Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County in Oklahoma, which is located in southwestern Oklahoma, about 87 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. Lawton is the fifth-biggest city in Oklahoma and the largest in Western Oklahoma.
Lawton was established by European Americans in 1901, on former Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Indian reserve grounds. It was named after Major General Henry Ware Lawton, who was killed in action in the Philippine–American War after serving in the Civil War and earning the Medal of Honor. The scenery of Lawton is typical of the Great Plains, with flat terrain and gently undulating hills, while the Wichita Mountains characterize the region north of the city.
Lawton’s economic and population stability were aided by its proximity to the Fort Sill Military Reservation, which was previously the Apache territory’s base before statehood. Despite the fact that Lawton’s economy is still heavily reliant on Fort Sill, it has expanded to include industry, higher education, health care, and retail.
In December 1952, the Comanche County Historical Society was founded, and the Museum of the Great Plains was born. The museum was built in the municipally owned Elmer Thomas Park, next to the McMahon Memorial Auditorium, with the help of a donation from The McMahon Foundation in 1958 and the museum first opened its doors in 1961.
The Comanche County Historical Society grew in scope and goal, eventually becoming the Great Plains Historical Association in 1961 and then the Institute of the Great Plains in 1970. The Great Plains Journal was first published by the Association in 1961 and lasted until 2014.
The Holy City of the Wichitas, located in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, is 22 miles northwest of Lawton. The 66-acre region resembles Biblical Israel. The temple court, the Lord’s Supper building, Herod’s Court, and Pilate’s judgment hall, all constructed with locally mined granite in the 1930s, are among the many full-sized buildings and structures within the city.
The location also hosts “The Prince of Peace,” the nation’s longest-running annual Easter passion drama. Newsreels were shown in American cinemas, and the US government made a full-length film of the pageant in 1937. When 225,000 people packed Audience Hill for the dawn concert in 1939, it set a new record for attendance.
The US Army Field Artillery & Fort Sill Museum was founded on December 10, 1934, under the supervision of the Chief of Field Artillery, and officially inaugurated in January 1935. From the start, the twin goal of preserving the history of both the Field Artillery and Fort Sill was clear. The inaugural curator was Captain Harry C. Larter, a Field Artilleryman, military artist, and historian.
Larter used an old artillery training collection of military artifacts that had been gathered together in 1919 at Fort Sill and kept in a warehouse for many years. As part of a cooperative effort, Captain Wilbur S. Nye was tasked with collecting and writing the history of Fort Sill.
Medicine Park went through a major rehabilitation in the early 2000s, with the aim of restoring the grandeur of Oklahoma’s first resort town. Doug Kemper, a Lawton native, was approached by city authorities for advice. Doug was working on the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks at the time.
In January 2010, the first fund-raising gathering was conducted. The property on which the facility now sits was generously given by David and Candace McCoy, developers who were instrumental in the area’s development. The Aquarium first opened its doors in June 2017. And, with at least 25 years of planned growth, the crew and many, many supporters press on, one day at a time, bringing the idea to reality.
The goal of the Comanche Nation Water Park is to offer wholesome family enjoyment to all of our visitors by providing a safe and clean environment for people of all ages to cool down, relax, and enjoy for many years to come.
The water park contributes to the expanding community by fostering economic growth and creating “self-determination” for the tribe by offering employment for both tribal and non-tribal people at the Comanche Nation Waterpark. The team is committed to delivering great customer service as well as a fun and exciting environment for the whole family.
