Person, Place, and Thing: Latimer County

Person, Place, & Thing is a blog series I started to help readers—but mostly myself—become more familiar with each Oklahoma county. My method is to highlight a few of the more prominent nouns (people, places, and things, as we know) found within them. I randomly select one of the state’s seventy-seven counties for each new blog until I run out of counties to pick from. Here are the past entries of the blog series if you want to catch up:

Person, Place, And Thing: Payne County
Person, Place, And Thing: Pottawatomie County
Person, Place, And Thing: Love County

Firing up the random number generator this time around got me trusty number thirty-nine, which corresponds with Latimer County on my master list. Latimer County is a rural area—with a total population under ten thousand—but a beautiful one. Its largest town and county seat is Wilburton, home to about a quarter of all Latimer residents. The southeatern Oklahoma province, sandwiched between the San Bois Mountains to the north and Winding Stair Mountains to the south, is likely best known today as home to the popular Robbers Cave State Park. Other than having visited Robbers Cave in the past, this is not an area of the state I am already very familiar with, so let’s do a little learning together.

The origin of the Wilburton town name is contested, but I’ve found a rooting interest in the dispute. On one side, there is the possibility the town takes its name from Elisha Wilbur, a railway president who was among the first to buy stock in the historic mine town’s Choctaw Coal and Railroad Company. This would be a decent explanation for the town name, but not as cool as the theory which I choose to believe: that the name Wilburton comes from none other than Will Burton. Our friend Will is not a very famous guy, he was a land surveyor who plotted the area in the late 1800s for the construction of the Choctaw Railroad, and I was unable to locate any pictures of him on the World Wide Web. But there is something really wholesome about the idea of taking a guy's whole name and making it the name of a town forever. Maybe someday, if I live a good and fruitful life, people will be living in a town called Beluschen. We can only hope.

For more information on the fascinating history of Wilburton and Latimer Couty, give Wilburton city hall a call and ask to set up a tour of the Wilburton Historical Museum. (918) 465-5361

Is the city of Will Burton named for one Will Burton? We can't say for sure, but we sure hope so. Photo courtesy City of WIlburton

You know if we’re talking about the Wilburton area that it has to be Robbers Cave State Park. Robbers Cave is one of the state’s original seven state parks, having been established in 1935. The 8,200 land acres (and around 12,000 acres including water and the adjoining wildlife management area) is named for the area’s legendary connection to bandits and scalliwags or yore. Storied criminal outfits like the Youngers, the Dalton Gang, the Rufus Buck Gang, and even the legendary Belle Starr are said to have hid out in the nooks and crannies of the area’s rocky terrain. Those who visit today hopefully are not on the run from the law, but they probably are keen to the idea of momentarily evading hectic city life. Especially recommended for renters is Cabin 101, which comes with a beautiful view of the peaks and valleys of the San Bois Mountains.

Some of the most stunning hikes in the whole state can be had at Robbers Cave State Park. Photo by Lori Duckworth / Oklahoma Tourism

In addition to the presence of Robbers Cave, Latimer County is a site of historical significance to the Butterfield Overland Mail and stage coach route. The route once facilitated the transport of mail and parcels from St. Louis, Missouri, to San Francisco, California. Wilburton and the present-day Latimer area became an important stop ahead of the less forgiving terrain that lay ahead for West-bound passengers. The people of today interested in the history of the route will find the Edward’s Store, located a little more than twenty miles east of Wilburton. The Edward’s Store is the only structure left standing on the Oklahoma stretch of the Butterfield. Back in the day it was a place for food and rest for the journey ahead. Those who stop there today won’t have as much luck. The remote and weathered cabin is in the process of raising funds for restoration to its pre-Civil War condition, though interested and respectful visitors can still stop by for a photo or arrange a tour online.

The Edward's Store still stands in remote Latimer County, but it needs help to undergo a much-needed restoration. Photo courtesy The Edward's Store

Written By

Ben Luschen

Luschen joined the *Oklahoma Today*’ staff as Research Editor in 2021 and currently works as the magazine's Web Editor, managing the website and social media fronts. His past *Oklahoma Today* stories have ranged in content from the state's bee and quail industries to its vibrant art and music scenes. Not adverse to a road trip, Luschen is always on the lookout for the next big adventure. He is never out of opinions about the current state of Oklahoma City Thunder basketball.