McClain county, formed in 1907 from Chickasaw lands and named in honor of C.M. McClain, is located in central Oklahoma with Purcell serving as the county seat.
The L-shaped county's entire northern line is formed by the Canadian River and separates the county from Cleveland County and Pottawatomie County. The county population on July 1, 1999, was 26,706, an increase of 3,911 over the 1990 census.
Historic sites within the county include Hotel Love and the McClain County Courthouse, both located in Purcell.
Purcell is often referred to as "the Heart of Oklahoma" due to its central location as well as being one of the early commercial centers in the area. Its status was secured when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad made its way through here.