Military Land Becomes School Land

Military Land Becomes School Land. Oklahoma City 1889-1894. The Military Reservation was released to Oklahoma City in 1894 and proceeds of lot sales were used to pay for school sites and construction., Just before the Run of '89, the federal government reserved 160 acres east of the Santa Fe Railroad for troops to maintain law and order. Known as the Military Reservation, the area's function became obsolete when soldiers turned over peace keeping to civilian authorities in 1890., To meet the needs of a bustling community, women's organizations joined forces to secure the acreage of schools. They turned to Sidney Clarke, chairman of the city council and a former congressman from Kansas, and Dennis Flynn, the Oklahoma Territory congressional delegate. Flynn attached a rider to an appropriation bill passed by Congress in August, 1894. The bill authorized the release of the Military Reservation to the city of Oklahoma City for public school purposes., The four-room log house formerly used as barracks was converted to a high school - the city's first - until Irving High could be built nearby. The city was divided into four wards with a school to be located in each. Land purchase and school construction were funded by the sale of bonds, which were retired by the proceeds of lot sales in the former Military Reservation., (timeline at bottom:), May 1, 1889 - The first formal election is held. A mayor and city council are chosen. , May 23-24, 1889 - Cheyenne and Arapahoe leaders meet with federal officials to discuss the sale of land claims outside the Unassigned Lands., July 16, 1889 - Election to adopt Kickapoo dissenters' new city charter is shut down by the mayor., August 29, 1889 - A new city charter written by supporters of the mayor is overwhelmingly rejected at the polls., September 17, 1889 - Six congressmen visit the city for a first-hand look at Oklahoma country., September 21, 1889 - Another Kickapoo charter election is broken up by the U.S. military., November 11, 1889 - Mayor W.L. Couch resigns after months of political unrest., November 27, 1889 - Dr. A.J. Beale, a Kickapoo leader, is elected to replace Mayor Couch., December 1889 - Federal officials order Mayor Beale to stop challenges to existing property ownership, effectively shutting down city government., May 2, 1890 - The Oklahoma Organic Act sets federal rules to establish territorial government., July 15, 1890 - Oklahoma City incorporated , August 9, 1890 - W.J. Gault is elected the first mayor of Oklahoma City after incorporation., (photo captions:), ·The military barracks that would later serve as the first Oklahoma City high school just east of Third Street., ·The first class to graduate from the Oklahoma City high school located on the site of the former military barracks.