Editing Pauls Valley, Oklahoma (section)

==History==
The area that eventually became the city of Pauls Valley was one of the earliest European-American settlements in what was then known as [[Indian Territory]]. Smith Paul, born in 1809 in [[New Bern, North Carolina]], discovered the fertile bottom land which is now Pauls Valley while a member of a [[wagon train]] traveling to [[California]]. Paul described the land as "a section where the bottom land was rich and blue stem grass grew so high that a man on horseback was almost hidden in its foliage."<ref name="EOHC-GarvinCo"/>

The Tri-Party Treaty of January 1, 1837, ceded this part of what is now the State of Oklahoma to the [[Chickasaw Nation]]. When the Chickasaw people were relocated to Indian Territory that year, Smith Paul moved with them and married Ela-Teecha, a Chickasaw woman. In 1847, the Pauls established a plantation on the rich Garvin County bottom land, where Rush Creek joined the [[Washita River]], which became known to locals as "Smith Paul's Valley".<ref name=LASR>{{Cite web| title = Pauls Valley, Oklahoma| publisher = LASR| year = 2009| url = http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?City_ID=OK0505013| access-date = 20 November 2009}}</ref> Mail to the Pauls was often addressed to "Smith Paul's Large Farm". By 1871, postal service was established in the area, although the post office was designated "Paul's Valley, Arkansas", because the Indian Territory was being administered out of [[Arkansas]] at that time.<ref name="EOHC-PV">{{Cite encyclopedia| last = Tower| first = Michael| title = Pauls Valley| encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture| publisher = Oklahoma Historical Society| url = http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=PA019| access-date =4 October 2016 }}</ref>

The [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] (a.k.a. Santa Fe Railway) shortened the name to "Paul's Valley" when it built a track through the community in 1887, completing its connection between [[Kansas]] and the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]]. The railroad brought growth and prosperity to Smith Paul's Valley. The first newspaper was published in 1887. The Pauls Valley town site was laid out in 1892, though the plat was not approved by the [[Dawes Commission]] until 1903.

At the time of its founding, Pauls Valley was located in [[Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation]].<ref>Charles Goins, ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2006), plate 105.</ref>

A U.S. courthouse was built in 1895. The first white school in Indian Territory was established, and brick buildings were built downtown. In 1909, the streets were bricked.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Pauls Valley Historical Society| work = Pauls Valley Chamber of Commerce| url = http://paulsvalley.com/for-residents/organizations/historical-society/| access-date = 4 October 2016 }}</ref> Today, Pauls Valley has more brick streets—{{convert|17986|sqyd}}—than any other town in the United States.<ref name=Heartland>{{Cite web|title = Pauls Valley| publisher = Heartland Flyer| url = http://www.heartlandflyer.com/destinations/default.aspx?id=10| access-date = 20 November 2009}}</ref>

From 1948–1954, Pauls Valley was home to the [[Pauls Valley Raiders]],  a [[minor league baseball]] team. The Pauls Valley Raiders were a member of the Class D [[Sooner State League]] and an affiliate of the [[San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]] (1952–1953). The Pauls Valley Raiders played at Wacker Park.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-2063|title=Wacker Park in Pauls Valley, OK history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://paulsvalley.com/for-residents/parks-recreation/parks/|title=Parks – Pauls Valley, Oklahoma}}</ref>

When the Santa Fe Railway discontinued its Lone Star route in 1979, the 1905 building fell into disuse. By 1985, the railroad had obtained a permit to raze the old depot. Adrienne Grimmet, who was then president of the Pauls Valley Historical Society, started a campaign to save the old structure. Her efforts resulted in the city's buying the depot and turning it over to the historical society for conversion into a museum. Individuals donated their time and skills, and local businesses either donated or discounted the cost of materials to perform the necessary renovations, which began in 1991.<ref name="Amtrak">{{cite web |title=Pauls Valley, OK (PVL) |url=https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/pauls-valley-ok-pvl |website=The Great American Stations |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=May 25, 2024}}</ref>

In 1999, [[Amtrak]] began its ''[[Heartland Flyer]]'' service between [[Oklahoma City]] and [[Fort Worth]], passing through Pauls Valley. City officials agreed to build a new waiting room for Amtrak passengers adjacent to the old depot. The new [[Pauls Valley station]] has a climate-controlled waiting area and restrooms, but is unstaffed, having no ticketing or baggage handling facilities. It also has a 10-car parking lot outside. The architecture was designed to be compatible with the old Santa Fe-style building.<ref name="Amtrak"/>

The Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame, located in the Toy and Action Figure Museum, was opened in Pauls Valley in 2005.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.cbgxtra.com/comics-in-the-media/new-cartoonists-hall-of-fame-collection-museum|title= New Cartoonists Hall of Fame Collection & Museum! |last= Bru-Hed |date= December 12, 2005 |magazine= [[Comics Buyer's Guide]] |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130617152238/http://www.cbgxtra.com/comics-in-the-media/new-cartoonists-hall-of-fame-collection-museum |archive-date= June 17, 2013 |url-status= live|access-date= March 25, 2012}}</ref>