Shawnee and Pottawtomie County – Images of America

Shawnee and Pottawtomie County
207 Pages
ISBN 9781467125468

The Series. Images of America is an ambitious collection of chronicles that accurately capture the essence of what gives each American small town, neighborhood, and downtown its unique flavor. Each one is penned by a seasoned local expert and features hundreds of vintage images, local memories, personal stories, and unique points of view in regards to a variety of iconic events. At present, the series encompasses thousands of volumes and counting.

Shawnee and Pottawatomie County. Restless pioneers surrounded the border of what would become Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, on September 22, 1891, with the goal of staking prime land. The crowd was diverse and not always well-behaved, but chaos eventually turned to order. Businesses opened quickly, and towns were established. Tecumseh would be designated the county seat, but it would not be long before Shawnee would steal it away and even have aspirations of becoming the state capital. Shawnee and Tecumseh would become the focus of the county, but other towns like Asher, Dale, Earlsboro, Macomb, Maud, McLoud, St. Louis, and Wanette persevered in their own ways, bringing a unique version of small-town charm. Pottawatomie County today is home to just over 70,000 citizens. Shawnee, still the county seat, boasts a prestigious college and university and is known as the birthplace of Sonic Drive-In. Sixteen sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places are in the county. Jim Thorpe, Gordon Cooper Jr., Wanda Jackson, and Brad Pitt have all called Pottawatomie County home.

Brad A. Holt

About Brad A. Holt (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Author)

Brad A. Holt

While I now live in Oklahoma City, I grew up in southern Pottawatomie County. I have always been passionate about genealogy and the history of my hometown of Asher, so this book was a perfect fit! I'm excited to share this pictorial history of the county through the cooperation of the Pottawatomie County Historical Society.

My "real job" is Director of Operations for factor 110, an event and destination management company located in Oklahoma City. I handle accounting, administrative and HR duties as well as manage registrations and trade shows for conferences and other events. It's an interesting career with a lot of diverse tasks and that allows me to travel from time to time.

In my free time, I love to travel, toy around with photography, research local and family history, and chill out around the house. I am a certified HR Professional (SHRM-CP), a Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA), a member the Society of Human Resource Professionals (SHRM), Oklahoma City Human Resources Society, the Alliance of Emerging Professionals, and the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI).