In 1870, the United States Land Office contracted with a professional engineer to survey much of Oklahoma territory. Abner E. Norman, a young surveyor, became chairman of the central survey area in Indian Territory. The surveyor’s crew burned the words “NORMANS CAMP” into an elm tree near a watering hole to taunt their younger supervisor. When the SOONERS (those who headed west before the official Land Run date, April 22, 1889) and the other settlers arrived in the heart of Oklahoma, they kept the name “NORMAN”.   This camp was located just south of what is now the intersection of Lindsey St. and Classen Blvd.