City Of Norman

City of Norman

In 1870, the United States Land Office contracted with a professional engineer to survey much of Oklahoma territory. Abner E. Norman, a young surveyor, became chainman 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” (those who headed west before the official Land Run date, April 22, 1889) and the other settlers arrived in the heart of Oklahoma, they kept the name “NORMAN.” Today, with an estimated 120,866 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 last expansion was announced by J.E. Hurley, General Manager of the Santa Fe Railway, in 1909. The Santa Fe Depot was deeded to the City in 1972 and has had major renovations over the past ten years.

Today, 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. Currently, Norman is involved in a downtown revitalization project as well as a project that will guide Norman and its citizens into the 21st century. The Norman 2020 plan was designed to address future population growth and infrastructure problems and offer solutions to solve these problems before they occur.

Norman’s rich history plays an important role in citizen’s lives and we continually make our history book more exciting with each passing year.