Bathsheba, Oklahoma facts for kids

Bathsheba (also called Bethsheba) was a special kind of ghost town in Oklahoma, United States. A ghost town is a place where everyone has left. No one knows exactly where Bathsheba was, but it was somewhere between Enid, Oklahoma and Perry, Oklahoma. This town was unique because it was planned as a perfect place just for women. No men were allowed, not even male animals! The story of Bathsheba is even in a book called A Gentle Breed: The Story of Bathsheba, A Town Without Men.

Who Lived in Bathsheba?

When Bathsheba started, there were 33 women living there. But after only one week, 12 of them decided to leave. The town had its own government. There was a mayor, a police chief, and a city council. The police chief's main job was to protect the town. She made sure no men came into the community. Bathsheba only existed for about 12 weeks before everyone moved away.

The Mystery of Bathsheba's History

In 1961, an Oklahoma historian named Robert Cunningham shared a story. It was about a reporter from Kansas who visited the area. This reporter tried to explore the settlement from a distance. But the female police chief shot at him! A group of other women from the town had gathered. After the shot, they quickly ran back to their tents.

The reporter later went back to the area. His editor asked him to check on the town again. But when he returned, the town was gone. There was only empty prairie where it used to be.

Was Bathsheba a Real Place?

Many experts are not sure if Bathsheba truly existed. Dr. John W. Morris wrote a book called Ghost Towns of Oklahoma. He tried to find the town but "was unable to specifically locate" it. This means he couldn't find any clear proof of where it was.

The Daisy Colonists: A Similar Story

There is another story that sounds a lot like Bathsheba. A woman named Annette Daisy was a "boomer." This was a person who took part in the land runs in Oklahoma. She gathered 34 women to start a new home. They wanted a place where "no man shall pass."

The Daisy Colonists settled on about 480 acres (1.9 km2) of land. This was a few miles west of Ponca. By December 1893, their settlement had two houses and four shelters. This story is very similar to Bathsheba. However, the names Bathsheba and Annette Daisy do not appear in the official records for Garfield County.