About Springer Township

Springer Township (T13N-R1W) is in northeastern Oklahoma County, part of the Unassigned Lands opened by the Run of '89. Its eastern boundary is the Indian Meridian, its northern boundary runs just south of Lake Hiwassee, its western boundary is about 3 miles west of Jones, and its southern boundary runs through State Center and on the south side of Jones.

The present-day population center is the city of Jones. Glaze, in the southeastern part near Jones, was bypassed by the railroad and its Post Office later discontinued to Jones. Pleasant Valley (which did not have its own Post Office, as far as we've been able to determine) was in the northwestern portion and its school was consolidated with Luther.

Douglas City was in Section 1 (the northeastern corner of the township, which is shown in the upper right-hand corner of the map below). The Turner Turnpike now runs through the former townsite. It is the only one of the three still known outside the local area - thanks primarily to an article about it in Ghost Towns of Oklahoma. It "was to be a black town, developed by black capital and managed by black entrepreneurs", laid out on the line surveyed for the proposed Midlands Railroad. The 160 acre townsite included 10 acres set aside for a public school and the developers offered to donate 20 acres to the state for the location of the Territorial Normal School for Negroes. The city initially thrived, but the Midlands Railroad was never built and when the Frisco and Katy came through the area both bypassed it. The Douglas City Post Office was discontinued to Luther and its school consolidated with Luther, but it still exists as a diffuse community centered on the corner where Deep Fork, Springer, Dewey and Luther Townships meet.