Avoca, Oklahoma

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Avoca was a small community in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Territory. The village was established in the mid-1800s as Wewaukee Springs. It was located along the "Wagon Road" that traveled east to west across the territory. Residents of the town included Seminole Indians as well as whites. The first Avoca school was established in the summer of 1892 near what is now the Avoca Cemetery. Early day teachers included J.C. Fisher, B.C. Klepper, A. Floyd, F.M. Forston, Nora Kidd, Minnie Synder (sic), A.C. Bray and Wheeler Hendon. [1]

The post office was established in 1893. The name Wewaukee Springs was requested, but was denied by government officials due to the similarity with the existing town of Wewoka, Oklahoma [2]. Mrs. S.T. Bess was the first postmistress. R. Perkins opened the first general store. A Rutherford and J.B. Buckler built a cotton gin. M.F. Merrill started a blacksmith shop. Establishment of the town was considered a natural development since the Wewoka Springs had been a stopping place for travelers before the opening of the territory. [3]

In the winter of 1901, the postmaster, George A. McCurry, moved the Avoca post office and his store to the fledgling community of Asher, Oklahoma, a few miles south. The change officially took place on November 26, 1901 [4]. This was done without permission from the government and left Avoca without a post office [5]. The post office was re-established on February 10, 1902 [6]. However, many persons and businesses moved to the growing Asher community. An Asher paper reported "Avoca About Abandoned" on August 21, 1903 [7] and the post office was discontinued again on October 31, 1906 [8]. The upstart of Asher is often blamed for the demise of Avoca [9]. Currently in the Avoca area is the Avoca Church of Christ, a cemetery, and a few homes.

[edit] Notes

  • One source cites 'Wewauka' Springs rather than 'Wewaukee' Springs as the original name of Avoca.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Fortson, John (1936). POTT COUNTRY.... Shawnee, OK: Herald Printing, 72. 
  2. ^ Hammons Davis, Barbara. Mary Lillian Gilpin. Retrieved on November 7, 2006.
  3. ^ Fortson, John (1936). POTT COUNTRY.... Shawnee, OK: Herald Printing, 72. 
  4. ^ Hammons Davis, Barbara. Mary Lillian Gilpin. Retrieved on November 7, 2006.
  5. ^ "People Worked for Town", Shawnee News-Star, 1990.
  6. ^ Grant, Forman. Chronicles of Oklahoma. Retrieved on November 7, 2006.
  7. ^ "Avoca About Abandoned", Asher Altruist, 21 August 1903.
  8. ^ Grant, Forman. Chronicles of Oklahoma. Retrieved on November 7, 2006.
  9. ^ Hammons Davis, Barbara. Mary Lillian Gilpin. Retrieved on November 7, 2006.

[edit] External links

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