Retired in Florida, I was interested to find this Web site.  I am the great grandson of Albert Augustus Barnes who is described in this site as having bought 80 acres there in 1901.  The house into which I was born in 1933 was at 2231 NW 18th Street, and my grandparents, George and Lucille Barnes also owned a home on 18th, a two-story building on a NE corner, with a separate garage entered on the side street.  Before participating in the Oklahoma Run in 1889, Albert Barnes lived in (drum roll!) Las Vegas, New Mexico.  He originally staked out land in downtown OKC, a plot that was, according to family lore, later the location of Roberts Drug.  Albert's son, George Guyer Barnes, was born in Las Vegas and apparently came to Oklahoma at the time of the Run as a child.  He later attended Northwestern University, becoming a lawyer, and practiced in Oklahoma City during the 1920s and 30s. I do not know anything about how the land was given up for development.  I only know that we wished that our ancester had, like the Shepherds, who owned the farm on the other side of 23rd Street, held on to it awhile longer. 

Thank you for posting your story about your great-grandfather!  I live on 19th street, one block from the street that carries his name.  I'm pleased to learn more about my neighborhood.

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.