Greer County, Oklahoma

Greer County
County
Greer County Courthouse in Mangum
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°56′N99°34′W / 34.93°N 99.56°W / 34.93; -99.56
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1896
Named for	John Alexander Greer
Seat	Mangum
Largest city	Mangum
Area
• Total	644 sq mi (1,670 km2)
• Land	639 sq mi (1,660 km2)
• Water	4.3 sq mi (11 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,491
• Density	8.5/sq mi (3.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	greer.okcounties.org

Greer County is a county located along the southwest border of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,491. ^[1] Its county seat is Mangum. ^[2] From 1860 to 1896, the state of Texas claimed an area known as Greer County, Texas, which included present-day Greer County along with neighboring areas. In 1896 it was designated as a county in Oklahoma Territory under a ruling by the US Supreme Court. ^[3] The rural Greer County is home to Quartz Mountain State Park, near the community of Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. It is also home to the Oklahoma State Reformatory, located in Granite. ^[4] Its population has declined since 1930 due to changes in agriculture and migration to cities for work.

History

After a dispute over the 1819 Adams-Onís Treaty and the related 1828 Treaty of Limits, the governments of both the United States and the state of Texas claimed ownership of some 1.5 million acres (6,100 km²) in what was then operated as Greer County, Texas. The county was named for former Texas lieutenant governor, John A. Greer. ^[4] Litigation followed, and in the case of United States v. State of Texas 162 U.S. 1 (1896), with a ruling issued on March 16, the Supreme Court, having original jurisdiction over the case, decided in favor of the United States.

The county was assigned to the Oklahoma Territory on May 4, 1896. When Oklahoma was admitted as a state, Greer County was established according to its current boundaries; the remaining former county area was organized as Harmon, Jackson, and part of Beckham counties. The town of Mangum, designated as the county seat in 1886 when it was part of Texas, continued as the seat of Greer County, Oklahoma. ^[4] From its establishment until at least 1903, Greer County was a sundown county, prohibiting African Americans from living in the county. ^[5]

Originally developed for agriculture, the rural county had its peak of population in 1930. Mechanization of agriculture reduced the need for farm labor, and the population has declined as people migrated to cities for work.

Among the county attractions is Quartz Mountain State Park (known from 2002 to 2020 as Quartz Mountain Nature Park), near the community of Lone Wolf.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 644 square miles (1,670 km²), of which 639 square miles (1,660 km²) is land and 4.3 square miles (11 km²) (0.7%) is water. ^[6]

Western Greer County lies in the Gypsum Hills, while the eastern one-third is in the Red Bed Plains physiographic region. The county is drained by the North Fork Red River, Elm Fork Red River, and Salt Fork Red River. ^[4]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 283
• State Highway 6
• State Highway 9
• State Highway 34

Adjacent counties

• Beckham County (north)
• Kiowa County (east)
• Jackson County (south)
• Harmon County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	16,449		—
1920	15,836		−3.7%
1930	20,282		28.1%
1940	14,550		−28.3%
1950	11,749		−19.3%
1960	8,877		−24.4%
1970	7,979		−10.1%
1980	7,028		−11.9%
1990	6,559		−6.7%
2000	6,061		−7.6%
2010	6,239		2.9%
2020	5,491		−12.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790–1960 [8] 1900–1990 [9] 1990–2000 [10] 2010 [11]

As of the census ^[12] of 2000, there were 6,061 people, 2,237 households, and 1,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (3.9 people/km²). There were 2,788 housing units at an average density of 4 units per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.46% White, 8.78% Black or African American, 2.47% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.99% from other races, and 3.02% from two or more races. 7.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,237 households, out of which 25.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. 33.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.00% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 123.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,793, and the median income for a family was $30,702. Males had a median income of $24,318 versus $18,641 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,053. About 15.00% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023 [13]
Party		Number of Voters	Percentage
	Democratic	916	32.28%
	Republican	1,501	52.89%
	Others	421	14.83%
Total		2,838	100%

United States presidential election results for Greer County, Oklahoma ^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,511	82.30%	304	16.56%	21	1.14%
2020	1,605	81.35%	328	16.62%	40	2.03%
2016	1,482	78.16%	323	17.04%	91	4.80%
2012	1,344	73.36%	488	26.64%	0	0.00%
2008	1,548	73.23%	566	26.77%	0	0.00%
2004	1,529	68.02%	719	31.98%	0	0.00%
2000	1,287	59.80%	839	38.99%	26	1.21%
1996	905	35.96%	1,240	49.26%	372	14.78%
1992	964	34.69%	1,162	41.81%	653	23.50%
1988	1,225	48.94%	1,256	50.18%	22	0.88%
1984	1,664	57.36%	1,220	42.05%	17	0.59%
1980	1,535	49.53%	1,492	48.14%	72	2.32%
1976	1,164	35.19%	2,113	63.88%	31	0.94%
1972	2,154	66.40%	1,004	30.95%	86	2.65%
1968	1,225	35.26%	1,419	40.85%	830	23.89%
1964	1,247	31.83%	2,671	68.17%	0	0.00%
1960	2,158	55.96%	1,698	44.04%	0	0.00%
1956	1,499	44.01%	1,907	55.99%	0	0.00%
1952	2,147	48.05%	2,321	51.95%	0	0.00%
1948	713	18.98%	3,044	81.02%	0	0.00%
1944	1,075	26.45%	2,984	73.43%	5	0.12%
1940	1,195	25.21%	3,524	74.35%	21	0.44%
1936	766	16.94%	3,745	82.82%	11	0.24%
1932	418	8.97%	4,240	91.03%	0	0.00%
1928	2,262	57.48%	1,645	41.80%	28	0.71%
1924	551	19.50%	1,982	70.13%	293	10.37%
1920	1,013	32.75%	1,854	59.94%	226	7.31%
1916	369	14.60%	1,675	66.28%	483	19.11%
1912	351	16.80%	1,334	63.86%	404	19.34%

Economy

The county's economy has been based on farming and raising livestock. In 1907, the main crops were cotton, corn, oats, wheat and alfalfa. Livestock raised includes cattle, horses, mules, swine, sheep and goats. ^[4]

The Oklahoma State Reformatory is located in Granite in the county and provides some jobs. ^[4]

Communities

Cities

• Mangum (county seat)

Towns

• Granite

• Willow

Unincorporated communities

• Brinkman
• Reed

Education

School districts include: ^[15]

• Blair Public Schools
• Duke Public Schools
• Erick Public Schools
• Granite Public Schools
• Hollis Public Schools
• Lone Wolf Public Schools
• Mangum Public Schools
• Merritt Public Schools
• Navajo Public Schools
• Sayre Public Schools

Notable people

• Edward Everett Dale (1879–1972), historian; professor at the University of Oklahoma ^[4]
• William T. Ponder (1891–1947), World War I flying ace ^[4]
• Victor E. Wickersham (1906–1988), U.S. politician; member of the U.S. House of Representatives ^[4]

See also

• List of sundown towns in the United States
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Greer County, Oklahoma
• USS Greer County (LST-799)

References

1. "Greer County, Oklahoma". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 12, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Oklahoma: Individual County Chronologies". Oklahoma Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
4. Wilson, Linda D. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Greer County. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
5. "Ban Placed on Negroes". Scott County Kicker. Benton, Missouri. September 5, 1903. p. 2 – via Chronicling America. Because the ban has been placed on the negroes by the citizens of Greer county, Okla., there will be an estimated loss of 5,000 bales of this year's cotton crop. Greer county, which, until a few years ago, was a part of Texas, is one of the big cotton producers of the territory. This year the farmers raised 20 per cent. increased acreage and a 15-per-cent. increase yield, but there is a labor famine. The growers have been threatened by the citizens in general upon every attempt to import negroes, but unless the necessary laborers are secured in the immediate future the financial loss will be great. The growers now have a movement on foot to bring 100 Mexican families to pick the cotton crop. Since the organization of Greer county no negroes have been allowed to live within its boundaries.
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
9. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
11. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
13. "Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County" (PDF). OK.gov. January 15, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
15. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Greer County, OK" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved October 13, 2024. - Text list

External links

• Mangum Main Street
• Greer County Chamber of Commerce
• Old Greer County Museum & Hall of Fame Archived March 9, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
• Greer County Extension Service
• Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Greer County
• Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory

34°56′N99°34′W / 34.93°N 99.56°W / 34.93; -99.56