Gently rolling hills, over 70 parks and recreation area and three major lakes, and the fifth largest city in Oklahoma, Lawton is a great moving destination. The city is located about 80 miles from Oklahoma City, making moving to Lawton trouble-free. There's also several events and festivals throughout the year and so many visitors come to Lawton to experience the culture, outdoors and the easy, small-town feel of a mid-sized city. The Fort Sill Army post remains a big presence in the area, which was there since the founding of the city in 1901. Recently, Lawton was on the Forbes' "List of the Best Small Places for Business and Careers," so its no wonder Lawton moving companies are hard pressed to keep up with the demand for their services.
Economy:
Lawton has the fourth largest economy in the state, with a GDP of over 4 billion. Government and manufacturing are the main sources of income in the city, and consequently, retail remains strong. In the public sector, Fort Sill was and still is the largest employer in the city, with over 5,000 employees, followed by the public school district (Lawton Public Schools), the city government, Cameron University and Comanche County Memorial Hospital. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is the largest corporate employer, with almost 2,500 employees on the payroll. The median income is approximately $32,000 per year.
Tourism:
Lawton hosts several festival and events, which draws many visitors to their city.Most notable are :The Prince of Pear Easter Passion Play, which is held every Easter Week is a big draw and is considered to be the longest running Passion Plays in the US; and The International Festival, held every September since 1979 and features cultures, music and arts from countries all over the world. There are three museums in the city, but perhaps the most popular one is The Fort Sill Museum (an official National Historic Landmark) on the base, and has buildings and structures from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The over 70 parks and recreation areas feature hiking trails and camping sites, and the three lakes can be used for various activities including boating, fishing and swimming. Currently, the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport serves the city.
History:
The area where Lawton stands today was formerly reservations for the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Indians. The historic Fort Sill was originally a cavalry fort in 1869. On July 29, 1901, the land was given to settlers, using a lottery system to divide the different plots of land available. Of the 29,000 people who registered at Fort Sill, only 6,500 won a homestead of their own. On August 6th, these people chose their plots and began building their homesteads. After an election in October, several government officials were elected, including mayor, judge, treasurer and eight city councilman. During the first two World Wars, Lawton experienced a boom, mostly due to the presence of Fort Sill. It kept on expanding through the 1960s and 1970s, and finally annexing Fort Still itself in 1998.