Editing Midwest City, Oklahoma (section)

== History ==
W.P. "Bill" Atkinson bought land in the area that would become Midwest City after hearing speculation that an air field was going to be built nearby. The city, which was incorporated on March 11, 1943, was named for the air field's original designation as the Midwest Air Depot.<ref name="Midwest City" /> When [[Major General]] [[Clarence L. Tinker]] of Pawhuska, Oklahoma became the first American general killed in World War II (June 7, 1942) near Wake Island, the airfield was renamed in his honor.<ref>May, Jon D. [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/T/TI005.html Tinker, Clarence Leonard (1887–1942)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607222908/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/T/TI005.html |date=2013-06-07 }}, [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/index.html Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201065646/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/index.html |date=2015-02-01 }}. (accessed January 13, 2010). ''op. cit.'' Reise</ref>

Seward Mott, the director of the Federal Housing Administration's Land Planning Division, helped design the city, gaining national print and broadcast attention, and it became a model for postwar community development.<ref name="Midwest City" /> The city incorporated the Mishak community of [[Czech American|Czech]] and [[German American|German]] immigrants that had formed in what now is the southeast part of the city.<ref name="histsurvey">{{cite report |author=Meacham & Associates |url=http://www.okhistory.org/shpo/architsurveys/RLSofOriginalMile.pdf |date=1992 |title=Reconnaissance Level Survey of the Original Mile |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society |access-date=May 10, 2010}}</ref>

In 1947, returning veteran Nicholas Harroz opened Nick's Brett Drive Grocery, which later became Crest Discount Foods, which is now one of the largest discount chains in the Oklahoma City metro area. Soon after its opening, Midwest City citizens opted for a charter-council-city manager form of government to better manage their rapid growth.<ref name="Midwest City" />

Midwest City's regional hospital was dedicated October 6, 1962, built with the use of bond money. Voters also approved the creation of a junior college district in 1968. Oscar Rose Junior College opened its doors to students in 1970 and is now known as Rose State College.<ref name="Midwest City" /> The [[Heritage Park Mall]] opened in 1978 on North Air Depot and was a prime shopping area in the city for several decades.<ref name="eastword">Chambers, Kelley. [http://www.eastword.net/article/02-10-2010/Doors_get_ready_to_close_at_Heritage_Park_Mall.aspx "Doors get ready to close at Heritage Park Mall"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183533/http://www.eastword.net/article/02-10-2010/Doors_get_ready_to_close_at_Heritage_Park_Mall.aspx |date=2016-03-03 }}, ''EastWord'', February 10, 2010.</ref> The first [[Sam's Club]] was opened in Midwest City on April 7, 1983.

In the early 1970s, the Glenwood Addition subdivision, just north of the TAFB runway, was purchased from individual owners with funds raised in a county-wide bond election after plane crashes in the area killed several civilians and military crewmen. 835 homes were moved and an elementary school was closed down. The former subdivision is fenced off and used as storage and training exercises for TAFB personnel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newsok.com/article/2001187 |title=Tinker closes Glenwood land |work=Oklahoman |date=November 1, 1982 |access-date=September 22, 2015}}</ref>

Portions of Midwest City particularly northwest of Tinker Air Force Base sustained extreme damage from a [[1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak|violent tornado]] that swept through the southern and eastern areas of the Oklahoma City Metro on May 3, 1999. While it produced F5 damage in South Oklahoma City, damage in Midwest City was rated high-end F4 (although F5 was considered), with numerous destroyed homes and three fatalities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tornado A9: The May 3, 1999 Bridge Creek-Newcastle-Oklahoma City-Moore F5 Tornado|url=http://www.weather.gov/oun/events-19990503-f5tornado|publisher=National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma|access-date=February 28, 2017}}</ref> Another strong tornado struck almost exactly the same area four years later on [[May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence|May 8, 2003]].<ref name="National Climatic Data Center" /><ref name="firehouse.com" />

City officials worked to revitalize S.E. 29th Street in the early 21st century, leading to the development of a new Town Center Plaza shopping area that faces [[Interstate 40]] and [[Tinker Air Force Base]].<ref name="smith">Chambers, Kelley. [http://www.eastword.net/article/02-23-2010/Candidates_face_off_in_Midwest_City_mayoral_election.aspx "Candidates face off in Midwest City mayoral election"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030314/http://www.eastword.net/article/02-23-2010/Candidates_face_off_in_Midwest_City_mayoral_election.aspx |date=2016-03-04 }}, ''EastWord'', February 23, 2010.</ref> The Town Center Plaza development replaced an aging, largely deserted Atkinson Plaza shopping center. In 2003, the Reed Center, a {{convert|60000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} convention center, was built. Meanwhile, the Heritage Park Mall has slowly dwindled, becoming an issue of contention in the 2010 mayoral race.<ref name="smith" />