vintageoklahomaphotos

Yale is located in Payne county. It was founded in 1895 on land that was once part of the Pawnee reservation. Sterling F. Underwood established the original townsite about one and one half miles East of the present town. A post office was set up in Underwoods general store on October 4th 1895. One legend holds that the town was named for a lock on the stores' door while another claims that the name was chosen by a sales person from Yale, Iowa.  As the Eastern Railway made plans to cross Payne county in 1900 a group headed by George W. Canfield set up another townsite on land they thought would be on the railroad route. In 1902 the railroad began service there. The townsite grew quickly and lots were sold at auction on August 1st and 2nd 1902. Underwood moved his store and post office to the new location which became the permanent site of Yale.