Vinson, Oklahoma has a colorful history; one of great triumph and trial. Vinson was one of the first settlements in southwest Oklahoma, in what once was considered Greer County, Texas. In 1904, the town was thriving until lightening struck and most of the buildings burned. The town was rebuilt along Highway 9, which was called “The Trail.” It was a farming community, relying mostly on cotton crops. By 1925, it was a bustling community of 400 to 500 people, recalls JB Chambers, a local farmer who grew up in Vinson. There were banks, a hotel, groceries, a drug store, car dealer, gas stations, a wagon yard, boarding houses, cafes, an ice plant, a phone office, the gin, doctors, a dentist, barbers, tailors and feed stores. There was also an American Legion, Masonic Lodge, and Eastern Star. In 1907-1908, Vinson School was built due to the consolidation of Cave Creek, Independence, and Union Grove schools. Later, Madge, Opal, Carl, Sulphur, Union Hill, Hurst, Hackberry and Elm Valley schools consolidated with Vinson. They got their first Model T school buses in 1917. The Vinson School stayed open until 1964. The people of Vinson had great faith and several local churches to encourage them during their hardships of pioneering. Two main cemeteries are located in the Vinson area: Cave Creek Cemetery and Independence Cemetery. Many Vinson Community members served in the military and are honored here for their service and sacrifices. As a way of remembering Vinson, Vinson Day is celebrated by locals and their families on the Saturday before Easter every year. Thanks to the efforts of JB Chambers and other locals, the history of Vinson, Oklahoma is preserved in gray granite for passerby’s on Highway 9 to see.