A suburb of Tulsa, Bixby Oklahoma is referred to as The Garden Spot. The city is situated in two counties and has been placed on CNN Money’s list of 100 Best Places to Live. In 2000, the population was just over 13,300 and by 2010 it had increased over 55% to over 20,000 residents. A testament to support this placement on CNN Money’s list as more people are enjoying this agrarian heritage.

In the late 1800’s, it was Alexander Posey and his family, members of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, that would settle in this area, calling it “Posey on Posey Creek.” There was a blacksmith shop, general store and two saloons to start with and in 1895 it gained a post office, making a government town site. The name of Bixby was established in 1902 with the approval of the town site plat after Tams Bixby, the Dawes Commission chairman.

Between 1905 and 1906, the discovery of natural gas impacted Bixby, and in1913 the discovery of oil fields enriched it even more. But with all that taking place, the backbone that started Bixby would remain: farming. The early days of farming would include alfalfa, cotton, and wheat down in the river bottom and truck farming would begin in the 1930s which would slowly replace those crops with vegetables.

In 1941, Bixby’s ability to ship produce via railroad would make the city an important regional center which earned it the name of “The Garden Spot of Oklahoma.” Today that name is found on public vehicles and the town seal.