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Oklahoma’s nickname is the Sooner State, which goes all the way back to the Land Run of 1889.
It was in that year that the U.S. government opened up the Unassigned Lands in present-day central Oklahoma for settlement.
On April 22, 1889, settlers were allowed to enter the Unassigned Lands and stake their claims on land. Those who entered the area ahead of the designated start time were dubbed “sooners.” At noon that day, more than 50,000 settlers rushed into the area, establishing cities such as Oklahoma City and Guthrie, whose populations rose to 10,000 in a single day.
