December 25th is not only a time of celebration and magic. It is the time when families gather around the Christmas tree and enjoy the company of family and friends. For Oklahoma State University, the day is one that holds a special place in the hearts of every Cowboy. It was the day when OSU was born.
The story of Oklahoma State University began on Christmas Eve, 1890 at the McKennon Opera House in Oklahoma’s territorial capital of Guthrie when Territorial Governor George W. Steele signed legislation establishing on Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (OAMC) in Payne County.
Steele also endorsed an agricultural experiment station in Oklahoma Territory and on Dec. 25, 1890, Oklahoma State University was born. Steele was a key factor in the forming of O-State. He served as a congressman in Indiana and was appointed to the governor’s post by President Benjamin Harrison. He made a major push to bring better education to Oklahoma.
He served as a territorial governor for one year before making his way back to Indiana. Yet, in his brief time in Oklahoma, he formed a legacy that lives strong today. The location of the future college was not specified early on, and several towns campaigned for the institution before Stillwater got the nod.
How did Stillwater eventually win out over so many other towns? It was their soil. Steele believed that the 200 acres near Stillwater “…contained the various qualities of soil as we thought would be most suitable for the purpose for which the college is to be established…”
The land needed for the college location was acquired from homesteaders Frank E. Duck and Alfred N. Jarrell for the sum of $50-$1,200. Duck later graduated from the college in 1896 along with Jarrell’s son, Alfred. The land north of Duck and Jarrell’s property came from Charles A. Vreeland, who gave 40 acres and Oscar M. Morse who gave 80 acres.
While the paper from Christmas morning presents begin to pile high and the eggnog flows throughout the day, remember that day way back in 1890 when Oklahoma State University was born.
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