Woodward: Northwestern Oklahoma Ranching and the 1947 Tornado
Woodward was founded in 1887 as a stop on the Santa Fe Railroad in the Cherokee Outlet and became a shipping point for cattle drives from the Panhandle to Kansas City markets. The town remained a ranching and agricultural center through the twentieth century, with wheat farming supplementing cattle as the dominant economic activities.
On April 9, 1947, an F5 tornado struck Woodward at night, killing 116 people in the city alone and 181 in the broader storm path. The Woodward Tornado remains the deadliest in Oklahoma history. The event led to the development of early tornado warning systems by the National Weather Service.
Boiling Springs State Park, east of the city along the North Canadian River, was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and takes its name from a natural spring where sand appears to boil from underground pressure. The Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum in Woodward documents regional history. Oil and natural gas production in the Anadarko Basin adds to the local economy.
Temple Grandin, the animal behaviorist known for her work on livestock handling systems, was raised partly in Woodward and has written about the area in her books. The nearby Fort Supply site preserves a military post established in 1868 during the Indian Wars.
Escort websites operating in the Woodward area are reviewed and listed on Escortservice.com. The site operates as a directory only. It does not arrange appointments, verify licensing, or act as an intermediary. Users must be 21 or older.
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Woodward was founded in 1887 as a stop on the Santa Fe Railroad in the Cherokee Outlet and became a shipping point for cattle drives from the Panhandle to Kansas City markets. The town remained a ranching and agricultural center through the twentieth century, with wheat farming supplementing cattle as the dominant economic activities.
On April 9, 1947, an F5 tornado struck Woodward at night, killing 116 people in the city alone and 181 in the broader storm path. The Woodward Tornado remains the deadliest in Oklahoma history. The event led to the development of early tornado warning systems by the National Weather Service.
Boiling Springs State Park, east of the city along the North Canadian River, was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and takes its name from a natural spring where sand appears to boil from underground pressure. The Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum in Woodward documents regional history. Oil and natural gas production in the Anadarko Basin adds to the local economy.
Temple Grandin, the animal behaviorist known for her work on livestock handling systems, was raised partly in Woodward and has written about the area in her books. The nearby Fort Supply site preserves a military post established in 1868 during the Indian Wars.
Escort websites operating in the Woodward area are reviewed and listed on Escortservice.com. The site operates as a directory only. It does not arrange appointments, verify licensing, or act as an intermediary. Users must be 21 or older.
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