Canute, Oklahoma
Canute town got its start with a lottery. Although
most of the country in the vicinity around Canute was not settled before
1897 or 1898, the first settlers came in with the opening of the Cheyenne-Arapaho
territory in 1892.
It was a town where the early citizenry "raffled"
for lots, held a revival meeting and stymied a couple of saloons that were
beginning to flourish. Indians played a substantial role in the incorporation
of because the name is Indian for a man called Keen who founded the town.
The first Canute was started four miles west and one north of the present
townsite. Keen picked the location and for awhile it bore his
name.
The town's second location was one half-mile west
of Canute and took its name from a store owner at the new place. It was called
Warner. In either 1902 or 1903 the town was moved to its present location
and the Indian name Canute was applied for good.
As the town was being started in 1902 by the Great
Southwest Township Company, residents paid $10 for a chance to get their
names in the lottery box. Lot numbers were in another box and names were
drawn by one person and a lot was drawn by another. Each man whose name was
in the box got a lot but the location was left to chance. Today, Canute has
a population of about 538 people.
Source: Cordell Beacon in
1957 |