Pauls Valley Historic District - Pauls Valley, OK
Posted by: hamquilter
N 34° 44.368 W 097° 13.279
14S E 662829 N 3845592
Pauls Valley is one of the oldest towns settled in Oklahoma. It was the political and economic capital of the Chickasaw Nation.
Waymark Code: WMJ04J
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 09/03/2013
Views: 6
The Pauls Valley Historic District consists of fourteen blocks of the downtown area, with brick buildings constructed between 1893 and 1910. The streets were dirt until 1909 at which time, they were bricked. These brick streets exist today and form an integral part of the historic district. The District consists of one and two story brick buildings, with bricks manufactured by a local firm. Stone was quarried nearby. It was placed on the National Register in 1979.
The town is named for Smith Paul. Born in 1809 in North Carolina, he spent much of his adult life living with the Chickasaws there. When the tribe was moved to Oklahoma Territory, Paul moved with them and settled in this area in 1846. He later married a Chickasaw woman and gained Chickasaw citizenship. The area was primarily agricultural until the railroad arrived in the 1880s. The town was platted in 1887. At this time, under Chickasaw law, all land was owned by the community and leased by occupants. The Dawes Act of 1893 required that lots be purchased and improved. Within five years, the downtown comprised 18 blocks, with 22 brick buildings.
The coordinates given above are at the original City Hall, built in 1906, located at 220 W. Paul Street.
Street address: Downtown, bordered by the Railroad, Grant Avenue and Joy Street Pauls Valley, OK US 73075
County / Borough / Parish: Garvin County
Year listed: 1979
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1900-1924; 1875-1899
Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Government
Current function: Cmmerce/Trade, Government
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.