Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge – Medicine Park

Address:	Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Indiahoma, Oklahoma 73552	County:	Comanche
Started:	1933	Completed:	1940
Agencies:	WPA, CCC, NYA	NRHP:	No

Current Usage:

Wildlife Refuge and state park

Description:

Extensive New Deal funded work was performed in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge that is northwest of Lawton Oklahoma. The Wichita Mountains was first established in 1901 by President William McKinley and was re-designated as a game preserve in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt. This 59,020 acre refuge provides habitat for large native grazing animals such as American bison, Rocky Mountain elk, white-tailed deer, and Texas longhorn cattle as well as other species of animals. One of the most difficult projects was to construct a road up Mount Scott which at a height of 2,464 feet and a steepness of 8% grade made this granite mountain’s road twist around until it reaches the summit and is visited by thousands each year. A dedication ceremony to official open the road to visitors was conducted on August 16, 1938. Working together on most projects of the refuge, the CCC and WPA completed dams at lakes including Elmer Thomas, Quanah Parker, Burford, French, Jed Johnson, Rush, Granma and Lawtonka. Lake Lawtonka’s dam was raise twice during this period due to Lawton and Fort Sill’s water resources requirements. Along with this dams large circular picnic tables were constructed at picnic sites and trail beginnings, but were later removed due to “law enforcement” issues and cause some conflict between Lawton citizens and federal authorities in the 1970s. Trails were created using granite markers throughout the refuge by the CCC and NYA.

The grand project besides the Mount Scott road was the Holy City of the Wichitas, built at a cost of $147,000 between 1935 and 1936 it still performs an annual Easter pageant which makes it the longest lasting Easter pageant performance in the United States.

The main highway traversing the refuge was also a WPA project and was carefully plotted to include views from any part of the refuge of the wildlife. This and all other improvements are still enjoyed all year long by visitors of the thousands.