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Welcome!
It is a privilege to welcome each of you to Lawton-Fort Sill, a community with a proud past and an incredible future! My name is John Purcell, and I’m privileged to be the Mayor of Lawton during this historic time in our Nation.
The Lawton-Fort Sill Region extends a special welcome to the men and women of the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade and the Air Defense Artillery School who are relocating to Fort Sill. Please tell us how we can make your move easier. We cannot wait to call you a neighbor!
We are privileged to be the home of Fort Sill, which
we believe is the greatest Army Post on the planet! We are proud of our
long strong relationship with the men and women of Fort Sill. Since the
late 1800’s Lawton and Fort Sill have worked side by side to become the
finest military community in the United States. We sincerely believe the
Quality of Life in the Lawton-Fort Region is second to none, and we are
preparing every day in every way to continue to improve our Quality of
Life to everyone who calls Lawton home, whether that be for a few months
or for many decades. |
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To the northwest of Lawton is the 22,000 acre Wichita
Mountains Wildlife Refuge, the oldest managed preserve in the United States.
Buffalo, elk, longhorn cattle and deer are just a few of the animals that roam
freely in the Refuge. There are miles of hiking trails and several camping and
picnic sites where people can enjoy the untouched beauty of the Refuge. A must
see in the Refuge is a drive up Mount Scott. Rising 2,464 feet above sea level,
standing on top of the mountain, you can see for miles and miles across
Southwest Oklahoma. The 360 degree views are incredible and if you’re there at
sunset, the scenery is unmatched anywhere. Lawton Public Schools has a reputation of a providing
passionate care to children of the Military. In recent years, Lawton Schools
passed a $30 million bond for new classrooms and upgrades to existing
facilities. Not only is Lawton Schools preparing for your children but the
surrounding community schools are as well. Since 2002, six of the surrounding
community schools have passed nearly $40 million in bond elections for school
improvements in preparation for incoming students. In April 2007,
Superintendents of area schools in the Lawton-Fort Sill Region signed a
memorandum of agreement that will help military children transition in and out
of schools when their parents change duty stations. For Higher Education, Lawton is proud to be the home of
Cameron University and Great Plains Technology Center. Both Schools have
excellent reputations in working with Fort Sill and the schools in and around
Lawton. Downtown Lawton is undergoing a redevelopment that will turn
12 blocks into a pedestrian friendly magical atmosphere for Families to walk
around, shop, eat, attend sporting events, concerts, and enjoy themselves. On
one end will be the existing Central Mall and the other end is the 173 acre
Elmer Thomas Park. The Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport has American Airlines
flying 6 flights a day to Dallas Fort Worth and 6 flights a day from Dallas Fort
Worth. Recently they have added Delta Airlines, flying daily to Atlanta,
Georgia. Our medical community is ramping up to prepare for you. Both
Comanche County Memorial Hospital and Southwestern Medical Center are hiring
more doctors, nurses, and specialists, and building more facilities to offer
state of the art services. Several notable personalities have called Lawton their home
including several professional players in MLB, the NBA, and the NFL. In 2007,
Lauren Nelson, from Lawton dazzled the nation as she was crowned Miss America,
replacing the reigning Miss America who is also from Oklahoma. Being a military community, Lawton is fortunate to host
residents from all over the globe. Every year we celebrate our different
cultures at the annual International Festival. Many cultural activities abound
in Lawton. Every year a touring company from New York City comes to Lawton to
perform a musical for pre-k and school age children. An annual Native American
workshop teaches people of all ages the traditions and culture of Native
Americans. The Museum of the Great Plains offers exhibits for all ages. Every
year in downtown Lawton, we host the Lawton Arts Festival. At the 1,500 seat
McMahon Auditorium, you can attend concerts, dance recitals, ballets, Broadway
shows, and comedy shows. For Recreation, there is an abundance of things to in the
Lawton-Fort Sill region. Do you enjoy fishing or water skiing, or just relaxing
by a lake? Then you will fall in love with the Lawton-Fort Sill Region. Within a
45 minute drive of Lawton-Fort Sill are 9 lakes, ranging in size from a few
1,000 acres to over 10,000 acres. With a short 10 minute drive north of Fort
Sill, you can be at Lake Ellsworth or Lake Lawtonka. Lake Lawtonka has
approximately 2,400 surface acres and has 21 miles of shoreline, while Lake
Ellsworth has 5,600 surface acres and 43 miles of shoreline. If you are a
hunter, you are in paradise. There are thousands of places in the Region to go
hunting. We love our sports in the Lawton-Fort Sill Region. Not only
are there opportunities for your kids to play football, basketball, and
baseball, Lawton is also the home of the largest soccer club in the State of
Oklahoma. Lawton is also home to the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, a professional
basketball team and 2008 winner of the Continental Basketball Championship! Outside of Lawton in the Region, your family can golf at
Walters Public Golf Course; go see the home of Quanah Parker, the great Comanche
Chief at Cache; drive by the herds of buffalo and go hiking in the Wichita
Mountain Wildlife Refuge; take a swim in Medicine Creek at Medicine Park; watch
your kids eyes open wide at the Apache Rattle Snake Festival; watch the
excitement at the Cyril Rodeo; go bike riding in the annual Tour-de-Fletcher;
relax at an outdoor concert at Elmer Thomas Park in Lawton; or drive up to Mount
Scott and watch the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen. We cannot wait until you’re here! Sincerely,
John P. Purcell |
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