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Wichita Falls history has dated back to the early 1700's when the Wichita Indians
migrated to the Red River area.

The name Wichita is derived from the Choctaw word "wia chitoh" meaning "big arbor," a description of their large grass-thatched arbors and beehive-shaped houses. During the late 1700's, Comanches and Apaches also lived in the area. All three tribes remained in the area until the 1830's. The city gained its name from a Wichita Indian encampment near a small waterfall along the Wichita River.

Anglo-American settlers were drawn to the area during the 1860's with the lure of vast grass-rich prairies, making the area home to the infamous North Texas cattle barons. In need of money, the Texas Republic sold land certificates for fifty cents per acre. The original 640 acres, which were to become the City, were rumored to have been won by John A. Scott in a poker game. In 1882 the City became the county seat and was accessed by the Fort Worth & Denver City railroad, which would prove to be the first of several systems to serve Wichita Falls.

Oats, wheat, and cotton crops were plentiful and drove the City's economy during the early 1900's. World War I brought with it a drought, an Army aviation training facility, and "black gold." The Fowler No. 1 well in Burkburnett became the area's first deep-well strike, and in 1919 the 4,000 feet wide and three-mile long pool produced more than 3 million barrels of oil. With 40% of the state's petroleum production coming from Wichita County, the population grew to 40,079 by 1940. In 1945 Sheppard Field Training Center had 46,650 men and was the largest concentration of air troops in the world. Nicknamed the "Factory City," Wichita Falls had over 100 manufacturing companies in the 1950's.

credits to Wichita Falls (A Pictorial History) - by Steve Wilson