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Community History
The Keystone community was established in 1900. It was considered an “Old West town,” primarily meeting the needs of cowboys, Creek Indians, oilfield roughnecks, and river gamblers. Keystone Lake encompasses former town sites of Mannford, Prue, Appalachia, and part of Osage as well as the former community of Keystone. A marker commemorating the community of Keystone can be found within Keystone State Park.
Keystone Dam HIstory
Twenty-three miles upstream from Tulsa, settled on the Arkansas and Cimarron Rivers, Keystone Dam rises to the border on the east side of Keystone Lake. Authorized in the Flood Control Act of 1950, the dam was constructed for flood control, hydroelectric power generation, wildlife management, and recreation. Construction began in December 1956, causing many towns such as Mannford and Prue to relocate due to the towns losing land into what is now known as Keystone Lake. The dam was completed for flood control operation in September 1964. According to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, a commercial operation of the Keystone power plant began in spring 1968. Soon after, a re-regulating dam about seven miles downstream from Keystone Dam was completed.
Sand Springs History
East of Keystone Lake is the town of Sand Springs. This area was originally settled in the early 1800s by Cherokee people. Later on, the Cherokee people passed it to the Creek tribe. Like many parts of Oklahoma, when Native Americans were relocated there was little left of their original settlement. However, the small Tullahassee Creek Indian Cemetery remains in Sand Springs at the Keystone Plaza parking lot.
Keystone Ancient Forest
Another striking landmark is that of the Keystone Ancient Forest. It has been listed by The Nature Conservancy as one of the last great places on earth. The forest has beautiful, 500-year-old cedar trees and 300-year-old post oak trees for visitors to admire. Situated near Keystone Lake, the forest offers travelers hiking and biking trails. The forest is owned by the city of Sand Springs and protected by The Nature Conservancy. To read more about Keystone Ancient Forest, visit our trails section of the website. While Keystone Lake has many great opportunities for recreation, visitors should not neglect exploring and learning about the surrounding communities and the history of the area.
