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Moore was founded during the land-run of 1889. The early settlers came on train, horseback, wagons, and some, on foot. According to local historians, the town's original name was "Verbeck" as designated by the railroad company. However, a railroad employee named Al Moore, reported to be either a conductor or a brakeman, lived in a boxcar at the camp and had difficulty receiving his mail. He painted his name - "Moore" - on a board and nailed it on the boxcar. When a postmaster was appointed, he continued to call the settlement Moore. When the town incorporated in 1893 the name was legalized. The original town site comprised a small area bounded by the present NE 3rd Street on the north and SE 4th Street on the south; the eastern limit was situated about one and a half blocks east of the railroad and the western edge about two and a half blocks west of the railroad.

The little town slumbered comfortably for seventy years -- then it exploded in a frenzy of expansion and development that attracted attention nationwide. In 1961 approximately 21.6 square miles of additional territory was annexed and Moore became a city in 1962. The decade of the 60's saw Moore's population soar. The 1970 census showed an increase of more than 950% for a total of 18,761. The 1980 Census recorded 35,063 residents - an 86% growth rate. Moore continued to grow during the 80's, with the 1990 Census indicating a 15% increase to 40,318. The 2000 census listed Moore's population as 41,138.

On May 3, 1999, Moore experienced the most violent tornado ever recorded. As a result, over 1,000 dwelling units were destroyed and some 3,000 to 4,000 residents were either temporarily or permanently displaced. Several hundred homes have been rebuilt, and Moore is well on the way to recovery from that devastating storm. An important factor in the city's growth has been its location. The close proximity and easy access to the state's Capitol city on the north and the University of Oklahoma to the south make Moore an attractive, convenient place to live. Moore is an Oklahoma "Certified City" and strives to maintain a high quality of life for its citizenry.