Facts About Norman, Oklahoma
Norman was settled during the Land Run of 1889, which opened the former Unassigned Lands of Indian Territory to American pioneer settlement.
The city was named in honour of Abner Norman, the area’s initial land surveyor, and was formally incorporated on May 13, 1891.
The City of Norman was formally incorporated on May 13, 1891.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported Norman’s geographical coordinates as 35.240577°N 97.345306°W (35°14’26″N 97°20’43″W).
Legend has it that Norman will never be struck by a tornado because it sits on an Indian burial ground. This legend has been proven false several times, most recently when a weak tornado struck the northwest part of the city on May 6, 2015.
The city of Norman has a total area of 189.42 square miles, of which 178.77 square miles is land and 10.65 square miles is water.
Norman Music Festival is an annual weekend music festival held in April in downtown Norman.
Norman lies within Tornado Alley, a geographic region where tornadic activity is particularly frequent and intense.
Several places in Norman are said to be haunted by spirits, including the University of Oklahoma and the Sooner Theatre.
Norman and the surrounding areas are mostly flat with an elevation of 1,171 feet. The lowest point within city limits is approximately 970 feet above sea level. The highest point is approximately 1,245 feet above sea level.
Norman is twinned with the following sister cities Seika, Japan, Colima, Col., Mexico, Clermont-Ferrand, France & Arezzo, Italy.
In 1941, the University of Oklahoma and Norman city officials established Max Westheimer Field, a university airstrip, and then leased it to the U.S. Navy as a Naval Flight Training Center in 1942.
In 2008, CNN’s Money Magazine ranked Norman as the sixth best small city in the United States to live in, the highest ranking of any city in Oklahoma.
The estimated population of Norman is 124,086, as of 2020.
In 1976, the Boyd house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. David and Molly Boren have called it home since November 1996.
Norman has prominent higher education and related research industries, as it is home to the University of Oklahoma, the largest university in the state, with nearly 32,000 students.
The city’s development was assured when the University of Oklahoma was established there in 1890 on land donated by its citizens.
Held annually since 1977, The Medieval Fair has been bringing lords, ladies and serfs to Norman in April.
In 2010, Norman became the 17th city in the United States to adopt a council resolution giving it status as a Fair Trade Town.
According to Norman’s 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are the University of Oklahoma, Norman Regional Hospital, Norman Public Schools, York International/Johnson Controls, Walmart, City of Norman, Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse, Hitachi, NOAA & Target.