vintageoklahomaphotos

Pawnee is the county seat of Pawnee county. It was named for the Pawnee tribe who were relocated from Nebraska to Indian Territory between 1873 and 1875. They were settled on a reservation near the present townsite. Subsequently the Pawnee Agency and the Pawnee Boarding School were established. The Pawnee Agency recieved a post office designation on May 4th 1876. After the Pawnee took allotments, the area was opened to non-indian settlers September 16th 1893, during the Cherokee Outlet opening. Prior to the opening, townsite number 13 (later Pawnee) had been designated as the temporary county seat. The post office was redesignated from Pawnee Agency to Pawnee on October 26th 1893. The town incorporated on April 16th 1894.