Canadian County Government

The county was organized in 1890 and consists of 897 square miles (2018). It provides a growing and diversified mix of business and industry, including agribusiness, manufacturing, oil & gas and retail trade. Plus it offers the added benefit of close proximity to the growing Oklahoma City market. Canadian County offers extensive economic development opportunities, including top-ranked schools, a productive and competitive labor force, excellent business climate and the nation's top career-technology network, Canadian Valley. Cost of living is just 80% of the national average. Major cities include El Reno (County Seat), Mustang, and Yukon. Canadian County's history is reflective of the entire state. It has been home to various Indian Tribes, the cattle industry, frontier military experience, land runs and land lotteries, various ethnic settlements, right agriculture and oil & gas production. The county was once part of the Cheyenne and Arapaho reservation. It was opened by the Run of '89 and the Run of '92, and by lottery in 1901. The historic Chisholm Trail passes through the county on the North/South basis. The trail, stretching from Texas to Kansas City is famous for the 10 million cattle, 1 million horses and 35 thousand cowboys that passed through in the 1800's. The name Canadian county comes from early French explorers who named the county for the two rivers which pass through the area, the North Canadian and Canadian.