Pond Creek, Oklahoma | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 36°40′04″N97°48′09″W / 36.66778°N 97.80250°W [1] | |
Country | United States |
State | Oklahoma |
County | Grant |
Area | |
• Total | 0.85 sq mi (2.20 km2) |
• Land | 0.85 sq mi (2.20 km2) |
• Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
Elevation | 1,047 ft (319 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 885 |
• Density | 1,042.40/sq mi (402.48/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
ZIP code | 73766 |
Area code | 580 |
FIPS code | 40-59950 [3] |
GNIS feature ID | 2411456 [1] |
Website | pondcreekok.com |
Pond Creek is a city in Grant County, Oklahoma, United States, along the Salt Fork Arkansas River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 856, a 4.5 percent decline from the figure of 896 in 2000. [4]
Before people of European descent came on the scene, the region around the present town of Pond Creek was traversed by many of the nomadic Native Americans of the Great Plains. Although the land is now heavily agricultural there are still traces of campsites along the numerous creeks of the drainage of the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River. When many of the Native American groups were moved onto reservations in what is now Oklahoma, towns and trading posts were established. Eventually the present-day Oklahoma was divided into Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory. The history of Pond Creek and the surrounding area can be easily confused with other streams called Pond Creek (see e.g. [5] ). The present community of Pond Creek is located in what is called the Cherokee Strip, more properly known as the Cherokee Outlet. The land at the confluence of Osage Creek and Pond Creek was known as the Pond Creek Stockade on the original Chisholm Trail used by cattle drivers bringing herds of Texas longhorns north to the railroad head first at Abilene, Kansas then later to Wichita and Caldwell. [6] [7] This location is about 4 miles north of the present town of Pond Creek near the present village of Jefferson. Two markers have been placed in this area commemorating the untimely demise of two cowboys. [8] There are two granite markers placed near Pond Creek on the old Chisholm Trail. [9]
In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north–south from Caldwell, Kansas to Pond Creek in 1888. [10] By 1893, it was incrementally built to Fort Worth, Texas. It was foreclosed on in 1891 and taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut-down in 1980. The Kansas-Texas mainline was sold to a subsidiary of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad as the Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merging in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, which merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island."
Pond Creek was settled as a town during the Cherokee Strip Land Run in 1893. [11] According to the Chronicles of Oklahoma, "The government townsite of Pond Creek was first entered at 2:10 on the day of the run. By evening, it contained some 8,000 inhabitants, and boasted a good hotel, several restaurants, a dozen law offices, two general stores and six or seven grocery stores." [12] The settlers soon found that there was not enough water to support the new town; the government had dug wells for all of the government townsites, including Pond Creek, but all the water in Pond Creek's well was quickly used up. [12] Soldiers dug a new well but found only salt water. [12] Water from the Salt Fork River was brought to Pond Creek and sold for five cents a cup, but it was not fit for human or animal consumption. [12] Beer became a precious commodity, selling for fifty to seventy-five cents a bottle. [12] Water from stagnant creek pools was given to animals. [12] The area also experienced a violent sand storm and wildfires. [12]
In addition to these tribulations, the citizens of Pond Creek had to do battle with the powerful railroad interests, in this case the "Rock Island Line" or CRI&P railroad, to get a coveted depot. This conflict has been called the Enid-Pond Creek Railroad War. Briefly, the railroad had established a station for Pond Creek and the federal government established a different station about 4 miles south of the railroad town. The railroad refused to stop at the government Pond Creek until a combination of citizen action and congressional action forced them to change. Pond Creek legend has it that the railroad specified a mail stop at Pond Creek so to keep face they merely changed the name of railroad Pond Creek to Jefferson and made government Pond Creek the Pond Creek station. This story doesn't quite correspond with most personal histories of the controversy [13] [14] but it makes a colorful tale.
Pond Creek is located on the west side of the Salt Fork Arkansas River. The city lies at the intersection of U.S. routes 60 and 81. [15]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), all land.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1900 | 822 | — | |
1910 | 1,113 | 35.4% | |
1920 | 965 | −13.3% | |
1930 | 857 | −11.2% | |
1940 | 1,019 | 18.9% | |
1950 | 1,066 | 4.6% | |
1960 | 935 | −12.3% | |
1970 | 903 | −3.4% | |
1980 | 949 | 5.1% | |
1990 | 982 | 3.5% | |
2000 | 896 | −8.8% | |
2010 | 856 | −4.5% | |
2020 | 885 | 3.4% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [16] |
As of the census [3] of 2000, there were 896 people, 364 households, and 263 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,072.4 inhabitants per square mile (414.1/km2). There were 437 housing units at an average density of 523.1 per square mile (202.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.53% White, 3.57% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population.
There were 364 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,515, and the median income for a family was $36,346. Males had a median income of $30,682 versus $19,097 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,456. About 13.6% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
Woodward County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,470. Its county seat is Woodward.
Woods County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,624. Its county seat is Alva. The county is named after Samuel Newitt Wood, a renowned Kansas populist.
Mayes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,046. Its county seat is Pryor Creek. Named for Samuel Houston Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899, it was originally created at the Sequoyah Convention in August 1905.
Harper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,272, making it the third-least populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Buffalo. It was created in 1907 from the northwestern part of Woodward County, and named for Oscar Green Harper, who was clerk of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention.
Grant County is a county located on the northern border of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,169. Its county seat is Medford. Originally designated as part of the Cherokee Outlet, it was named County L in Oklahoma Territory at the time of its opening to non-Indian settlement. A county election renamed it for U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.
Garfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,846. Enid is the county seat and largest city within Garfield County. The county is named after President James A. Garfield.
Alfalfa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,699. The county seat is Cherokee.
Baxter Springs is a city in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States, and located along Spring River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 3,888.
Caldwell is a city in Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,025.
Westville is a town in Adair County, Oklahoma, located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Westville lies at the junction of U.S. Highways 59 and 62, and approximately 13 miles north of Stilwell, the county seat.
Cherokee is the largest city within, and county seat of, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,476 at the 2020 census, a decline of 1.5 percent from 2010.
Jefferson is a town in Grant County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 12 at the 2010 census, a 67.6 percent decline from the figure of 37 in 2000.
Kingfisher is a city in and the county seat of Kingfisher County, Oklahoma,. The population was 4,903 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the former home and namesake of Kingfisher College. According to the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Kingfisher is now primarily a bedroom community for people employed in Enid and Oklahoma City.
Pryor Creek or Pryor is a city in and county seat of Mayes County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 8,659 at the 2000 census and 9,539 in the 2010 census.
Spavinaw is a town in Mayes County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 437 at the 2010 census, a decline of 22.4 percent from the figure of 563 recorded in 2000. The town is best known as the birthplace of baseball player Mickey Mantle. It is also notable for the nearby Lake Spavinaw, the principal source of water for Tulsa.
South Coffeyville is a town in Nowata County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 785. The city of Coffeyville, Kansas is located approximately one mile north of the city, existing as a separate political entity.
Marble City is a town in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 263 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.7 percent over the figure of 242 recorded in 2000, making it the seventh-largest town by population in Sequoyah County, after Gans and before Moffett.
Sallisaw is a city and county seat in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 8,880, an 11.2 percent increase over the figure of 7,891 recorded in 2000. Sallisaw is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Okarche is a town in Canadian and Kingfisher counties in Oklahoma, United States, that is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. The population was 1,215 at the 2010 census, a 9.5 percent increase from 1,110 at the 2000 census.
Catoosa is a city in Rogers and Wagoner counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 7,440 at the 2020 census compared to 7,159 at the 2010 census.