Downtown Pocket Park
The park honors two men who made significant contributions to the community, Mr. Oris. L. Barney and Mr. Charles Leslie Pain.
Oris L. Barney was the third child born to the homesteading family of George Louis Barney near Carnegie. He resided there until he left for college at Oklahoma A&M. After college, he served briefly as Assistant Post Master in Carnegie until he left to study law in Cumberland, Tennessee. Following graduation from law school, he began practicing in Anadarko in 1930. He built a successful practice, and formed the firm of Barney and Pain, with Charles Pain. He served the citizens of Anadarko and Caddo County as a County Judge and Lawyer. He served as City Attorney for Anadarko and other towns in the county. He served on the Board of Directors and as the Attorney for First State Bank.
Mr. Barney served our great nation in the US Army during WWII as a Corporal. He was a state officer of the Oklahoma Red Cross, a member of the Anadarko Polo team and a state officer in the Kiwanis Club. He was active in the First Christian Church where he often filled the pulpit.
In addition to his busy law practice, he had the distinction of helping organize Caddo Electric Cooperative (CK Energy), and was it's first attorney, serving until his death in 1967. Mr. Barney and his wife Margaret, were always involved in family activities with their two daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Barney sponsored and organized social and cultural events for Anadarko.
Mr. Barney's goal was to make Anadarko and Caddo County a better and more beautiful place.
Charles Leslie Pain (1912 - 2005) was born in Texas and moved to Carnegie where hi father operated a cafe. Both of his parents died before he was sixteen. He completed high school and enrolled at the University of Oklahoma at the age of sixteen. He graduated from Law school in 1935. He was Phi Beta Kappa, Order of the Coif and First in his law class.
Mr. Pain was a lawyer and civic leader in the City of Anadarko for much of his professional life. He was a law partner with Oris Barney in their firm, Barney and Pain. He was a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association for 70 years. He served as an attorney for Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, Caddo Electric Cooperative (CK Energy), the City of Anadarko, First State Bank (Director and Attorney, as well as the citizens of Caddo County.
Mr. Pain served in the US Army during WWII and retired as a Colonel. He served on the staff of General Douglas MacArthur during the invasion of the Philippines. He also served as the administrative assistant to Congressman Toby Morris. Mr. Pain was active in the First Baptist Church, Oklahoma Baptist Foundation, Southwest Theological Seminary, Lions Club, the Boy Scouts of America, and other civic organizations.
Mr. Pain and his wife Roberta had three sons. Mr. and Mrs. Pain supported and managed many projects for the betterment of Anadarko. He was committed to serving others. In the words of Ben T. Williams, Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, "Mr. Pain was the Soul of Honor".
