Northwest Oklahoma Genealogical Society - Key Finder
Spring 1997
Vol. 18 No. 2
The Mooreland Leader
November 22, 1907
NAMED THE CIMARRON
The water of this river won’t cook beans and the fable of it’s christening runs thus. “An old story as to how the Cimarron river was named is interesting, whether true or not. The story relates that years ago a band of explorers and hunters, of the Youngblood type, were going over this country and came to this river where they camped for several days. While here cooking to break the monotony of fresh meat, which was about their only food, and a man was left at the camp to keep fire under them. On returning to dinner the cook informed his comrades that the beans had not been cooked enough and would not be ready for eating before supper. Making themselves content with what they had, the band ate dinner and all but one returned to their hunt. The fire was kept going under the pot all afternoon, and everyone felt certain of having beans for supper, but on the return the same story greeted them. At this there was considerable disappointment, and a resolve was made to “cook those beans” if it could be done. Every effort possible and every means known to those men were put into effect, but to no avail. On the third day it was decided to move the camp and as the crowd was taking their departure, they looked back, at the beans still cooking all joined in saying, “Cimarron. ‘ The exact place they stopped is not known, but it was there they told their story, and from that day to this the river has been called Cimarron.
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Amid the ringing of bells, the shrieking of whistles, the firing of salutes, and general jubilation over the entire territory, just embarking into a new form of government, the new state of Oklahoma was ushered in and introduced to the sisterhood of states at 10:16 a. in., (eastern time, 9:16 our time) Saturday. Mooreland was in the lead, as usual with her salutes and for almost a solid hour, all the whistles and bells in the city joined in with the guns in welcoming in the new government. Bunting and flags decorated every business house in town and a characteristic of some flags was the large star, representing our new state, spreading its rays over the entire field of blue. President Roosevelt signed the proclamation with a quill pen plucked from the wing of “Old Statehood,” an American eagle owned by Dad Nall in Woodward. The pen is from the same bird as that which was used in signing the enabling act, and both pens are now property of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Oklahoma is a state, and although a new one she ranks well to the front in natural resources and progressiveness.
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