Noble County, Oklahoma: History
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the area now occupied by Noble County was used as a hunting ground by the Osage Indians. In 1835, a treaty with the Cherokees made it part of the so-called Cherokee Outlet. During the time of Cherokee ownership, non-native cattlemen who belonged to the Cherokee Strip Live Stock Association leased grazing land from the tribe. Later, reservations were created in the northeastern part of the county for the Otoe and Ponca tribes. These reservations existed until 1904, when the lands were allotted and added to Noble County.
The Cherokee Outlet became part of Oklahoma Territory at the time of the Oklahoma Organic Act and was divided into counties. After the 1893 opening of the Cherokee Outlet for settlement by non-Indians, the land was divided into counties. One county, originally designated as County P, was renamed in honor of John W. Noble, U.S. interior secretary in 1893. The town of Perry was laid out in August 1893 as the county seat and land-office town
Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was arrested in Noble County on April 19, 1995, heading north-bound on Interstate 35. McVeigh was stopped for not having a license tag on his car. He was minutes from being released when the Noble County Sheriff's Department was notified to hold McVeigh. McVeigh was tried and convicted for the bombing attack that killed 168 persons and injured many more. He was executed in 2001. McVeigh's arresting officer, Charlie Hanger, was elected Noble County Sheriff in 2004.
In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Noble County.