A Bit of Duncan, Oklahoma History

Duncan is located 80 miles southwest of Oklahoma City on U.S. Highway 81, which parallels the Old Chisholm Trail. Between 1867 and 1876, 3 million head of Texas Longhorn cattle were driven on the trail from far south Texas, across Indian territory into Kansas where the railroads were located, ready and waiting to ship the cattle to a beef hungry nation.

The town of Duncan and our Duncan Chapter are named after the founder of town, William Duncan who was born in Scotland in 1843. he came to America in his early 20's. Between 1870 and 1873 he and his family moved to Indian territory and he opened a tailor shop on Cow Creek near the present site of Duncan. His first wife died and he married a Chickasaw Indian, therefore giving him a head right to Indian land.

He heard the railroad was coming and learned the survey would cross his land. He moved his store and family to the railroad site. He set out a new town, lots were learned to the newcomers and the town of Duncan was born in 1892. the first train arrived on June 27, 1892.

Until March, 1921 Duncan was primarily an agricultural town. Then the oil industry was brought to town by Erle P. Halliburton, a consulting engineer with progressive ides about cementing wells. Mr. Halliburton started the company that is now Halliburton Services, the largest company of its kind in the world today.