in the establishment of the FIRST U.S. Court at Wagoner.
Old Cornerstone
First Court House
Wagoner, Ind. Ter
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