Finchtown, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Finchtown
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Location in Oklahoma northwest of Platter
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Bryan |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Finchtown was a small town in Bryan County, Oklahoma. Today, it is known as a ghost town because it no longer exists above ground. Finchtown was completely covered by water when Lake Texoma was created in the 1940s.
A Town Under the Waves
Finchtown was located in the southeastern part of Oklahoma. It was a regular town until the 1940s. At that time, a big project began to build Lake Texoma. This new lake was made by building a dam across the Red River.
Why Lake Texoma Was Built
Lake Texoma was built for several important reasons. It helped control floods, provided water for nearby areas, and generated electricity. It also created a huge area for recreation, like boating and fishing. However, building the lake meant that some towns and communities, including Finchtown, had to be moved or would be submerged.
Life in Finchtown
Before it disappeared, Finchtown was a part of daily life for people in the area. Records from the Woodland Beacon newspaper on July 15, 1905, mention that there was a ferry built there. Ferries are boats that carry people and vehicles across a body of water. This suggests that Finchtown was an active place with connections to other communities by water.
Today, Finchtown rests silently beneath the waters of Lake Texoma, a hidden piece of Oklahoma's history.
