Norman, Oklahoma
History
In 1870, Abner E. Norman was contacted by the United States Land Office to survey much of the Oklahoma territory. His crew burned the words “Norman’s Camp” in a tree near their watering hole.
Sixteen years later when the Santa Fe Railway made the area a station site, it was named Norman. Though, the town was not actually settled until the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889 when settlers claimed the Unassigned Lands at the center of Indian Territory.
By nightfall on April 22, 1889, several hundred residents camped in tents and covered wagons on town lots that wouldn't remain vacant for long. Almost overnight, Norman developed into a thriving town.
The settlers became known as Sooners, those who headed west before the official Land Run date, and the Boomers, those who left at the official beginning of the Land Run. Today, with an estimated 111,357 residents, Norman is the third largest city in Oklahoma.
Festivals
With more than 25 festivals each year, it's no surprise that Norman is known as “City of Festivals.” Some of the more prominent festivals include the Medieval Fair, GrooveFest, Jazz in June, and May Fair Arts Festival. More than 25,000 visitors attend the May Fair Arts Festival annually to view art for sale by more than 100 artists from across the nation.
For more information about events in Norman, visit the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site.
In the News
Norman, Oklahoma is ranked sixth in MONEY Magazine's "Best Places to live 2008". Click here to read why Norman, OK is one of the best places to live.Recreation
Norman has pubs, tons of places to eat and shop, bed and breakfasts, a go-cart track and miniature golf course, a zoo, playgrounds, bowling alleys, hiking and horseback riding trails, exhibits, festivals, and a thriving music, art, and theater scene. Culture, tradition, and atmosphere make Norman a university town with a pulse!