Benton, Oklahoma
Benton, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Beaver |
| Established | 1886 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Benton is a ghost town in Beaver County, Oklahoma, United States. Nothing remains there. Few photographs of Benton exist that are around today. The community is cited to be historic.[1]
History[edit]
Benton was known for being a more “cultural” town near the edge of No Man's Land by 1886.[2] Their post office was also introduced that year. The town had a general store, drugstore, hotel, livery stable, two saloons, and a blacksmith shop. Between 1888 and 1890, the town had a newspaper called the “Benton County Banner”.[3] Most of the homes were built of sod and had wood floors and window sills. The town also had two man made wells. Before the panhandle wasn't a part of the Oklahoma Territory in 1890, the panhandles leaders organized Cimarron Territory. They designated Beaver City as its new capital, wrote a constitution, and divided the territory into seven different counties. The one to the farthest eastern was named “Benton County”, and Benton was going to be the county seat. Benton was supposedly a favorite place for gatherings, as many people would come there for the hotel and the saloons.
Downfall[edit]
Accessibility to Benton was made difficult due to the closeness of the Beaver and Kiowa creeks, especially during flooding season. Soil was more suited for grazing than planting crops. The Panhandle was eventually added to the Oklahoma Territory as well, making the location not a county seat. The post office discontinued in 1899. The town declined rapidly, and by 1920, no one lived there.[2][4]
References[edit]
- ^ "Benton (Beaver County, OK)". roadsidethoughts.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ a b Morris, John (1977). Ghost Towns of Oklahoma. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-8061-1420-0.
- ^ "The Benton County Banner (Benton, I.T. [Okla.]) 1888-1890". Library of Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ "Benton (Beaver County, OK)". roadsidethoughts.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
Municipalities and communities of Beaver County, Oklahoma, United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
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