Finley, Oklahoma

Finley is an unincorporated community in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, 10 miles northeast of Antlers.

A United States Post Office was established at Finley, Indian Territory on April 30, 1903, and was named for Sidney W. Finley (1869-1914), local merchant and first postmaster.^[1][2]

Finley was originally called Cedar Church, then Old Cedar Church, the name of a longstanding Choctaw Indian Methodist congregation established there during Indian Territory days. The congregation took its name from nearby Big Cedar Creek—then known as Cedar Creek. The church appears to have waned during the latter days of the Choctaw Nation, probably giving rise to the opportunity to rename the settlement after its first postmaster.^[3]

Finley successfully retains its status as a cohesive community, long after losing its school. It hosts cemetery clean-up days and community dinners in its community center. It continues to have a post office and store.^[4]

More information on Finley and the Big Cedar Creek valley may be found in the Pushmataha County Historical Society.

References

1. ↑ Sidney W. Finley is buried at Antlers in Odd Fellows Cemetery.
2. ↑ George H. Shirk, Oklahoma Place Names, pp. 78-79; Pushmataha County Cemeteries, p. 73; Post Office Site Location Reports, Record Group 28, National Archives.
3. ↑ “James Brown Tims”, Indian-Pioneer Papers, Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries.
4. ↑ Weekly Finley column, Antlers American.

Municipalities and communities of Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States County seat: Antlers City Antlers Towns Albion Clayton Rattan CDP Tuskahoma Other unincorporated communities Adel Belzoni Clayton Lake Cloudy Corinne Darwin Dela Ethel Fewell Finley Greenwood Jumbo Kellond Kiamichi Kosoma Miller Moyers Nashoba Oleta Sardis Snow Sobol Stanley Ghost towns Abbott Cohn Crum Creek Dunbar Eubanks Gee Honobia‡ Johns Kiamichi Lyceum Nolia Rodney Sardis Wilson Zoraya Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Coordinates: 34°19′42″N 95°29′42″W / 34.32833°N 95.49500°W / 34.32833; -95.49500

Finley OKlahoma no longert has a store guys!!