Kingfisher County, Oklahoma

Kingfisher County
Post Office in Kingfisher (2014)
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Kingfisher 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°56′N 97°56′W / 35.94°N 97.94°W / 35.94; -97.94
Country United States
State Oklahoma
FoundedMay 2, 1890
SeatKingfisher
Largest cityKingfisher
Area
 • Total906 sq mi (2,350 km2)
 • Land898 sq mi (2,330 km2)
 • Water7.9 sq mi (20 km2)  0.9%%
Population
 • Total15,034
 • Estimate 
(2019)
15,765
 • Density17/sq mi (7/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd

Kingfisher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,034. Its county seat is Kingfisher. The county was formed in 1890 and named Kingfisher by a vote of residents.

The land was given to the Creek Nation by the federal government, but was taken back after the American Civil War.

History

Limited archaeological surveys may have discovered evidence of pre-contact peoples, including Paleo-Indian and Archaic (6000 BC - 1 AD) groups that used the area for hunting and foraging. The historic Osage, Cheyenne, and Comanche tribes traversed the prairie grasslands of this area.

Before the county's creation, The Chisholm Trail's many routes crossed the area. A stage road which paralleled the trail had important stops at Dover Station, King Fisher Station and Baker Station.

The area was given to the Creek Nation by the federal government after their forced removal from Georgia. At the end of the American Civil War, the Creeks were forced to cede the land back to the federal government for siding with the Confederacy. It became part of the Unassigned Lands, and the area was opened to non-Indian settlement in the land run on April 22, 1889. Several towns, including Kingfisher, Oklahoma developed soon after the land run.

Originally this area was called County 5, when the Organic Act of May 2, 1890 created Oklahoma Territory. At an August 5, 1890 election, the voters of County 5 overwhelmingly voted for the name "Kingfisher" over "Hennessey" and "Harrison". The origin of the name is unclear. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture mentions three different possibilities. The first is that the name memorialized a local rancher, David King Fisher. The second version is that King and Fisher were two different settlers, whose names were combined for the county and town. The third explanation was that the name was for a rancher named John Fisher and for whom Uncle Johns Creek was named.

In November, 2022, the county gained national attention when four Chinese nationals were murdered, execution-style, at a Chinese-run marijuana farm at the crossroads hamlet of Lacey, near Hennessey. Prior to that, the farm had drawn some attention to itself by having armed guards visible at its perimeters, who hasselled anyone stopping nearby, including postal delivery personnel.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 906 square miles (2,350 km2), of which 898 square miles (2,330 km2) is land and 7.9 square miles (20 km2) (0.9%) is water. The principal waterway is the Cimarron River, which runs from northwest to east through the county.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
191018,825
192015,671−16.8%
193015,9601.8%
194015,617−2.1%
195012,860−17.7%
196010,635−17.3%
197012,85720.9%
198014,18710.3%
199013,212−6.9%
200013,9265.4%
201015,0348.0%
2019 (est.)15,7654.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2019
Age pyramid for Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,926 people, 5,247 households, and 3,893 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (6/km2). There were 5,879 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.09% White, 1.59% Black or African American, 3.02% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.34% from other races, and 2.74% from two or more races. 6.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,247 households, out of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.20% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,676, and the median income for a family was $43,242. Males had a median income of $30,918 versus $19,819 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,167. About 8.50% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.30% of those under age 18 and 6.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities and Towns

Unincorporated Communities

Politics

At the presidential level, Kingfisher County has voted predominantly Republican; the last Democrat to claim the majority of the popular vote was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of January 15, 2019
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Democratic 1,693 20.67%
Republican 5,778 70.53%
Others 721 8.80%
Total 8,192 100%
United States presidential election results for Kingfisher County, Oklahoma
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 5,521 85.40% 854 13.21% 90 1.39%
2016 5,156 84.10% 786 12.82% 189 3.08%
2012 4,870 84.43% 898 15.57% 0 0.00%
2008 5,372 84.19% 1,009 15.81% 0 0.00%
2004 5,630 84.64% 1,022 15.36% 0 0.00%
2000 4,693 77.49% 1,304 21.53% 59 0.97%
1996 3,423 60.27% 1,626 28.63% 630 11.09%
1992 3,479 54.27% 1,379 21.51% 1,553 24.22%
1988 4,011 68.54% 1,777 30.37% 64 1.09%
1984 5,528 82.68% 1,125 16.83% 33 0.49%
1980 4,962 77.31% 1,282 19.98% 174 2.71%
1976 3,443 58.39% 2,372 40.22% 82 1.39%
1972 4,861 81.90% 912 15.37% 162 2.73%
1968 3,558 64.64% 1,226 22.27% 720 13.08%
1964 3,117 55.37% 2,512 44.63% 0 0.00%
1960 3,501 65.78% 1,821 34.22% 0 0.00%
1956 3,935 70.23% 1,668 29.77% 0 0.00%
1952 4,873 76.96% 1,459 23.04% 0 0.00%
1948 2,931 54.09% 2,488 45.91% 0 0.00%
1944 3,417 60.92% 2,175 38.78% 17 0.30%
1940 3,718 56.27% 2,865 43.36% 25 0.38%
1936 2,539 38.17% 4,081 61.35% 32 0.48%
1932 2,103 34.54% 3,986 65.46% 0 0.00%
1928 4,063 69.08% 1,780 30.26% 39 0.66%
1924 2,834 55.62% 1,644 32.27% 617 12.11%
1920 3,220 61.77% 1,744 33.45% 249 4.78%
1916 1,728 48.90% 1,364 38.60% 442 12.51%
1912 1,527 48.90% 1,235 39.55% 361 11.56%

Economy

Agriculture has been the mainstay of the county since the area was opened for settlement in 1899. Wheat and rye have been the most important crops. Oil and gas exploration became important to the county economy during the 1920s, especially in that part of the county around Hennessey, Cashion and Dover. Roxana was a boomtown during that period, but quickly declined its population peaked at one thousand people. It is now considered a ghost town.

Education

Kingfisher Academy, affiliated with the Congregational Church, was established in Kingfisher well before statehood. It remained open between 1890 and 1894. In 1895, the Association of Congregational Churches of Oklahoma Territory chartered Kingfisher College, and opened it for instruction on September 2, 1895.

NRHP sites

The following sites in Kingfisher County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

  • Burrus Mills Elevator C, Kingfisher
  • Dow Grain Company Elevator, Okarche
  • Farmers and Merchants National Bank, Hennessey
  • Farmers Co-op Elevator, Hennessey
  • Kiel-Dover Farmers Elevator, Dover
  • Kingfisher Armory, Kingfisher
  • Kingfisher College, Kingfisher
  • Kingfisher Post Office, Kingfisher
  • Seay Mansion, Kingfisher

Coordinates: 35°56′N 97°56′W / 35.94°N 97.94°W / 35.94; -97.94


This page was last updated at 2023-04-05 05:54 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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