Miami, Oklahoma History

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I’m Ron Enderland. I was born in Miami, Oklahoma, at Miami Baptist Hospital, a long time ago. I moved out of town at age eight, but Miami is still my hometown, and it always will be. It’s had its ups and downs, financially speaking, but it’s on an upturn now. Still, I want to remember it as it was, and many agree with that sentiment. Thus, I’ve created this site, loaded with photos and history of the place.

The information here is nearly all documented from city guides, from the Miami News-Record, from other well-researched historical sources. Where personal recollection or tradition is involved, this is pointed out. Thus, my confidence in the accuracy of what you find here.

It has a searchable database of businesses over the years. I’m estimating that it has 85-90% of Miami’s businesses between its birth and 1968, and I’m still adding the missing ones. It’s mostly the result of researching the Miami News-Record, and I only have access to papers up to 1968 at this point. But still, it has over 3,000 businesses listed, and can be a fine asset for helping you to track down who was located where and when.

Also, check out Miami’s Postcard Past. This section has a bunch of postcards which open up in good-sized resolution. And for your pleasure, you can get full-sized scans of five Main Street postcards, suitable for desktop wallpaper or for printing.

Check out virtual tours of North Main, South Main, and Central. Also, visit the lost businesses of East and West A Streets. We also have a growing listing of other significant business buildings, and a page devoted to urban exploration. Plus, a page with downloadable historical resources. And check out Miami’s history, briefly.

View of Miami looking north from the First National Bank building, 1966. Used with permission.

Recent articles:

  • The Pierce Pennant Tavern
  • The Ozark Trails Association and Miami
  • A Brief History of Riverview Park
  • The Ottawa County Fair
  • Ottawa County’s Oldest Resident

Take a virtual historical tour of Miami

North Main

South Main

Central

East and West A

Most Recent Additions to Business Database

Total Records Found: 3047, showing 5 per page
Business NameBusiness AddressDate First Seen ThereBusiness TypeNotes
Superior Churn factory 119 S Main 1919 Manufacturer Miami Record-Herald. Made Dazey churns. Was in a single story frame building. "Across from fire station"
Pete Stover Livery Barn 10 W Central 1896 Services By 1900, advertising in the Record-Herald as "west side Main St, North of National Hotel" Sold in 1900 to James Patton and son.
John Daniels Livery Barn S Main 1915 Services The Live Wire. Became Daniels and Daniel Livery Barn in 1919.
Miami Republican Unknown 1900 Misc Miami Record-Herald. Weekly published until 1914. Was consolidated with the Miami Enterprise that year and stopped being published under its name. However, the daily Republican became the Miami District Daily News in February, 1917. It was still publishing in 1919. Was in the Bowling building in 1900.
Oxford Restaurant Unknown 1900 Restaurant Miami Record-Herald. In the Bowling building.
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Random Images from Our Library:

19-25 East Central
North Side of Courthouse, 1930
Suddarth Appliance ad, 1948

Full-Sized Postcard Views of Main Street

North Main, 1965

South Main, 1959

South Main, 1955

Looking north on Main, 1940’s

North Main, 1925

Other Local Historical Resources

Cardin Kids – A Comprehensive History of NE Oklahoma

Ottawa County, Oklahoma, Vintage Photographs from Yesteryear

Dobson Museum – Ottawa County Historical Society

Literally Letty (much Miami history)

Miami Flight 1955 (a wonderful film)

1951 Flyover of the Great Flood

Tulsa TV Memories

Special thanks to the Miami Chamber of Commerce, the Dobson Museum, and to John Schehrer for providing many historical photographs!

The Bald Guy IT Solutions

Copyright notice: some of these images are in the public domain. Some have been contributed by others for use on the site, with the understanding that saving internet images is trivial. That being said, if you’d like to use any of the site graphics, my permission is required. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 2019.

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  • The Pierce Pennant Tavern
  • The Ozark Trails Association and Miami
  • A Brief History of Riverview Park
  • The Ottawa County Fair
  • Ottawa County’s Oldest Resident
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