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Washita County, Oklahoma: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 35°17′N 98°59′W / 35.29°N 98.99°W / 35.29; -98.99
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Revision as of 05:04, 26 January 2018

Washita County
County
The Washita County Courthouse in 2015.
The Washita County Courthouse in 2015.
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Washita County
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Map of the United States highlighting Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°17′N 98°59′W / 35.29°N 98.99°W / 35.29; -98.99
Country United States
State Oklahoma
Founded1891
SeatNew Cordell
Largest cityNew Cordell
Area
 • Total
1,009 sq mi (2,610 km2)
 • Land1,003 sq mi (2,600 km2)
 • Water5.6 sq mi (15 km2)  0.6%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2013)
11,678
 • Density12/sq mi (5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd

Washita County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,629.[1] Its county seat is New Cordell.[2] The county seat was formerly located in Cloud Chief.[3] The county was created in 1891.[4]

History

In 1883, John Miles leased 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km2) of Cheyenne and Arapaho land to seven cattlemen. However, arguments soon developed between the cattlemen and the tribesmen. In 1885, the Federal government terminated all of the leases and ordered the cattlemen to remove their stock.[3]

The area was settled in 1886, when John Seger established a colony along Cobb Creek. Seger convinced 120 Cheyenne and Arapaho to settle near the old ranch headquarters at Cobb Creek. The intent was that "Seger's Colony" would teach these tribes how to farm, using modern agricultural methods.[3] The name, Seger's Colony, would be shortened and become the present day town of Colony, Oklahoma.[5]

After the government declared the excess lands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian Reservation available for non-Indian settlement, the Cheyenne-Arapaho Opening was made available to homesteading on April 19, 1892, in the Land Run of 1892.[3] At that time, the town of Tacola, soon renamed as Cloud Chief, was designated by the Secretary of the Interior as the county seat.[3]

Washita County is located in that part of western Oklahoma which was included in County H of the Territory of Oklahoma, an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from 2 May 1890, until 16 November 1907, when it was joined with the Indian territory and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.[3] The county itself was renamed for the Washita River. The French had called the river "Faux Ouachita," literally meaning "false Washita," to distinguish it from the ‘true’ Ouachita in Arkansas and Louisiana. The spelling of the name of the Oklahoma Washita was changed by substituting "w" for "ou."[6]

An election in 1900 designated the town of Cordell as the county seat. It was favored by the majority because it was located in the center of the county. The election result was contested in court. The Oklahoma Territorial Supreme Court ruled in 1904 that the seat could not be moved without Federal authorization. The U. S. Congress moved the seat to Cordell in 1906. When the Oklahoma Constitution went into effect at statehood in 1907, it confirmed Cordell (by then relocated and renamed New Cordell) as the county seat.[3]

In 1948, the nation's first flood control dam under the authorization of the Flood Control Act of 1944 was completed in the Cloud Creek Watershed in Washita County.[7]

The lyrics for 1968 hit song Wichita Lineman were inspired by Jimmy Webb's driving through Washita County westward on a straight road into the setting sun past a seemingly endless line of telephone poles, each looking exactly the same as the last. In the distance he noticed the silhouette of a solitary lineman atop a pole, which he described as "the picture of loneliness."[8]

Geography

Road map of Washita County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,009 square miles (2,610 km2), of which 1,006 square miles (2,610 km2) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km2) (0.6%) is water.[9] The county lies in the Western Redbeds Plains sub-region of the Osage Plains. The Washita River drains most of the county, except that the southwest corner drains into the North Fork of the Red River[3]

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
191025,034—
192022,237−11.2%
193029,43532.4%
194022,279−24.3%
195017,657−20.7%
196018,1212.6%
197012,141−33.0%
198013,79813.6%
199011,441−17.1%
200011,5080.6%
201011,6291.1%
2016 (est.)11,447[10]−1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2013[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,629 people, 4,599 households, and 3,186 families residing in the county. The population density was 11.5 people per square mile (4.4/km²). There were 5,479 housing units at an average density of 5.4 per square mile (2.1/km²).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 95.8% white, 0.7% black or African American, 3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, less than 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Eight percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Ninety-six percent spoke only English and 3.3% spoke Spanish.

There were 4,599 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5% had a male household with no wife present, and 30.7% were non-families. Individuals living alone accounted for 27.1% of households, and individuals 65 years of age or older living alone accounted for 13% of households. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,331, and the median income for a family was $56,619. Males had a median income of $42,149 versus $31,402 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,781. About 12% of families and 16% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

#3333FF #E81B23 #DDDDBB
Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of January 15, 2018[16]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Democratic 2,704 42.71%
Republican 2,846 44.95%
Others 781 12.34%
Total 6,331 100%
Presidential Elections Results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 83.2% 3,854 12.7% 588 4.1% 189
2012 81.0% 3,494 19.1% 822
2008 78.0% 3,724 22.0% 1,052
2004 73.4% 3,705 26.6% 1,340
2000 63.8% 2,850 35.0% 1,564 1.2% 54
1996 42.7% 1,994 40.9% 1,913 16.4% 768
1992 35.8% 1,912 36.1% 1,929 28.1% 1,498
1988 50.6% 2,402 48.3% 2,290 1.1% 53
1984 70.9% 3,847 28.5% 1,547 0.7% 36
1980 59.7% 3,206 38.0% 2,044 2.3% 123
1976 39.1% 2,165 59.7% 3,304 1.1% 62
1972 71.5% 3,578 26.1% 1,305 2.5% 125
1968 49.7% 2,592 33.9% 1,771 16.4% 858
1964 39.1% 2,147 60.9% 3,339
1960 57.1% 3,209 42.9% 2,414
1956 44.4% 2,552 55.6% 3,191
1952 55.2% 3,914 44.8% 3,177
1948 27.5% 1,637 72.6% 4,326
1944 43.3% 2,706 56.4% 3,524 0.3% 18
1940 41.1% 2,978 58.7% 4,256 0.2% 11
1936 25.5% 1,792 74.1% 5,205 0.5% 32
1932 12.8% 887 87.2% 6,049
1928 63.3% 3,572 35.9% 2,024 0.9% 49
1924 33.5% 1,357 57.4% 2,325 9.2% 372
1920 45.9% 2,070 47.1% 2,125 7.1% 320
1916 25.3% 958 55.7% 2,107 19.0% 719
1912 31.1% 1,100 47.1% 1,665 21.7% 767

Communities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h O'Dell, Larry (2009). "Washita County". 'Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  4. ^ "Oklahoma: Individual County Chronologies". Oklahoma Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  5. ^ Boothe, Wayne (2009). "Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Colony". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Colony. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  6. ^ "ORIGIN OF COUNTY NAMES IN OKLAHOMA, Vol. 2, No. 1, March 1924". Oklahoma Historical Society's Chronicles of Oklahoma. Oklahoma State University. p. 81. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  7. ^ http://www.ok.gov/conservation/documents/Washita%2520River%2520Watershed%2520Project.pdf
  8. ^ Robert Wilonsky (2006-11-02). "Power Lines : Jimmy Webb wrote one of the greatest songs ever. Just don't tell him that". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  10. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  13. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  15. ^ "General Housing Characteristics: 2010 - United States -- County by State; and for Puerto Rico". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  16. ^ https://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/20180115%20-%20Registration%20By%20County%20%28vr2420%29.pdf
  17. ^ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS

35°17′N 98°59′W / 35.29°N 98.99°W / 35.29; -98.99

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