"I'm not sure how it's spelled but it sounds like..."

Correct spelling of Oklahoma place names can be a challenge, especially for the non-native.  

If you've heard a name, but never seen it on a map you may have to guess at the spelling.  With luck, you're first guess is right and the search engine finds it -- but you may have to try several variations.  

Vowels are most troublesome.  An "e" may sound like an "i" or "u", depending on the accent of the speaker.  An "a" may be mistaken for an "o" or vice-versa. 

Voiced/unvoiced consonant pairs are often misunderstood.  Is it a "t" or a "d"?  A "p" or a "b"? An "f" or a "v"?  If you don't find the name using one, try the alternative. 

The "s", soft "c" and "sc" sounds are also tricky.    If a name with an "sc" in the middle doesn't produce a hit, try the "s" and "c" separately. 

Hand-written names pose two separate problems:  reading the unfamiliar script and the writer's spelling skills.  If you still haven't found the right version after trying all variants of handwriting interpretation, sound it out and experiment with spellings that would sound similar.

If the search engine doesn't find the place you are looking for and you can't find an alternative spelling on our cross-reference lists, write to me.