Kingfisher County, Oklahoma

Kingfisher County
County
Post Office in Kingfisher (2014)
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°56′N97°56′W / 35.94°N 97.94°W / 35.94; -97.94
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	May 2, 1890
Seat	Kingfisher
Largest city	Kingfisher
Area
• Total	906 sq mi (2,350 km2)
• Land	898 sq mi (2,330 km2)
• Water	7.9 sq mi (20 km2)  0.9%
Population  (2020)
• Total	15,184
• Density	17/sq mi (6.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd

Kingfisher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,184. ^[1] Its county seat is Kingfisher. ^[2] 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. ^[3] Several towns, including Kingfisher, Oklahoma developed soon after the land run. ^[3]

Originally this area was called County 5, when the Organic Act of May 2, 1890 created Oklahoma Territory. ^[4] 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. ^[4]

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. ^[5] The principal waterway is the Cimarron River, which runs from northwest to east through the county. ^[4]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 81
• State Highway 3
• State Highway 33
• State Highway 51
• State Highway 132

Adjacent counties

• Garfield County (north)
• Logan County (east)
• Canadian County (south)
• Blaine County (west)
• Major County (northwest)
• Oklahoma County (southeast)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	18,825		—
1920	15,671		−16.8%
1930	15,960		1.8%
1940	15,617		−2.1%
1950	12,860		−17.7%
1960	10,635		−17.3%
1970	12,857		20.9%
1980	14,187		10.3%
1990	13,212		−6.9%
2000	13,926		5.4%
2010	15,034		8.0%
2020	15,184		1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010 [10]

Age pyramid for Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

As of the census ^[11] 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 (5.8 people/km²). There were 5,879 housing units at an average density of 6 units per square mile (2.3/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. By 2020, its population was 15,184. ^[1]

In 2000, 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

• Cashion
• Dover
• Hennessey
• Kingfisher (county seat)
• Loyal
• Okarche

Unincorporated communities

• Alpha
• Four Counties Corner (formerly Lockridge)
• Lacey
• Omega

Politics

At the presidential level, Kingfisher County has voted predominantly Republican; the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023 [12]
Party		Number of Voters	Percentage
	Democratic	1,319	15.17%
	Republican	6,422	73.88%
	Others	951	10.94%
Total		8,692	100%

United States presidential election results for Kingfisher County, Oklahoma ^[13]

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. ^[14]

NRHP sites

Main article: National Register of Historic Places listings in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma

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

References

1. "Kingfisher County, Oklahoma". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 13, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Oklahoma Territory's First Land Run (accessed May 15, 2013)
4. Everett, Dianna. "Kingfisher County," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 4, 2015.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
8. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
9. "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.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
12. "Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County" (PDF). OK.gov. January 15, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
14. Carolyn G. Hanneman, "Kingfisher College." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Retrieved March 7, 2015.

Further reading

See also: List of books about Chisholm Trail

35°56′N97°56′W / 35.94°N 97.94°W / 35.94; -97.94