Miami

Miami Drinking Water Report Info

The city of Miami began with a vision, partnership, and Congressional approval. Wayland C. Lykins, son of a Peoria Indian missionary, arrived in the 1890s with dreams of establishing a cattle empire centered around a new city. After seeking Washington D.C.'s approval for a township, success only came when Thomas F. Richardville, Miami Tribe chief and Lykins' friend, advocated with the U.S. Indian Commissioner.

The Ottawa Tribe provided 588 acres for the settlement, with Dr. W.I. McWilliams purchasing the first lot in June 1891. This marked the first deed issued to a non-Native in Indian Territory, and the city was named "Miami" (pronounced "My-Am-Uh") after the Miami Indians.

Miami grew rapidly from 300 residents in its first year to approximately 2,500 by 1902. The fertile prairie provided excellent cattle pasture, and the region became renowned for hay production. Railway connection arrived on September 12, 1896, when the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway linked Miami to Kansas, later extending south to connect with the Frisco mainline in 1900.

The discovery of lead and zinc in 1905 transformed the area. Mining operations began in the "Commerce field" by 1907 and expanded to the "Picher and Cardin fields" between 1915-1916. As Miami became the gateway to these mining areas, the industry fueled significant growth, leading to the establishment of the School of Mines in 1919 (now Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College).

By 1909, Miami boasted nine miles of cement walkways, a three-story brick hotel, three bakeries, three newspapers, modern waterworks, an equipped fire department, electric lighting, an ice plant, thirteen churches, railroads, three banks, planning mills, lumber yards, and quality public schools.

The "Coleman Theatre Beautiful," a vaudeville theater and movie palace, opened on April 18, 1929, to a capacity crowd of 1,600. Built by local mining magnate George L. Coleman Sr., this opulent Spanish Mission Revival structure with Louis XV interior continues to operate to this day.

The Pensacola Dam was constructed from 1938-1940 across the Grand (Neosho) River, providing both power and employment during the Great Depression. The project created Grand Lake 'O the Cherokees, offering recreational opportunities for locals and tourists alike.