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Ponca City designated as a World War II Heritage City by National Park Service • Oklahoma Voice

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Ponca City designated as a World War II Heritage City by National Park Service • Oklahoma Voice

PONCA CITY – Ponca City and Kay County are among the newest designations in the World War II Heritage City program that honors local contributions made to the war effort. 

The National Park Service added new jurisdictions in eight states on Tuesday.

The designation recognizes the contributions of local towns, cities, counties and their citizens who entered the workforce and supported America’s war effort. Recipients are chosen by the secretary of the interior. Only one American World War II Heritage City can be designated in each state or territory. 

“World War II not only impacted those who went to war, but also those who carried on the life and work of the home front,” said Chuck Sams, director of the National Parks Service, in a statement. 

The Veteran’s Day Parade Committee in Ponca City submitted the city for consideration. Gary Miles, chair of the committee, said he saw the program on the National Park Service’s website and realized Oklahoma had not been included yet.

A $10,000 memorial to graduates of the Ponca City High School who lost their lives in World War II is pictured in this June 30, 1949, picture. (Photo courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society)

“Ponca City is very unique, and we had a lot of stuff that went on here,” Miles said. “It was a very diversified community effort. Not only did we send a lot of young men and women over there, but … it was an actual group effort. “I think that’s the unique thing about this area that got us the award over others with one particular industry, or one particular contribution.”

Ponca City and Kay County were home to various major pieces of the domestic war effort. 

Kay County housed the Camp Tonkawa prisoner of war camp and a British flight training school. Graduates of the nearby Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in the country went on to become code talkers in the war effort. Continental Oil Company, headquartered in Ponca City, was the largest manufacturer of high-octane aviation gasoline for the U.S. government in the country. 

Miles said he wants to see tourism promoted in Ponca City and Kay County to bring attention to the area’s many memorials for World War II veterans to continue preserving the area’s history. 

The program was established in 2019 to recognize the importance of domestic involvement in the U.S. during World War II and to preserve American history. 

Tuesday’s additions join 30 other localities already recognized by the program. In addition to Ponca City and Kay County, the other new designations are: 

  • Calhoun and Ouachita Counties, Arkansas;
  • Plymouth Township, Michigan;
  • Valley City, North Dakota;
  • Municipality of Tinian & Aguiguan, Northern Mariana Islands;
  • North Kingstown, Rhode Island;
  • Sumter City and County, South Carolina; and
  • Ogden, Utah. 

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