Claremore, Oklahoma

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History

For eons, Northeastern Oklahoma was practically uninhabited, though several relatively nomadic Native American tribes, such as the Osage Nation, were in the area. Around 1802 a band of Osage Indians settled in the area of present-day Claremore. The town's name came from an Osage chief called "Gra-moi." French traders in the area pronounced his name as "Clairmont," which means "mountain with a clear view." The area experienced some minor damage during the American Civil War, but quickly recovered after the end of the conflict.

Related Topics:
Oklahoma - Osage Nation - Civil War

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After the Indian Removal Act of 1830 was passed by the United States, Claremore became part of Indian Territory and the Cherokee Nation. Claremore was a part of the Cooweescowee District in the northwestern part of the Cherokee Nation. The Rogers family, for whom the county is named, was among the first settlers. Clem Rogers, father of the famous Will Rogers, moved to the county in 1856 and is its namesake. His ranch eventually was more 60,000 acres (243 km²), and his home, which still stands outside Oologah, is an important historical site. Clem Rogers was a major advocate of Oklahoma statehood and was the oldest delegate to the state's Constitutional Convention in 1907 at age 69.

Related Topics:
Indian Removal Act - Indian Territory - Cherokee Nation - Cherokee - Clem Rogers - Will Rogers - Oologah

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Two railroads, one of which was the Frisco Railroad, were built through Claremore starting in 1874, and Claremore became a busy train station. This was the main force of Claremore's growth. Although the old rail depot is gone, its effect on the growth of Claremore cannot be overestimated. The name of Claremore changed from Clermont to its present spelling on September 19, 1882. A clerk recording the town as having a post office spelled the name incorrectly, and it stuck. The city was incorporated in the Cherokee Nation in 1883.

Related Topics:
Frisco Railroad - Cherokee Nation

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Another major factor in the growth of Claremore was an area known as "Radium Town". In 1903, a man named George Eaton owned an oil company in Claremore. He was drilling just to the east of Claremore and struck an underground pool of water that smelled of sulfur. A local doctor, Dr. W.G. Williams, tested the water and marketed it as a cure. The water, known as "Radium Water," contained impurities that supposedly made it medically useful. Bath houses sprang up all over this area of Claremore, and many are still standing today.

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Claremore's first hospital was established on Will Rogers Boulevard, or Highway 88, in the early 1900s. Today it is the site of a dry cleaners. Claremore's newspaper, the Claremore Daily Progress, was established in 1893 by cowboy Joe Klein and is still published daily. It is the oldest business in Rogers County.

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There are many historic homes and other buildings in Claremore, including the old high school, which was built in 1919 and was at one point the most expensive school in Oklahoma. The building was used as a junior high school or high school for almost 80 years, until 1999. The downtown area in Claremore has recently undergone a revival, and most buildings in the district are now occupied with retail establishments.

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Claremore is, like most of Oklahoma, located in Tornado Alley. Legend says that the valley Claremore is in is protected from tornadoes by an Osage deity who made a deal with an early Osage chief in the area. The belief probably stems from the fact that a tornado has not hit the actual town of Claremore since 1907.

Related Topics:
Oklahoma - Tornado Alley - Tornado

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