Ryan Town

Jefferson County, Oklahoma

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Ryan Town Hall is located at 614 Washington Street, Ryan, OK 73565.
Phone: 580‑757‑2277.

The town is named for Stephen W. Ryan, a native of Arkansas who settled here about 1875. He married a Chickasaw Indian and acquired a large amount of land in what would become Jefferson County. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway built a station on Ryan's land in 1892, and Ryan platted a town site bearing his name. A post office was established in 1890. Ryan continues as a ranching and agricultural community. It is noted as the birthplace of martial artist and actor, Chuck Norris. [Ryan, Oklahoma, en.wikipedia.org, accessed September, 2012]

Ryan as Described in 1941 [1]

An old town fighting stubbornly for existence is the way Ryan has been described. Many of its residences and business buildings present a dilapidated appearance; and perhaps the largest structure in town is an abandoned chicken hatchery. In 1908 Ryan lost its year-long fight with Waurika for the seat of Jefferson County.

  1. Workers of the Federal Writers' Program, Works Progress Administration in the State of Oklahoma, Harold O. Hunter, Commissioner, Oklahoma: A Guide to the Sooner State, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK, 1941.

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