Lincoln County, Oklahoma

Lincoln County
County
Lincoln County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°42′N96°53′W / 35.7°N 96.88°W / 35.7; -96.88
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1891
Named for	Abraham Lincoln [1]
Seat	Chandler
Largest city	Chandler
Area
• Total	966 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Land	952 sq mi (2,470 km2)
• Water	13 sq mi (30 km2)  1.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	33,458
• Density	35/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	lincoln.okcounties.org

Lincoln County is a county in eastern Central Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,458. ^[2] Its county seat is Chandler. ^[3] Lincoln County is part of the Oklahoma City, OK metropolitan statistical area. ^[4] In 2010, the center of population of Oklahoma was in Lincoln County, near the town of Sparks. ^[5]

History

The United States purchased the large tract of land known as the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803. Washington Irving, Charles J. Latrobe, and Count Albert de Pourtalès accompanied Henry L. Ellsworth and others on an expedition in Indian Territory that may have passed through the far northwestern corner of the future Lincoln County. ^[1]

The Osage hunted on land that includes present-day Lincoln County until they ceded the area in an 1825 treaty to the federal government. The government then assigned the land to the Creek and the Seminoles after they were removed from the southeastern United States. Following Quapaw removal in 1834, several small groups of Quapaw dispersed throughout Indian Territory. There were absentee groups of Quapaw living along the Red River and in Creek, Choctaw and Cherokee territory. There is a "Quapaw Creek" in the southern half of Lincoln County which was a village site for one of these absentee groups of Quapaw. ^[6] After the Civil War in 1866, the Creek and Seminoles were forced to give up lands that included present-day Lincoln County in Reconstruction Treaties for siding with the Confederacy. ^[1]

The federal government then used the area to resettle the Sac and Fox, Potawatomi, Kickapoo and Ioway tribes. Established in 1870, the Sac and Fox agency, established on the eastern edge of the present-day county, was the first settlement in the area. ^[1]

In 1890, the Jerome Commission negotiated with the tribes of the area such that they agreed to allotment of their reservation lands, except for the Kickapoo. Indian lands were allotted to individual tribal members and the excess were opened to white settlement in the Land Run of 1891. A separate land run was held later that year for the townsite of the predesignated county seat, Chandler. Lincoln County was organized and designated as County A. In 1895, the Kickapoo agreed to allotment and the land was claimed by settlers during the Land Run of 1895. ^[1]

The voters chose the name Lincoln County for County A in honor of President Abraham Lincoln, selecting it over the names Sac, Fox, and Springer. ^[1]

Geography

Midwinter in the cross timbers of western Lincoln County. Native blackjack and little bluestem.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 966 square miles (2,500 km²), of which 952 square miles (2,470 km²) is land and 13 square miles (34 km²) (1.4%) is water. ^[7] The county is drained by the Deep Fork of the Canadian River. The eastern part of the county lies in the Cross Timbers and the Sandstone Hills, while the western part is in the Red Bed Plains. ^[1]

Major highways

• Interstate 44
• U.S. Highway 62
• U.S. Highway 177
• U.S. Highway 377
• State Highway 18
• State Highway 66
• State Highway 99
• State Highway 102

Adjacent counties

• Payne County (north)
• Creek County (northeast)
• Okfuskee County (southeast)
• Pottawatomie County (south)
• Oklahoma County (southwest)
• Logan County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	27,007		—
1910	34,779		28.8%
1920	33,406		−3.9%
1930	33,738		1.0%
1940	29,529		−12.5%
1950	22,102		−25.2%
1960	18,783		−15.0%
1970	19,482		3.7%
1980	26,601		36.5%
1990	29,216		9.8%
2000	32,080		9.8%
2010	34,273		6.8%
2020	33,458		−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10] 1990-2000 [11] 2010 [12]

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

As of the census ^[13] of 2000, 32,080 people, 12,178 households, and 9,121 families resided in the county. The population density was 34 inhabitants per square mile (13/km²). There were 13,712 housing units at an average density of 14 units per square mile (5.4/km²). The county's racial makeup was 86.43% White, 2.46% Black or African American, 6.57% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 3.82% from two or more races. 1.51% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2020, its population was 33,458. ^[2]

There were 12,178 households, out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.40% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males.

The county's median household income was $31,187, and the median family income was $36,310. Males had a median income of $28,647 versus $20,099 for females. The county's per capita income was $14,890. About 11.10% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.90% of those under age 18 and 12.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023 [14]
Party		Number of Voters	Percentage
	Democratic	4,241	20.82%
	Republican	13,058	64.11%
	Unaffiliated	3,068	15.06%
Total		20,367	100%

United States presidential election results for Lincoln County, Oklahoma ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	12,495	80.80%	2,712	17.54%	258	1.67%
2020	12,013	80.69%	2,609	17.52%	266	1.79%
2016	10,854	77.39%	2,430	17.33%	741	5.28%
2012	9,553	74.48%	3,273	25.52%	0	0.00%
2008	10,470	74.92%	3,504	25.08%	0	0.00%
2004	10,149	71.52%	4,041	28.48%	0	0.00%
2000	7,387	63.13%	4,140	35.38%	174	1.49%
1996	5,243	47.14%	4,332	38.95%	1,547	13.91%
1992	5,315	42.78%	3,904	31.43%	3,204	25.79%
1988	6,409	59.67%	4,225	39.34%	106	0.99%
1984	8,088	72.29%	3,020	26.99%	81	0.72%
1980	6,064	63.27%	3,231	33.71%	290	3.03%
1976	4,429	46.38%	4,988	52.23%	133	1.39%
1972	6,512	74.98%	1,919	22.10%	254	2.92%
1968	3,855	47.43%	2,304	28.35%	1,969	24.22%
1964	3,854	43.30%	5,046	56.70%	0	0.00%
1960	5,528	62.94%	3,255	37.06%	0	0.00%
1956	4,993	56.09%	3,909	43.91%	0	0.00%
1952	5,778	58.67%	4,071	41.33%	0	0.00%
1948	3,898	44.24%	4,913	55.76%	0	0.00%
1944	4,801	54.94%	3,910	44.74%	28	0.32%
1940	6,269	54.16%	5,271	45.54%	34	0.29%
1936	5,452	47.80%	5,903	51.75%	52	0.46%
1932	3,505	31.45%	7,641	68.55%	0	0.00%
1928	6,118	70.74%	2,405	27.81%	126	1.46%
1924	4,220	51.20%	3,283	39.83%	739	8.97%
1920	5,261	59.24%	2,980	33.55%	640	7.21%
1916	2,387	41.69%	2,258	39.43%	1,081	18.88%
1912	2,459	44.19%	2,137	38.40%	969	17.41%
1908	3,503	49.44%	3,030	42.76%	553	7.80%

United States Congress

Senators		Name	Party	First Elected	Level
	Senate Class 1	Jim Inhofe	Republican	1994	Senior Senator
	Senate Class 2	James Lankford	Republican	2014	Junior Senator
Representatives		Name	Party	First Elected
	District 3	Frank Lucas	Republican	1994

Oklahoma Senate

District		Name	Party	First Elected	Hometown
	28	Zack Taylor [16]	Republican	2020	Seminole

Oklahoma House of Representatives

District		Name	Party	First Elected	Hometown
	32	Kevin Wallace	Republican	2014	Wellston

Economy

The county economy has largely depended on agriculture. Cotton almost immediately became the dominant crop after white settlement. During the first decade of the twentieth century, Lincoln County was one of the top two counties producing cotton in Oklahoma. By the end of the Great Depression the economy had become more diversified. Oil furnished one-third of county tax revenue, and cattle raising and pecan growing became important income sources. By the turn of the 21st Century, the county economy had diversified and was based primarily on professional services, small businesses, and service industries. ^[1]

Communities

1905 map of Lincoln County showing locations of many of the old communities, post offices, and railroad stops which no longer exist.

Cities

• Chandler (County seat)
• Prague
• Stroud

Towns

• Agra
• Carney
• Davenport
• Fallis
• Kendrick
• Meeker
• Sparks
• Tryon
• Warwick
• Wellston

Unincorporated communities

• Arlington
• Jacktown
• Midlothian
• Parkland
• Payson
• Rossville
• Willzetta

Ghost town

• Avery

Education

K-12 school districts include: ^[17]

• Agra Public Schools
• Carney Public Schools
• Chandler Public Schools
• Cushing Public Schools
• Davenport Public Schools
• Harrah Public Schools
• Luther Public Schools
• McLoud Public Schools
• Meeker Public Schools
• Paden Public Schools
• Perkins-Tryon Public Schools
• Prague Public Schools
• Stroud Public Schools
• Wellston Public Schools

Elementary school districts include: ^[17]

• Oak Grove Public School
• White Rock Public School

Notable people

• Roy Harris (1898 - 1979), composer, born near Chandler;
• Carl Hubbell (1903 - 1988), U.S. major league baseball pitcher lived in Meeker;
• James Brooks Ayers Robertson (1871 - 1938), Oklahoma governor 1919–1923, lived and buried in Chandler;
• Jim Thorpe (1888 - 1953), American athlete, attended Sac and Fox agency school in Lincoln County.
• Roy J. Turner (1894 - 1973), Oklahoma governor 1947–1953, born in Kendrick.

NRHP sites

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

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

Bon Ton House, Stroud Boston Store, Chandler Captain Creek Bridge, Wellston Joseph Carpenter House, Stroud Chandler Armory, Chandler Chandler Bookstore, Chandler Chandler High School, Chandler Clapp-Cunningham Building, Chandler Conklin House, Chandler Crane Motor Company Building, Chandler Crescent School, Meeker Davenport Broadway Avenue Brick Street, Davenport Fairview School, Meeker First Presbyterian Church of Chandler, Chandler Graham Hotel, Stroud Walter Hadley House, Stroud Hotel Lincoln, Stroud George Hughes House, Stroud Johnson House, Chandler Moses Keokuk House, Stroud

Mascho Building and Public Privy, Chandler Meeker Town Hall, Meeker William Alfred Mensch Building, Stroud Midlothian School, Midlothian National Guard Statistical Building, Chandler Oleson-Crane Building, Chandler Ozark Trails Section of Route 66, Stroud Prague City Hall and Jail, Prague Rock Café, Stroud Seaba's Filling Station, Warwick Southwestern Bell Telephone Building, Stroud Spring Dell School, Meeker St. Cloud Hotel, Chandler St. Paul Baptist Church and Cemetery, Meeker St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Chandler Old Stroud School, Stroud Stroud Trading Company Building, Stroud James W. Stroud House, Stroud Marshal William M. Tilghman Homestead, Chandler Warwick School, Warwick Wolcott Building, Chandler ZCBJ Lodge No. 46, Prague

References

1. Mullins, William H. "Lincoln County - Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
2. "Lincoln County, Oklahoma". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 13, 2023.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "County Profiles". www.greateroklahomacity.com. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
5. "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
6. Baird, David (1975). The Quapaw People. Indian Tribal Series.
7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
10. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
11. "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.
12. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. https://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/VRstatsbycounty_11012020.pdf ^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
16. "Zack Taylor claims open senate seat in District 28". June 30, 2020.
17. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lincoln County, OK" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved July 14, 2024. - Text list

35°42′N96°53′W / 35.70°N 96.88°W / 35.70; -96.88