City history
Explore the historical and temporal foundations of Oklahoma City, from its linguistic roots to its establishment during the Land Run of 1889.
Chapter one
Indigenous name
"Red People"
The name Oklahoma is derived from the Choctaw words okla, meaning people, and humma, meaning red. This term was used to describe the region's people and was later adopted for the territory and city.
City of the Red People
Established following the Land Run of 1889.
Chapter two
The region transitioned from local solar time to standardized time following the widespread adoption of standard time zones by the railroad industry during the late nineteenth century.
Oklahoma City follows modern Daylight Saving Time practices, which involve adjusting clocks annually to maximize available daylight during the summer months for energy efficiency.
Chapter three
On April 22, 1889, thousands of settlers participated in the Land Run, leading to the immediate founding and rapid expansion of Oklahoma City within the territory.
Oklahoma was admitted as the 46th state in the Union, providing the essential formal administrative structure and legal framework for the city's continued development and growth.
The city experienced significant urban revitalization in the late twentieth century, focusing on the development of the Bricktown district and revitalizing the downtown core.