The roads of Oklahoma history: When all of the state's counties were finally connected

Linda Lynn, The Oklahoman
·1 min read
On May 5, 1924, a story advanced a meeting planned to consider an Oklahoma highway system of concrete roads that would be built to connect all of the county seats within the state.
On May 5, 1924, a story advanced a meeting planned to consider an Oklahoma highway system of concrete roads that would be built to connect all of the county seats within the state.

Today's motorists can travel throughout the state on a web of paved asphalt or concrete highways, so can you imagine setting out across Oklahoma on dirt, sometimes muddy, roadways?

On May 5, 1924, it was announced in The Daily Oklahoman that the Lee Highway association of Oklahoma would meet to consider asking for a $7.5 million road bond issue that, coupled with federal dollars, would connect all county seats in Oklahoma with concrete roads.

Famous Faces
Famous Faces

The story reported: "Officials of the highway association are confident that the plan will materialize, inasmuch as the present board of state highway commissioners and the governor are regarded as men in whom the people have utmost confidence."

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With the state's strong focus on roadways, by June 1925, more than 354 miles of federal-aid highway had been built for more than $7.8 million and was described as the "greatest road-building year Oklahoma has ever had," according to a story in the Sept. 27, 1925, edition of The Daily Oklahoman.

A headline on a story in The Daily Oklahoman 100 years ago on May 5, 1924, read, "CONVENTION OF HIGHWAY BODY TO TALK PLAN."
A headline on a story in The Daily Oklahoman 100 years ago on May 5, 1924, read, "CONVENTION OF HIGHWAY BODY TO TALK PLAN."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma highway system expansion part of 1924 bond plan meeting