The community started in the spring of 1874, with the arrival of the first group of Mexican Kickapoos that the government had arranged to be returned to Oklahoma Territory, most of them to present Pottawatomie County. Joining others here that had not gone to Mexico, they all settled along the Canadian River from north of present McLoud to the Dale vicinity. In 1892, John Mardock then persuaded Chief “AH-que-mah-ku-the” to donate land to “Teacher Test” (Miss Elizabeth Test) so she could build a permanent school.  The first postmaster was Thomas Stevens.