W. C. Rogers / Skiatook

Skiatook began as many communities did in rural America around the turn of the century -- it started in 1872 as a general store or trading post owned by W. C. Rogers, who was elected last principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1903. The site was two miles north of the present site of Skiatook. A post office was established in Rogers store on March 12, 1880. The town name Ski-a-took a compound word take from the Cherokee language is generally accepted as meaning big inidan man. The term may have several meanings but it has to do with something large like a large man, a vast tract of land, or camp of some other tribe of indians. Rogers credits Col. Adair, the representative before the U.S. Congress for a portion of Indian Territory for securing the name for the post office in April of 1892. The spelling of the won was officially changed to Skiatook and the town moved to its present location on December 18, 1904. However the town was not incorporated until the summer of 1905. - Skiatook Historical Society, Oklahoma Historical Society, March 12, 1980