The Debunked Oklahoma 1920 Almanac

  Rarely does the contemporary Oklahoman get a real glimpse back to what life was like in the Oil Boom years of post World War 1 (or. The World War, as it was called, then).   
  Our recent discovery of a Clason's Green Guide Atlas of Oklahoma from 1920 is a great gem. Thanks to blogger, Michael Bates for the link to a fantastic archive.   the cover, itself demonstrates the hype that Oklahoma was caught up in.
  Much of the content was provided by the Chambers of Commerce and Oklahoma just couldn't help herself. Even the image of the state capitol was just a conceptual rendering of what was in reality, a domeless building. The dome wasn't added until the 1990s.
  This post is going to be quite different.  We'll show you a state before the big lakes were engineered. 

Published by THE CLASON MAP CO., Chicago, Denver
Copyrighted 1920, by the Clason Map Co.

This artist rendering of the domed capitol remained a fantasy until 1998

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    Many claims would prove very false, in this atlas. It's said that the Indian Tribes have essentially nearly disappeared and all Indian governments were dissolved. 
  Great claims were made about Oklahoma's two education systems. There was a 'Negro' school system up through 12th grade!
  The lakes we now know best, were not even dreams, in 1920. It was largely the efforts of the US govt. that got Oklahoma's great flood control and navigation system. Only the Grand River Dam Authority was a true state program.
  I'll leave you with this huge slide show, to read the atlas for yourself. I've also compiled a PDF file, if you wish to view and save your own copy.

  You'll see the old national trail system as it weaved through Oklahoma. the great roads of that day did not have numbers. They were created by a mixture of municipalities, tourist attractions, and sometimes a state grant. About the same time that this 1920 edition went to the press, the federal govt. decided to finally create the beginnings of a US Route system. the most exciting thing about the federal system is that they would all be paved! "Route 66" was an unheard of term. But the Pike Highway, the Jefferson Highway, and Ozark Trail were the results of cities trying hard to connect and be connected. Those cities who didn't participate, often became ghost towns. There was also the "Atlantic To Pacific Highway. Within 10 years the roads would begin a massive change. Most of them would become paved!

Showing all the Best Roads 
CLASON'S OKLAHOMA
GREEN GUIDE

  When the dust bowl days of the 1930s hit Oklahoma, it was that trail system which made the plausibility of migrating to California within the dreams of many Okies. 
  Until these 1920s, real long distance travel was done via railroad. 
But the long boats also traversed the Oklahoma rivers. Even the big paddle wheel steamboats were occassionally an option.

INDEX 

• Auto Road Section ...14
• Oklahoma City Map..12
• Cities and Towns........19
• Railroads ....................18
• Colleges ......................17
• Rivers and Creeks.......39
• Counties......................17
• State Institutions........18
• Mountains...................18
• Tulsa Map....................10