Topics in Chronicling America - From Territory to Statehood: The West

Referred to as "the land of fertility and progress," Oklahoma enters into statehood November 16, 1907, becoming the country's 46th state. Two other western territories preceded Oklahoma's statehood, with Wyoming joining the Union on July 10, 1890, and Utah being admitted on January 4, 1896. Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• July 1890: Wyoming joins the Union as a state.
• January 1896: Utah admitted as a state.
• November 1907: Oklahoma voted into statehood.

Suggested Search Terms:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Indian Territory, state, admission, territory, Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

Wyoming

• "The Deed is Done," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), July 11, 1890, Image 1, Col. 5
• "Wyoming Makes Tremendous Forward Stride," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), December 31, 1905, Last Edition, Section Two, Image 27, Full page
• "Prosperity, Expansion and Promise in Wyoming," Deseret Evening News (Great Salt Lake City, UT), December 15, 1906, Part Four, Image 64, Full page
• "Wyoming--Banner Sheep State of Union," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), December 29, 1907, Mining Section, Page 9, Image 45, Cols. 1-7

Utah

• "Is Ready for Statehood," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), December 24, 1892, Columbian, Page 21, Image 21, Cols. 1-6
• "Statehood Symposium," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), December 25, 1893, Page 3, Image 3, Cols. 1-4
• "The Dawn of Statehood," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), January 1, 1896, Image 9, Full page
• "Statehood for Utah; Admitted to the Union by Proclamation of President," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), January 5, 1896, Page 2, Image 2, Cols. 2-3
• "Utah's Star is Now Shining: "The Queen of the West" at Last Takes Her Place Among the Sisterhood of States," The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), January 5, 1896, Image 1, Full page

Oklahoma

• "Oklahoma. The "Beautiful Land," Rich and Prosperous, is Not Yet Ready for Statehood," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), February 24, 1901, Page 6, Image 30, Full page
• "The Glad Hand to Entering Oklahoma; The New Star in Our Flag--Then and Now Show Miraculous Changes--Land of Fertility and Progress," Hopkinsville Kentuckian (Hopkinsville, KY), July 7, 1906, Page 3, Image 3, Cols. 4-5
• "The Passing of Indian Territory; Oklahoma, the Newest Star in the Galaxy of States has Absorbed It," Deseret Evening News (Great Salt Lake City, UT), January 19, 1907, Last Edition, Part Two, Image 24, Cols. 1-7
• "Next Week Oklahoma Becomes the Forty-Sixth State in the Union," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), November 10, 1907, Image 17, Full page
• "Admission of Oklahoma; The Forty-Sixth State Formally Entered the American Union Saturd," The Ocala Evening Star (Ocala, FL), November 18, 1907, Image 1, Col. 1