History of El Reno

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Early El Reno, photograph, 1901; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2435360/m1/1/?q=EL%20RENO%20: accessed December 10, 2025), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting El Reno Carnegie Library.

History of El Reno

Attributing research and compilation too: Carolyn Marquardt Barker (1939 – 2018)

El Reno had a controversial beginning. This town began in 1889 and was not legally straightened out until 1892.

John Foreman located cattle trails for railroads and assisted in running a line from Kansas to El Reno in the 1880s. in the 1889 land run he homesteaded NW1/4 9 – 12 – 7. Foreman filed a soldier’s declaratory statement on it. He also signed a homestead affidavit stating that the entry was “for the purpose of actual settlement for his own benefit and not for other people.”

On May 13, two days after filing his homestead, Foreman took a four-day trip. Upon his return he found a group of men surveying and laying out a town. They advised him to lease a portion of his homestead to the townsite company. On May 19, he leased 120 acres to the Oklahoma Homestead and Town Company, whole 40 acres were kept for his own to cultivate.

This company was chartered February 26, 1889 as a private corporation. Some of the objects of the company were to purchase land, lay out townsites, buy and sell lots, rent buildings, etc.

After securing the lease the company platted the town. A charter was adopted on the townsite on May 22^nd. It read: “It was unanimously resolved, that, whereas, there are no means whereby the inhabitants of El Reno can legally enter lands under the laws of the United States, and whereas, in all lands attempted to be occupied as government townsites, there is great strife and uncertainty in regard to titles and the possession of lots, it is expedient that the people of the town of El Reno, adopt the system proposed by the Oklahoma Homestead and Town Company, and take leases for the lots with an agreement for the deeds as soon as the settlers get final receipt or the government provides a law under which the occupants can secure title.”

Apparently, Foreman and the townsite company were in harmony, as he made more than one trip to Washington to secure appropriate townsite legislation and to enter his homestead for townsite purposes.

The Territorial Act of May 2, 1890 made provisions for the incorporations of towns. So, on June 11^th a petition was submitted to the county commissioners. They ordered the 120-acre tract of Foreman and the adjoining 80 acres of Thomas Jensen be incorporated as the “Village of El Reno.” A. A. Farnham, E. E. Elterman, A. F. Masterman, M. M. Kerfoot and H. T. Graham were appointed as trustees of the village.

Anson A. Davis, a homesteader near Frisco, charged Foreman was a “sooner” and worked for the townsite company. The Commissioner of the General Land Office ruled in favor of Foreman. Davis then appealed the decision to the Secretary of the Interior. The matter was also taken to the U. S. Congress.

The town lot holders urged congress to pass a bill for the relief of the inhabitants of El Reno, so they could get clear title to their lots. On February 6, 1892 John W. Noble, Secretary of the Interior handed down this decision. He directed that the homestead and cash entries made by Foreman, be cancelled and the land be entered under the townsite law.

LOT JUMPING

About noon the same day an El Reno citizen received a private message about Mr. Noble’s decision. The Foreman land was opened for public settlement. About 9:00 p.m. lot jumpers moved on the land and in about an hour almost every lot was occupied.

It was reported the sound of hammers were heard all night long. The next morning shingles, pieces of foundations, dugouts and skeleton frames had been put on these lots.

On February 15, 1892 several El Reno citizens presented a petition to the U. S. Congress, asking that the land be entered under the townsite law.

Adjoining homestead entries of Thomas Jensen and James Thompson were cancelled on November 26, 1892. John Foreman relinquished to the U. S. Government all his right, title and interest in the tract of land he had claimed as a homestead on August 1, 1893. Thus, the first clear title was secured by the city of El Reno in 1893.

HOW EL RENO GOT ITS NAME

The promoters of the town, which included several officers from Fort Reno, wanted to name their town after the fort. So, they decided on the name Reno. But the post office department refused to establish a post office with that name. It claimed there would be too much confusion with Fort Reno, Reno City and Reno all within a few miles of each other.

The town promoters and the Fort Reno officers met several times to choose a new name. In July 1889 William C. McDonald, R. R. Hickox and Dr. A. H. Jackson were in a wagon on their way to Fort Reno to again discuss a new town name. when they reached Target Creek, near Fort Reno, the driver, Mr. McDonald, suddenly exclaimed he had a name! “El Reno!” He explained that “el” in Spanish meant “the.” He felt sure the post office department would accept that name. Which it did.

At first it was spelled as one word. Elreno. However, when Reno City faded from existence, the name became the two words “El Reno” as we know it today.

EL RENO IN THREE LAND OPENINGS

El Reno’s early history was unique in another way. It had a part in three different land openings.

The east part of the town was established in the 1889 land run. Grand street was on the edge of the 98^th Meridian, which was the west boundary of this land run.

Many people came to El Reno to make the run into the Cheyenne and Arapahoe lands in April 1892. This opened the land which became the western part of El Reno.

The 1901 land drawing was held in El Reno. That summer the town was host to thousands of hopeful people wanting land.

El Reno Fire Department

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Attributing research and compilation too: Carolyn Marquardt Barker (1939 – 2018)

In the beginning the firefighting equipment consisted of two hose carts drawn by hand. Usually, the carts were pulled by cowboys, who looped the tow ropes of the carts about their saddle horns and beat the volunteer firemen to the blaze. In 1894 the two hose carts each had 500 feet of hose.

Before there was a fire bell or siren, everyone would run out into the streets yelling or firing their guns in the air.

In 1894 the fire station had a bell tower in the street in front of city hall. By 1895 the fire bell tower had been moved behind the jail. In 1901 the fire alarm was operated by an electric bell on the tower. The bell and hose tower were located near the southwest corner of the city building in 1904.

FIRST FIRE

El Reno’s first fire of any consequence occurred in the 600 block of North Choctaw in November 1892. The fire at Mr. Moran’s house was extinguished by the neighbors. Since there was no water-works system at that time, barrels of water were used for the hose cart. The neighbors carried the water in buckets to fill these barrels.

1899 FIRE

On August 23, 1899 an explosion caused by a leaking gasoline tank in the El Reno Steam Laundry burned it to the ground.

The fire was so hot the firemen could not get close enough to put it out. Mr. Fryberger brought large woolen blankets from his store. These were soaked with water and then used as a shield. This enabled the firemen to confine the fire to the four frame buildings that were in flames before they arrived on the scene.

FIRE HOSES

Belle and George were the fire team for ten years and won several prizes at fire team contests. They were retired in 1902. George died in 1910.

Dan and Pat took over the job of pulling the fire wagon in 1902. The coal block team weighed 3,050 pounds and was perfectly matched. Dan dropped dead after making a quick run to 717 South Miles for a fire in April 1911.

Pat served until 1916 when he was given to the street department. Pat was under their care until late 1929, when he was turned over to the cemetery sexton. Pat, the last of the El Reno fire horses, died in January 1930 at the cemetery.

FIRST FIRE TRUCK

El Reno’s first motor driven fire wagon arrived on January 22, 1916. “Old Betsy” was the name given by the firemen to the 1915 model American LaFrance fire engine.

Its first run was made on January 31, 1916 to 604 South Williams. The last major fire to which It responded was in 1955 to the Brinkley Furniture Store, where it pumped water for 12 straight hours. “Old Betsy” is currently housed in the red barn of the Canadian County Museum.

Origin of Early El Reno Street Names

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Attributing research and compilation too: Carolyn Marquardt Barker (1939 – 2018)

In June 1889 George Lambe was hired by the townsite company to plow the streets. He got a wagon load of cedar posts and made the stakes that the surveyors used to plat out the new town.
The 1892 plat map’s boundaries were as follows: Grand Street on the west, Foreman Street on the north, Foster on the east and Cavanaugh Street on the south. In the southwest corner a few blocks extended to Elm Street.

Many of the original streets were named in honor of the Fort Reno officers, whom the town promoters had interested in the new town.

The streets so named were:

CARSON for Lieutenant Carson of the Fifth Cavalry.

FOSTER for Quartermaster Foster of the Fifth Cavalry.

HAYES for Captain “Black Jack” Hayes of the C Troop, Fifth Cavalry.

HOFF for Dr. Hoff, a Major of the Fifth Cavalry.

JENKINS for Lieutenant Jenkins of K Troop, the Fifth Cavalry.

LONDON for Lieutenant London of the Fifth Cavalry.

MACOMB for Lieutenant Macomb of B Troop, Fifth Cavalry.

RUSSELL for Major Russell of the Fifth Cavalry.

WADE for Col. J. F. Wade, commanding officer of the Fifth Cavalry and commander of Fort Reno.

WATTS for Captain Watts of F Troop, Fifth Cavalry.

The following is a list of the streets named after civilians:

ADMIRE for Captain J. L. Admire, receiver of the Kingfisher Land Office.

BARKER for W. D. Barker, Indian teacher at Darlington.

BICKFORD for Major Harvey Lee and Charles B. Bickford, who were in the freight business with headquarters at Darlington.

EVANS for Neal W. Evans, post trader at Fort Reno and later moved to El Reno.

FOREMAN for Major John A. Foreman, on whose claim the original townsite of El Reno was located.

ROGERS for Dr. C. S. Rogers, whom the townsite organizers selected as the first mayor.

WILLIAMS for W. G. “Caddo Bill” Williams who owned a ranch west of Minco before the opening and later ran a wholesale grocery in El Reno.

Choctaw was considered the “Main Street” in the early days, as most of the businesses were located on it.

El Charo Theatre

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El Caro opening day-night - Courtesy of Tommy Neathery's Collection

El Caro opening day-night
Courtesy of Tommy Neathery’s Collection

Interior of the El Caro Theater in 1940 (Photo from the Oklahoma Historical Society archives)

*El Caro Theater S Bickford 1939. Paramount Pictures utilized blueprint for Inca Theater Okmulgee. posted Ken Parker Facebook*

THEATRE CONTEST WINNERS CHOSEN

El Reno Daily Tribune (El Reno, Okla.), Vol. 47, No. 63, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 19, 1938 Page 3 of 10 Prizes To Be Given For Best Names

First prize in the contest to select a name for El Reno’s new theatre, the El Caro, will be awarded to M. I. Owens, Sr., 716 Sunset drive, it was disclosed today by E. H. Slocum, owner and operator of the theatre.

While the name submitted by Mr. Owen, “El Rey,” will not be used, it was chosen by three impartial judges, who are not connected with the theatre, as the best submitted.

Second prize will be awarded to Mary E. Holland, 301 South Evans Avenue, and third place prize will be presented to Geneva Holland, Okarche Route 3.

The name El Caro was coined from the words, El Reno and Canadian, by Mr. Slocum, “meaning the city of El Reno and Canadian County.”

Formal Opening Friday

The new theatre, at 110 South Bickford Avenue, is modernistic in design and furnishing, and has equipment of the latest type designed to give the maximum in service.

Showing for the grand opening Friday night and Saturday will be “Thunder in the City,” starring Edward G. Robinson.

“The Awful Truth,” starring Irene Dunn, will be shown at a prevue Saturday night and Sunday and Monday, and it will be followed Tuesday and Wednesday by “Exclusive,” in which Fred MacMurray plays the leading role.

El Reno Reformatory History

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The federal reformatory was constructed in the southeast corner of Fort Reno military reservation. The first ground was broken on January 20, 1932 on the 1,000-acre tract located on the south side of U. S. Highway 66, just west of El Reno.

The first group of 25 prisoners arrived on April 3, 1933 from the reformatory at Leavenworth. These honor prisoners helped to get ready for the next 50 inmates. By August 1934 the inmate population was about 725.

The Southwestern U. S. Reformatory was opened to the public on February 10 and 11, 1934. A total of 13, 396 people visited the reformatory to view the facilities.

New construction began in late 1936 and continued through 1939 to increase the rated capacity of 750 to 1,200 prisoners.

The name “Southwestern U. S. Reformatory” was change to the El Reno Federal Reformatory.

The broom factory was installed in 1937. In the spring of 1938, the machinery and equipment were moved from the Leavenworth plant to El Reno. This made the El Reno institution the only broom factory in the U. S. prison industries set up. Over 100 inmates were employed in the factory and their average daily output was over 175 dozen brooms in 1939.

Another industry was the weaving mill. Its equipment consisted of 31 mast hand looms, dye vat, etc. the raw wool from the clipped animal was woven into wool material.

During WWII the industry shop made some 25,000 cargo nets for the armed forces.

New houses at the reformatory circle were built and part of the POW camp were remodeled to relieve the housing shortage for reformatory employees in 1947.

Around 1976 the medium security institution’s name was changed to Federal Correctional Institution of El Reno. It began taking all ages of adult male inmates. When the reformatory began it was for first termers and youthful offenders.

School and college courses were offered to the inmates. They also received vocational training in auto mechanics, food service, machine shop, welding, meat cutting and related trades instruction. The industry consisted of a machine, tool and die factory and a broom factory.

A major change in the FCI’s role came in late 1980, when a level 1 minimum security camp was built outside the prison walls.

Currently the Federal Correctional Institution is one of El Reno’s largest employers, with 430 employees. Unlike most prisons, the FCI is a major transportation center for inmates moving across the country. Virtually every inmate who is transferred across the U. S. spends the night at the El Reno facility.

Population As of July 2019 :

1,200 Total Inmates (all male)

955 Inmates at the FCI

245 Inmates at the Camp

Also worth noting: President Barack Obama visited FCI El Reno on July 16, 2015. This was the first time a sitting President has ever visited a federal prison.

Attributing research and compilation too: Carolyn Marquardt Barker (1939 – 2018)

Kelso’s Department Store

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History of El Reno