Lincoln County (Images of America)

To the east of Oklahoma City, Lincoln County lies in east central Oklahoma with Chandler as its county seat. The county was opened by two land runs: the first on September 22, 1891, and again four years later on May 23, 1895. The land is primarily rolling grass hills covered with stands of blackjack oak and post oak and is part of what is called the Crosstimbers. Images of America: Lincoln County celebrates the different tribes that lived in the area: the Sac and Fox, the Iowa, and the Kickapoo. It also features famous lawman Bill Tilghman, Olympic athlete Jim Thorpe, poet Jennie Harris Oliver, and governors J.B.A. Robertson and Roy J. Turner. Oil came early to Lincoln County and continues to play a large role in the economy. At one time, the county was covered in cotton fields. It is also a center of transportation with several railroads, old Route 66, and the Turner Turnpike, which today is the major road connecting Oklahoma City and Tulsa.