How Ringling Came to Be

By Judy Wade

When you hear the word “Ringling,” do you think of the Ringling Brothers Circus? You probably do, unless you live in or near the south-central Oklahoma town of Ringling in Jefferson County. However, there is a connection.

To understand the dynamics that led to the founding of the town of Ringling, we must go back to the days of Indian Territory, when the south-central part was the Chickasaw Nation. Because of the demand for beef in the North in the late 1860s, ranchers spilled into the area to take advantage of the unassigned lands and certain allotments available for good grazing. Men like Lute Jackson, the Stallings brothers, John Cornish, Alex Hammonds, P.B. Turner and others were to play a part in the history of Ringling and the surrounding area.

The little community of Cornish, named for John Cornish, was established by 1891 one-mile south of present day Ringling. It began as an Indian trading post and stopping place for pioneers. It soon boasted a drug store, post office, cotton gin, newspaper, wagon yard, schools, churches and even an IOOF Lodge along with several other stores.

Meanwhile, over in Lawton, which has been established in 1901, a young lawyer named Jake Hamon dreamed of a railroad that would connect Lawton and Ardmore to the east. He set out to promote the project, eventually moving his office to Ardmore. Hamon and others obtained a charter from the state (Oklahoma attained statehood in 1907) and hoped to build as far west as Denver, but they needed capital.

Stories vary as to how Hamon met John Ringling, one of the six Ringling brothers who owned the Ringling Brothers Circus. Read the February issue of OKFR to learn more!