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Just a plain McDonalds but we've had many meals here. It's location makes it
a very busy place.
Post a picture of yourself in front of the McDonald's.
The original pioneers of Bixby settled first in a small community referred to
a "Posey on Posey Creek", just north of what is now 151st Street South
and Harvard. Alexander Posey, a Creek Indian, brought his family to the area in
the late 1800s. Posey had a blacksmith shop, two saloons, and a store (Turner
Mercantile). It also had a post office which operated from 1895 to 1898.
The original townsite of present day Bixby was 1/2 mile south of the existing
downtown. It was laid out in the early 1880s by the Dawes Commission. As a
government townsite, all plats had to be approved by the Dawes Commission. The
first plat was submitted in 1902 by F. E. Brennan and Timmonthy Stancliff.
According to recorded histories, Mr. Brennan, an attorney, was not entirely
upright in his dealings with the people of Bixby and was soon run out of town.
(2)
Settlers were attracted to Bixby by the lush farmland, much of which was
swampy but had great possibilities. The first business in town was the Turner
Mercantile Company which moved to Bixby from its former location at "Posey
on Posey Creek". The second business was a hardware store owned by Jason L.
Best. The Farmers and Merchants Bank was opened by M. E. Sharp and his son
Harry. In 1902, J. F. Paulter opened the Bank of Bixby.
(3)
In 1904, the Midlind Valley Railroad Company completed its line through
Bixby, and as often happens, missed the town by one-half mile. Since the
railroad wouldn't move to them, Bixby moved to the railroad. All the businesses
moved north near 151st and Memorial into the Midland Valley Addition. The old
town had been mostly wooden construction, but now that the location of the depot
had been determined, an air of permanence came into the town. The new town
center was Dawes and Armstrong. Proud brick buildings were built along
Armstrong. The first building in the new town was built J. F. Paulter, at the
northwest corner of Dawes and Armstrong, in 1904. He moved his bank of Bixby
there, renaming it the First National Bank. The Farmers and Merchants Bank moved
too, to the northeast corner, changing its name to the Bixby State Bank. Both of
these banks went bankrupt during the depression.
Other early businesses in the new town included: Forry's Drug Store, Jake
Coppedge's Drug Store, Bob Hughes' Drug Store, Manierd Hotel, Sapp and Son's
Grocery Store, Wiles Hardware Store and Adelman's Hardware.
Bixby was incorporated as a town in 1906 with a population of approximately
400. Fred Farr was the first mayor, Jason L. Best, D. M. Phillips and Albert
Swingle were councilmen. John Severns was the marshall and Charles Sherrill was
postmaster.
(5)
Early day doctors included Dr. Coppedge, M.D.; Dr. W. A. Funk, M.D.; Dr.
Hutchinson, M.D.; Dr. G. M. Davis, M.D.; Dr. Burns, dentist; and Dr. Robinson,
DVM. The first blacksmith shop in Bixby was operated by Jess Lawmaster and Dave
Waymire. C. R. Rambo was the organizer of the masonic lodge in the early 1900s.
Alex Williams taught the first school in a log cabin located on the south
side of the original townsite. This property was owned by Mrs. Eliza McGuire who
gave it to the town for school purposes. The school house was also used for
services by itinerant preachers of various denominations. By 1900, the
population of Bixby was 100 and the need for a more permanent school became
evident. Miss Minnie Weirick was the teacher. She taught for more than ten
years, during which time the school occupied three different buildings. In 1908,
the first public school was built. M. F. Young, Bob Benett, and George Wiles
were the members of the school board.
(7)
None of these early school buildings exist today.
The countryside around Bixby was open range and several outlaws frequented
the area. The Dalton Brothers, the Buck gang and Al Jennings operated from the
Spike S. Ranch, three miles south of the original townsite. In later years,
during the depression, Pretty Boy Floyd, whose family lived in Bixby, was to
make Bixby a frequent visiting place.
(8)
In 1909, he cemetery was established. Wright Butler was the first to be
buried there. In 1915, a special levy was voted to gravel the roads around
Bixby, and soon after, the County voted bonds to build concrete roads from Tulsa
to all towns in the county.