Our Community Namesake
Lett Farms began its "paper" history or "abstract" history in the late 19th century when the lands that compose our Community were deeded to various individuals by the United States of America following the Land Run of 1889.
Lett Farms is named after one of the last owners whose family sold the property to Spinning Spur, LLC for development; his name was James (Jim) L. Lett (1918 - 1994). Mr. Lett graduated from the College of Pharmacy at the University of Oklahoma in 1943 and served his country in World War II.
Upon receiving an Honorable Discharge from the military, he and his wife started a family and a pharmacy in Del City, Oklahoma. Mr. Lett purchased the property on April 10, 1964, which would become the majority of the property that makes up Lett Farms. He incorporated the property on October 16, 1984, and named the corporation Lett Farms, Inc.
Early Explorers in the Area
Early explorers traveled through our general area as they explored the new country. Andres do Campo was an explorer who traveled through the area from north to south in 1542 - 1547. Campo was a Portuguese-born soldier that traveled with two other companions to open a mission for the Wichita Indians. Still, it was short-lived when one of the companions was killed. He and the remaining companion took more than five years to pass through central Oklahoma and southward to reach the Gulf Coast. Their ordeal would have been quicker, but for their self-imposed act of penance, they carried a heavy wooden cross every step of the way.
One of the other explorers that came through this area was Washington Irving in 1832. In fact, at the corner of Peebly Road and Highway 9, there is a historical marker showing Washington Irving's campsite during his travels. In 1834, the Dragoon expedition came through the area. The Dragoon expedition (dragoons were well-appointed, mounted soldiers) was a group that included Brigadier General Henry Leavenworth, First Lieutenant Jefferson Davis, and the painter George Catlin. Two other explorers who also came through the area were Josiah Gregg, a merchant, entrepreneur, and visionary who was in the area from 1839 - 1840, and Nathaniel Boone, son of Daniel Boone in 1843.
Native Americans
The Creek and Seminole Nations shared our area before the Civil War from 1804 - 1855. From 1855 - 1866 the Seminole Nation was assigned this area exclusively.
With the discovery of gold in California in 1848, an important east-west migration highway was established and passed about 10 miles south of the Lett Farms Community. The California Road was the choice route for more than half a decade. In this area, the Murdock Mission was formed and was in our vicinity around 1897. The building still stands and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Before the Civil War, many treaties existed between the tribes and the Confederacy. However, the US Government needed an all-encompassing treaty with the various nations after the Civil War after the Civil War. The Treaty of 1866 was negotiated and signed by US Government officials and Indian Nations. The Treaty Line between the Unassigned Lands of Central Oklahoma and the Pottawatomie and Shawnee Nation to the east is located precisely on the east property line of Lots 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 of Lett Farms. Lots 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 of Lett Farms were on the Treaty Line's east side and were part of the Pottawatomie and Shawnee Nations.
Treaty of 1867
Because of the Treaty of February 27, 1867, delegates from the Pottawatomie Tribe and members of a US Governmental Commission visited the Indian Territory to select a reservation site of 900 square miles. The delegates returned without making a selection, but in 1870 tribal representatives again agreed to travel to Indian Territory. This time they accepted a site west of the Seminole lands.
On March 3, 1891, Congress confirmed the agreements with the Citizen Band of Pottawatomie and the Absentee Shawnee, by which the two tribes ceded portions of their reservations to the United States. These ceded areas were opened for settlement by a run on September 22, 1891. As mentioned, Lots 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 of the Lett Farms Community were part of this land run. The area west of The Treaty of 1866 line was known as the Unassigned Lands and was involved in the land run of April 22, 1889.
The Unassigned Lands consisted of roughly 2,950 square miles. The area was to be opened under the laws of the Homestead Act of 1862. The Homestead Act of 1862 provided that any male or single woman over twenty-one could claim 160 acres. The act also required that the settler make improvements and live on the land for six months out of the year over five years. After five years, the land would become the settler's property at no cost. After living on the claim for twelve months, the homesteader could also pay $1.25 an acre for the land.
Cross Timbers Ancient Forest
The Cross Timbers Ancient Forest is a unique ecosystem in central North America, stretching across parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Missouri. The forest is characterized by its dense, oak-dominated woodland and is home to various plant and animal species that have existed for thousands of years.
The history of the Cross Timbers Ancient Forest dates back to the end of the last Ice Age, when the climate began warming, and the glaciers began to recede. As the ice retreated, the region that is now the Cross Timbers began to receive more rainfall, which led to the growth of dense, hardwood forests.
Over time, the Cross Timbers Ancient Forests became home to various plant and animal species adapted to the region's unique climate and soil conditions. The oak species that dominate the forest today, including the blackjack oak, post oak, and eastern redcedar, have been present in the region for thousands of years and are well-adapted to the area's frequent wildfires and droughts.
The Native American tribes who lived in the region for thousands of years recognized the importance of the Cross Timbers Ancient Forest and used its resources for food, shelter, and medicine. The Osage, Comanche, and Kiowa tribes were among those who lived in the region and relied on the forest for their survival.
During the 19th century, European settlers began to move into the region and began to clear the land for agriculture and settlement. The dense forests of the Cross Timbers were incredibly challenging for early pioneers to remove, and many areas of the forest were left intact.
In the early 20th century, the Cross Timbers Ancient Forest came under threat from logging and other forms of development. The forest was recognized as a unique ecosystem, and efforts were made to preserve it. The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit organization focused on conserving biodiversity, began acquiring land in the region in the 1980s and has since protected over 30,000 acres of the Cross Timbers Ancient Forest.
Today, the Cross Timbers Ancient Forest remains a vital ecosystem home to various rare and endangered species, including the Texas horned lizard and the eastern collared lizard. The forest also provides essential habitat for migratory birds and is a popular destination for hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.