Oklahoma Sooners

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In 1870, the United States Land Office contracted with a professional engineer to survey much of Oklahoma Territory. A young surveyor, named Abner E. Norman, became chairman and leader of the central survey area in Indian Territory.
 
The surveyor's crew burned the words "Norman's Camp" into an elm tree near a watering hole to taunt their younger supervisor.
 
When the Sooners and other settlers arrived in the heart of Oklahoma, they kept the name "Norman." Today, with an estimated 102,195 residents, Norman is the third largest city in the state of Oklahoma.
 
Norman was primarily developed around the Santa Fe Railroad. Home to a passenger depot as well as a freight station, Norman became the headquarters for the railway. As business grew, it was necessary to expand the depot three times in the first few years of its existence.
 
The railroad laid the foundation for Norman to flourish into a prominent city. While other Oklahoma towns were battling to be the capitol, Norman's Mayor, T.R. Waggoner, directed a bill through the Territorial Legislature to become home of the state's first institution of higher learning.
 

Norman Facts    Year Founded  1889  Area Code, Time Zone  405, Central  Norman City Population  102,195  Cleveland County Population  208,116  Demographics  By the Numbers | Marketing  Online Maps of Norman  Google Earth  How far is it?  Distances from Norman

 
In 1890, Norman was chosen as the location for the University of Oklahoma, contingent upon the county passing bonds to construct a building. Town and country residents were also required to donate 40 acres of land for a campus site.
 
The residents of Norman were successful in all their plans to be OU's home and by 1895, the university enrolled 100 students. Today, the University of Oklahoma is the flagship institution for higher learning in the state.
 
OU and the City of Norman are still making history. Norman was recently recognized as one of the most progressive cities in the state and the Norman Public School system was acknowledged as the top school system in Oklahoma.
 
To this day, the symbiotic relationship between the city and OU remains one of the university's strongest assets.
 
>> Norman Convention & Visitor's Bureau
 
 

Oklahoma Traditions

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