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Welcome To KEY TO THE CITY's Page For
Capron
Woods County, Oklahoma
ZipCodes
73725
History & History-related items
Capron Oklahoma was first know as Warren, a small cattle station on the main line of the Santa Fe Railroad. After the opening of the Cherokee Strip in 1893 Capron was known as Sterling. However, the U.S. postal officials would not accept the name because there was a town by that name on the Santa Fe railroad in Kansas. They next changed the name to Virgil, but the postal officials would not accept this name because of the same reason given previously. City officials then submitted the name of Capron, after Captain Allyn K. Capron of the Rough Riders. The postal officials accepted the name and so it stands today. At one time Capron had two banks, The Bank of Capron and The Capron State Bank. There was also a weekly newspaper, The Capron Hustler, edited by W. D. Anderson and his wife. The town had three grocery stores, a hardware, lumber yard, two cafes, two drug stores, several service stations, a theater, barber shops, furniture store, book store, three grain elevators, two churches, Warborton Memorial Methodist Church, the Congregational Church and Hampton's Footpowder Factory. Most of these businesses were destroyed in a Tornado which struck the town in the spring of 1939. The tornado made its way down the main street of Capron taking most of the businesses in its path. Many people did not even know the tornado had struck until the next morning when they went to open their stores and found they were gone.
Capron was always concerned with having a good school system. The
first school was established in 1894 and was grades 1-8. In 1909 a new
two story brick school building was built in the north end of town for
the grand sum of $ 8,500.00. The high school was first accredited in
1912. In 1929-30, the two story building was torn down and a new one
story school and gym were built. This building was destroyed in 1939
by the tornado. In 1940 a new school building was built which would
house grades K-12. This building had a large gym, and auditorium and
was considered to be one of the finest school facilities in Northwest
Oklahoma. Additions were made to this building in 1952, 1956, and
1964. The patrons of the district never voted down a bond issue for the
Capron Public Schools. They wanted the very best for their children.
The high school closed in 1968 due to a drop in enrollment. At the
time of the closing of the high school there were no families in the
school district on public assistance. The 1967 baseball team was the
Oklahoma State Champion in Class C, and the basketball team was the
Orient Conference Champ. The elementary and middle school were in
operation until 1976. The patrons of the district voted to annex
District 31 to the Alva School District #1 by a one vote majority.
This decision was contested and went to the Supreme Court of the State
of Oklahoma. The vote was up held and the Capron Public Schools closed
after 82 years of service to the children of Independent School
District #31. When you drive though Capron Oklahoma today it is hard
to believe that this was once a thriving little town with quite an
active business district. This now lives only in the minds of early
day citizens.
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