[5] John Ringling and a partner, Jake Hamon, financed construction of the Oklahoma, New Mexico and Pacific Railway in 1913, to provide transportation to farmers and ranchers between Ardmore and Lawton.

Seeing an opportunity to make big money in the oil business, Ringling and Hamon decided to divert the railroad toward Healdton, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of the town site.

Ringling is located in eastern Jefferson County and is bordered to the south by the town of Cornish.

U.S. Route 70 passes through the southern part of Ringling, leading 23 miles (37 km) west to Waurika, the Jefferson county seat, and 25 miles (40 km) east to Ardmore.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.66 square miles (1.7 km2), consisting purely of land.