Edmond

History

The Santa Fe rail line in Oklahoma Territory established a water and coaling station for steam engines at this location when the Santa Fe Railroad built into Indian Territory in 1887. The site for the station was chosen because it was the highest point on the line in Oklahoma County; trains could more easily accelerate going downhill while leaving the station in either direction. The railroad then named the station for Edmond Burdick, the Santa Fe's traveling freight agent. When the town was formed after the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889, early settlers decided to adopt the name. Though most of the remnants of the old railroad infrastructure are gone, the Santa Fe, now BNSF, freight line still runs through the same course. The town of Edmond sprang up overnight during the great Oklahoma land run on April 22, 1889, when homesteads were staked around the Santa Fe station. In 1889, the Gower Cemetery was established by John and Ophelia Gower, a formerly enslaved couple. Intended as a free burial ground for African American and indigent families, it is the only surviving evidence of an early Black homesteading community in Edmond and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. In December 1890, the territorial legislature established three universities, the state university in Norman, the agricultural and mechanical college in Stillwater, and a "normal" or teaching school in Edmond. The first classes for the Territorial Normal School (University of Central Oklahoma) were held November 9, 1891, in the Methodist Church on the southwest corner of North Broadway and West Hurd. Old North, the Territorial Normal School's iconic first building, was opened for classes on January 2, 1893, and ahead of Oklahoma State University's Central Hall or Oklahoma…

Geography

Edmond is just north of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which (3.19%) are covered by water. Arcadia Lake, a fishing spot for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area on Edmond's east side, contains bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, and largemouth bass. Twin Bridges Lake is also in Edmond. Edmond lies in Central Oklahoma's Sandstone Hills region, known for hills, blackjack oak, and post oak. The city is in an ecological region known as the Cross Timbers. Edmond has a humid subtropical climate with frequent variations in weather during part of the year and consistently hot summers. Prolonged and severe droughts often lead to wildfires, and heavy rainfall often leads to flash flooding and flooding. Consistent winds, usually from the south or south-southeast during the summer, help temper the hotter weather. Consistent northerly winds during the winter can intensify cold periods. Severe ice storms and snowstorms happen sporadically during the winter. The city is subject to frequent and severe tornadoes and hailstorms, and is in Tornado Alley. The Oklahoma City metropolitan area is one of the world's most tornado-prone areas.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,847
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  8,138
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,098
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  7,815
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  7,738
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,013
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  6,322
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  6,257

Largest nearby schools

• SANTA FE HS
  High · Edmond · 2,796 students · 22.7:1 ratio
• MEMORIAL HS
  High · Edmond · 2,605 students · 21.4:1 ratio
• NORTH HS
  High · Edmond · 2,555 students · 22.2:1 ratio
• DEER CREEK MS
  Middle · Edmond · 1,179 students · 19.3:1 ratio
• HEARTLAND MS
  Middle · Edmond · 1,071 students · 17.9:1 ratio
• SEQUOYAH MS
  Middle · Edmond · 1,006 students · 18.6:1 ratio
• CENTRAL MS
  Middle · Edmond · 980 students · 19.2:1 ratio
• SUMMIT MS
  Middle · Edmond · 940 students · 17.7:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.57 — 2026-09-14
  6 km E of Calumet, Oklahoma
• M 2.9 — 2026-09-11
  5 km N of Stroud, Oklahoma
• M 3.29 — 2026-09-04
  2 km SSW of Dibble, Oklahoma
• M 2.56 — 2026-06-13
  6 km ENE of Edmond, Oklahoma
• M 2.72 — 2026-06-03
  7 km S of Perry, Oklahoma
• M 2.9 — 2026-05-22
  10 km N of Stillwater, Oklahoma