Towns, settlements and little spots in the road have been popping up all over Oklahoma since the early 1800s. Whether they were mining towns, military posts or oil boom towns those same towns often disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Those non-existent towns add to Oklahoma’s rich history and create an air of mystery about the Sooner State’s past. These are just a few of the towns that have come and gone.
Jefferson – The only things left in Jefferson in Grant County, Oklahoma is a few foundations, a cemetery and, of course, the hanging tree. Jefferson was once a town on the Chisholm Trail. The Old Sewell Stockade was built in the 1860s and it stands to reason the town was established around the same time. The dates on the grave markers go back as far as 1894. Once the cattle were shipped by train, the town disappeared. Growing up, we go out there late at night,” Mandy from Enid said. “We’d tell stories and scare people. I remember a hollow tree you walk inside.”
Yewed – Yewed, Oklahoma was named for Admiral Dewey, made famous by the victory at Manila Bay in 1898. The name Dewey was suggested as the name for the post office, but that name was already used. The town decided to spell Dewey backwards and Yewed was born. Although Yewed was never incorporated, it was home to a railroad station and post office. The remains of the town can be found about six miles from Cherokee, Oklahoma.
Woodford – Woodford was located in Carter County, Oklahoma about 10 miles northwest of present day Spring. The town was started in 1870. Karen, of Carter County, remembers visiting there as a child. “We’d go play around the post office and Mom would worry we’d get hurt.” It is believed that it was located on a whiskey trail that went through the Arbuckle Mountains.
Womack – The founding of Blanchard, Oklahoma was the death of Womack. Before Blanchard, Womack was a bustling town with a store, grain mill, saloon and blacksmith. Of course, there was also a church and school. The post office operated from 1899 to 1909. Any remnants of the town is now gone and it is wheat field now, located on private property. “I was raised in Moore,” Annette stated. “We went out looking for Womack [in high school] and didn’t find anything. We were told that old money was hidden around the saloon, but I don’t know if that is really true or not.”
Wirt – Wirt, Oklahoma was located in Carter County. It was originally known as Ragtown. It was renamed in honor of Wirt Franklin, an oil man associated the oil boom in Healdton, Oklahoma which is only about three miles away. “Grandma told about when Wirt burned,” Karen explained. She said she cried when the movie theatre burned down. That was the place to go when she was young. She told me about folks living in tents when the boom started; that is how it got it’s original name – Ragtown.”
Three Sands – Three Sands was located close to the Kay County line, just north of Perry, Oklahoma. It was another oil boom town. It was located on one of Oklahoma’s biggest oilfields. You don’t hear the stories of how dangerous Three Sands use to be back in the day,” Nick, from Red Rock, stated. “All of those people are now gone and whoever they told their stories to either forgot or have moved away. People fought over jobs and [drilling] equipment and where to pitch their tents.”
Slick – Slick was located 45 minutes from Tulsa. It was an oil boom town made famous by being a hideout for Belle Starr and the Dalton Gang. We use to dig for buried treasure out there,” Tim, from Bristow explained. “Seeing it was a hideout for the Daltons, we always thought we’d find some money they hid. We never did though.”
Sante Fe – Sante Fe was located in Stephens County, Oklahoma, about one mile west of Velma. There was a post office there from 1921 until 1943. “I had aunts and uncles that lived in that area,” Darin, from Duncan, said. “I’ve looked for their houses, but I haven’t found them. They moved to Duncan and Ardmore during the Dust Bowl, seeing they couldn’t make a living farming anymore. It was somewhere just west of Velma, around Sante Fe, where Aunt Kate had her baby in the barn. That is family story worth telling.”
Sacred Heart – Sacred Heart is truly a ghost town and is famous around the area for “strange things” happening. “We’d go out there after football games in high school,” Randy, from Ada explained. “All sorts of weird lights and sounds. The girls would get scared. I didn’t think it was that scary until I heard the baby cry.” Sacred Heart was Catholic community about 30 minutes north of Ada. There are two cemeteries left and not much else.
Richburg – Richburg, Oklahoma was located in Noble County, southeast of Perry. The town was founded before statehood. In order to sell land in the area, gold flakes were scattered around in hopes people would think there was gold there. Richburg never did live up to it’s name. No one ever got rich from gold there. The town disappeared probably before it had a chance to thrive.
Ghost towns add so much to the history of an area. That is also true of the ghost towns in Oklahoma. Those ghost towns are all over the state, begging to be investigated. With so much history to learn and beautiful sites to be seen, there is no reason not to go out and investigate the ghost towns that have long ago disappeared.
