Beland is a ghost town in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. Not much remains there, besides a few buildings.

Beland, Oklahoma
Beland is located in Oklahoma
Beland
Beland
Beland is located in the United States
Beland
Beland
Coordinates: 35°41′30.37″N 95°32′8.92″W / 35.6917694°N 95.5358111°W / 35.6917694; -95.5358111
CountryUnited States
StateOklahoma
CountyMuskogee
Established1903
Elevation
580 ft (177 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code918 & 539

History

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In 1903, Beland (formerly Chase) was founded 8 miles southwest of Muskogee, Oklahoma as a black settlement.[1] In 1906, a wealthy African-American attorney and business man by the name of Cornelius Jones bought the entirety of Chase for $4,000 (now worth about $135,000 in today's money). Jones sponsored selling town lots in black-owned newspapers in the south. The town's name was changed to Beland in 1908, and was successful for a bit. Beland lost its post office in 1926.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "African Towns and Settlements of Indian and Oklahoma Territories".
  2. ^ "Three Rivers History: Black towns were places of opportunity". June 23, 2012.