Lima, Oklahoma

Nestled in a nearly hidden, green, and lush valley resides Lima, Oklahoma. This Seminole County town site was founded perhaps 1904 as a all Black community. Its name is thought to have come from the lime quarries of the region. The area thrived with a school, businesses, and several churches.  Although labeled a ghost town, there are occupants and a nearby new community of New Lima provides a large public school system.

 

The remains of the once large (300+ students and as many as 12 faculty members) school offering a variety of curricular offerings, including Latin to students.  In 1921 the Rosenwald Fund helped the community build Rosenwald Hall, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NR 84003427) in 1984.

A large sign tells a little of the fascinating story of Lima, one of the "All Black Towns of Oklahoma". Much of the information is included on this webpage.

The empty pad was site of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church.The Mount Zion Methodist Church was constructed in 1915 and was still standing in the early twenty-first century.