Sand Springs is just west of Tulsa off Highway 97.
There is a rich history within the community. Oklahoma businessman Charles Page founded Sand Springs in 1908.
Historians say Page envisioned the town to be a home for orphaned children when he purchased 160 acres of land. Page became rich during the oil boom and wanted to give back. He also offered free land to anyone who wanted to relocate to the area.
Page sent Salvation Army worker Brinton F. Breeding and a group of orphaned children and widows to this land to begin a children's home and widow's colony. He developed a total community to provide for his children's home and widow's colony. It is still operational in some capacities for families in need in Sand Springs.
The city's history goes back even further — a group of Cherokees can be traced back to the area in 1826. This was before the land was given to the Creek through a treaty with the two tribes.
SEE MORE: Historic photos of Sand Springs
Sand Springs officially incorporated as a city in 1912, with around 400 citizens. The name came from Creek Indian phrase “Oktahv Uekiwv,” which means sand water and described a large spring on the property.
Now, Sand Springs is home to around 20,000 residents. The city's largest employer is the Sand Springs Public School district, with five elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools. The Sandites have a rivalry with Sapulpa in the Highway 97 rivalry every football season.
The Sand Springs Cultural and Historical museum gives people a closer look at the history of the city. It is located in the historic Page Memorial Library Building. The building was built to honor Charles Page in 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in America in 1999.
Sand Springs is home to part of the Keystone Lake and the Keystone Ancient Forest —a classic Oklahoma cross timbers forest with 500-year-old cedars and 300-year-old post oak trees.
The Case Community Centeris a 26,000-square-foot multi-purpose facility with a skate park, splash pads, walking trails and BMX tracks.
The Sand Springs downtown area is also revitalized and has several local businesses and restaurants.
Sand Springs is also home to baseball player Jerry Adair, basketball Hall-of-Famer Marques Haynes, astronaut William Pogue, musician Sam Harris and artist Woody Crumbo.
