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The name Oklahoma (The Sooner State) comes from the Choctaw phrase "okla humma", literally
meaning red people. Major land runs, including the Land Run of 1889, were held for settlers
on the hour that certain territories were opened to settlement. Usually, land was allocated
to settlers on a first come, first served basis. Those who broke the rules by crossing the
border into the territory before it was allowed, were said to have been crossing the border
sooner, leading to the term sooners, which eventually became the state's official nickname.
The state has four primary mountain ranges: the Ouachita Mountains, the Arbuckle Mountains,
the Wichita Mountains, and the Ozark Mountains.
The Trail of Tears refers to the forced relocation in 1838 of the Cherokee Native American
tribe to the Western United States, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 4,000
Cherokees. The Cherokee Trail of Tears resulted from the enforcement of the Treaty of New
Echota, an agreement signed under the provisions of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The
Cherokees who were removed initially settled near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Trail of Tears is
generally considered to be one of the most regrettable episodes in American history. To
commemorate the event, the U.S. Congress designated the Trail Of Tears National Historic
Trail in 1987. It stretches for 2,200 miles across nine states. There will be numerous road signs to guide you.
The new state became a focal point for the emerging oil industry, as discoveries of oil
pools prompted towns to grow rapidly in population and wealth. Tulsa eventually became known
as the "Oil Capital of the World" for most of the 20th century, and oil investments fueled
much of the state's early economy.
In 1927, Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery, known the
"Father of Route 66," began a campaign to create Route 66. Using an existing stretch of
highway from Amarillo, Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma to form the original portion of Highway 66,
Avery spearheaded the creation of the U.S. Highway 66 Association to oversee the planning of
Route 66, based in his hometown of Tulsa.
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum, in Claremore, Oklahoma, was acquired by Rogers to build a
retirement home. The tomb of Will Rogers is chiseled with his famous quotation: "I never
met a man I didn't like."
Watch for signs to follow the Chisholm Trail.
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