Money Magazine ranked the home of the University of Oklahoma Sooners as the No. 6 best small city in America in its annual list released July 14, 2008. The magazine ranks the top 100 places to live in the United States each year. Norman, with a population of 102,000, was the only Big 12 Conference city in the top 50. No location in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa or Nebraska rated higher. Fort Collins, Colo., was listed at No. 2 with Plymouth, Minn., taking the top honor. The following is an excerpt from Money Magazine: "Sit down for lunch at Café Plaid in Norman and you'll see a little of everything: mothers with babies, students with laptops, and out-of-towners visiting the University of Oklahoma across the street. People flock to Norman from around the world to study and teach - and then to stay and raise a family. "The university not only helps draw educated
workers here but also serves as a major source of entertainment.
View the complete article and a listing of all 100
cities at: In 1870, the United States Land Office contracted with a professional engineer to survey much of Oklahoma Territory. A young surveyor, named Abner E. Norman, became chairman and leader of the central survey area in Indian Territory. The surveyor's crew burned the words "Norman's Camp" into an elm tree near a watering hole to taunt their younger supervisor. When the Sooners and other settlers arrived in the heart of Oklahoma, they kept the name "Norman." Today, with an estimated 102,195 residents, Norman is the third largest city in the state of Oklahoma. Norman was primarily developed around the Santa Fe Railroad. Home to a passenger depot as well as a freight station, Norman became the headquarters for the railway. As business grew, it was necessary to expand the depot three times in the first few years of its existence. The railroad laid the foundation for Norman to flourish into a prominent city. While other Oklahoma towns were battling to be the capitol, Norman's Mayor, T.R. Waggoner, directed a bill through the Territorial Legislature to become home of the state's first institution of higher learning. In 1890, Norman was chosen as the location for the University of Oklahoma, contingent upon the county passing bonds to construct a building. Town and country residents were also required to donate 40 acres of land for a campus site. The residents of Norman were successful in all their plans to be OU's home and by 1895, the university enrolled 100 students. Today, the University of Oklahoma is the flagship institution for higher learning in the state. OU and the City of Norman are still making history. Norman was recently recognized as one of the most progressive cities in the state and the Norman Public School system was acknowledged as the top school system in Oklahoma. To this day, the symbiotic relationship between the city and OU remains one of the university's strongest assets.  Official Site: City of Norman | Visiting Norman, Okla.  
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