Find Out the Most Interesting Fact About Your State

Before it officially became part of the state, Oklahoma’s panhandle was a no-man’s land. For several years in the 1800s, it wasn’t claimed by any state or territory. Locals jokingly called it the “Cimarron Territory,” with its own laws and leaders, even though the U.S. government never recognized it.

This odd slice of land became a haven for squatters, drifters, and outlaws. When Oklahoma was finally admitted as a state in 1907, the panhandle was folded in. The strange episode left Oklahoma with one of the most unusual origin stories in the nation.