General History (for detailed chronology, see Historical Timeline below)
McGee Tract 1878
Bucolic? Undeveloped?
Here are two views.
About a score of dwellings were scattered here and there. But by far the larger part had the appearance of open common. The streets, (then only country roads,) were few; but numerous footpaths ran in all directions and led straight across fields to everyone's door. The hills, eastward, held out their irresistible invitation to the stroller, but wore the grace of a more perfect solitude than now. One might wander there all day and be utterly alone except for the browsing kine, the bleating sheep, and the inquisitive ground squirrel.
Or:
The dusty, muddy roads, the large number of cows, horses, goats, and chickens wandering around, and the lack of local authority to license and control saloons...