e located on small reservations in the northeast
part of the Territory were the Modocs, Ottawas, Peorias, Quapaws,
Senecas, Shawnees and Wyandottes.

During this early period the Union Indian agency established its
headquarters at Muskogee, and it became and continued to be their
principal city, during the period of their tribal government.

OPENING OF INDIAN TERRITORY

On April 22, 1889, 2,000,000 acres of the Creek and Seminole lands were
opened to white settlers, and there occurred an ever memorable rush for
lands and a race for homes. An area as large as the state of Maryland
was settled in a day. On that first day the city of Guthrie was founded
with a population of 8,000, a newspaper was issued and in a tent a bank
was organized with a capital of $50,000. Oklahoma and other cities
sprang up as if in a night.

On June 6, 1890, the west half of Indian Territory was created a new
territory, called Oklahoma, with its capital at Guthrie, and with later
additions it soon included 24,000,000 acres.

On June 16, 1906, President Roosevelt signed the enabling act, that
admitted Oklahoma, including Oklahoma and Indian Territories, as a
state, one year from that date. On November 6, 1906, occurred the
election of members to the constitutional convention, that met at
Guthrie January 1, 1907. The first legislature met there January 1,
1908. Two years later the capital was moved to Oklahoma City.

The growth, progress and advancement of the territory of Oklahoma during
the sixteen years preceding statehood in 1907 has never been equaled in
the history of the world, and in all probability will never be eclipsed.
This was due to the mild and healthful climate of this region, and a
previous knowledge of its great, but undeveloped agricultural and
mineral resources. So great has been the flow of oil near Tulsa, in the
north central part of the state, it has been necessary to store it there
in an artificial lake or reservoir.

OKLAHOMA

The surface of Oklahoma consists of a gently undulating plain, that
gradually ascends from an altitude of 511 feet at Valliant in the
southeast to 1197 feet at Oklahoma City, and 1893 at Woodward, the
county seat of Woodward county, in the northwest. The principal
mountains are the Kiamichi in the southern part of Laflore county, and
the Wichita, a forest reserve in Comanche and Swanson counties.

Previous to statehood Indian Territory was divided into 31 recording
districts for court p