Willis, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Willis, Oklahoma
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 Willis, Oklahoma
Location in Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Marshall |
| Elevation | 689 ft (210 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 580 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1099845 |
Willis is a small, unincorporated community located in Marshall County, Oklahoma, in the United States. It's found in the very southern part of the county, close to the big Lake Texoma. If you're driving, U.S. Route 377 passes by Willis to the west.
Contents
The Story of Willis
Willis has a cool history that goes back a long time.
Early Days and Founding
The community of Willis was started in 1843. A family named James Hamilton Willis and his wife, Amanda, who were Chickasaw, moved to a place called Indian Territory. This was a special area set aside for Native American tribes.
They built their home and a store east of where the Willis Bridge would later be. Soon, other people moved nearby, and the area became known as Willis.
A Post Office and Farming Life
James and Amanda's son, Raleigh "Brit" Willis, helped convince the government to open a post office in Willis. This happened on March 15, 1856. The post office was very important for people to send and receive mail. It stayed open for many years, until February 8, 1974.
Willis became a very successful farming community. Farmers grew important crops like corn, cotton, sugar cane, peanuts, and peas. They also raised animals such as cattle, hogs, chickens, and turkeys.
The community grew to have a grist mill (for grinding grain), a cotton gin (for separating cotton fibers), and a blacksmith shop (for making and repairing metal tools). A ferry boat was set up to cross the Red River. This ferry helped people from Willis trade their goods in towns like Denison and Sherman, Texas in Texas.
The Impact of Lake Texoma
A big change came to Willis when the government decided to build Lake Texoma. This meant that the original site of Willis would be covered by water. More than 97,000 acres of farmland in the Willis Valley were going to be flooded.
Between 1941 and 1945, many homes and barns belonging to over 40 families had to be moved or torn down. By 1945, only one store was left, which also held the local post office. This last store and post office moved about half a mile north. The post office kept working for a little while longer, but it finally closed in May 1946.
Today, Willis remains an unincorporated community, meaning it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
