Woodward County, Oklahoma

Woodward County
County
Woodward Federal Courthouse and Post Office
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°25′N99°16′W / 36.42°N 99.26°W / 36.42; -99.26
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1876
Seat	Woodward
Largest city	Woodward
Area
• Total	1,246 sq mi (3,230 km2)
• Land	1,242 sq mi (3,220 km2)
• Water	3.7 sq mi (10 km2)  0.3%
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,470
• Density	16/sq mi (6.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	woodwardcounty.org/401.html

Woodward County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,470. ^[1] Its county seat is Woodward. ^[2]

Woodward County comprises the Woodward, OK micropolitan statistical area.

Woodward County was originally known as "N" County and was composed of present-day Woodward County and portions of Harper, Ellis, and Woods County. Before its division at statehood, Woodward County, then 60 miles square, was the westernmost county of the Cherokee Outlet and adjoined Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle on the west and Kansas on the north. Political pressure applied by William H. Murray during Oklahoma's Constitutional Convention resulted in the reduction of the size of Woodward County to its present boundaries. It is unknown exactly whom the county (and the town) is named after, but the two leading candidates are Brinton W. Woodward, a Santa Fe railway director, ^[3] or Richard Woodward, a buffalo hunter.

History

In the 19th century, the county was part of a well-used military transportation corridor that was important to frontier defense. ^[4] In 1868, Camp Supply, was established as a depot leading up to a campaign against the Cheyenne. ^[4] From 1876 through the 1880s massive herds of cattle passed through the southwestern corner of the county along the Great Western Trail from Texas to Kansas. ^[4]

The Southern Kansas Railway, later acquired by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a line southwest from Kiowa, Kansas, through the region and into Texas during 1886–1887. It began the town of Woodward where the railroad crossed the military road. The Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway, controlled by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, constructed a north–south line from Elk City through Sharon, Woodward, and the town of Fort Supply to Forgan, in Beaver County, in 1911–12. ^[4]

In September 1893, when the Cherokee Outlet opened for non-Indian settlement, Woodward County was created as County N in Oklahoma Territory, though its area was much larger than at present. In a November 6, 1894, election, the county was renamed Woodward County. Statehood in 1907 redrew the boundaries of the county, while the remainder was given to the present Harper, Ellis and Woods counties. ^[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,246 square miles (3,230 km²), of which 1,242 square miles (3,220 km²) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²) (0.3%) is water. ^[5] The Cimarron River forms part of the northern boundary and drains the northwestern section of the county. The North Canadian River flows through the county from the northwest to the southeast. The southern part of the county drains into the Canadian River. Fort Supply Lake, on Wolf Creek, lies in Woodward County. ^[4]

The county is part of the Osage Plains and lies within the Western Red Prairies physiographic region and Gypsum Hills subregion. There are gypsum hills in the eastern and northwestern parts of the county. Protected areas in the county are Alabaster Caverns State Park and Boiling Springs State Park. ^[4]

Adjacent counties

• Dewey County (south)
• Ellis County (west)
• Harper County (northwest)
• Major County (east)
• Woods County (northeast)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	16,592		—
1920	14,663		−11.6%
1930	15,844		8.1%
1940	16,270		2.7%
1950	14,383		−11.6%
1960	13,902		−3.3%
1970	15,537		11.8%
1980	21,172		36.3%
1990	18,976		−10.4%
2000	18,486		−2.6%
2010	20,081		8.6%
2020	20,470		1.9%
2021 (est.)	20,205		−1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010 [10]

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

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 20,081 people and 5,106 families residing in the county. The population density was 16.1 people per square mile (6.2 people/km²). There were 8,838 housing units at an average density of 7.1 units per square mile (2.7/km²). ^[11] The racial makeup of the county was 86.7% white, 1.6% black or African American, 2.8% Native American, 0.6% Asian, less than 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 10.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of 2020, its population was 20,470. ^[10]

In 2010, there were 7,654 households in the county, out of which 2,322 (30.3%) included children under the age of 18, 4,132 (54%) were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32% were non-families. Individuals living alone accounted for 28% of households. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 79 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,087, and the median income for a family was $60,684. Males had a median income of $48,228 versus $26,993 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,735. About 6.5% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023 [12]
Party		Number of Voters	Percentage
	Democratic	1,596	14.57%
	Republican	7,662	69.93%
	Others	1,699	15.51%
Total		10,957	100%

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	6,231	85.22%	967	13.22%	114	1.56%
2020	6,611	84.92%	1,005	12.91%	169	2.17%
2016	6,347	83.57%	873	11.49%	375	4.94%
2012	5,945	83.99%	1,133	16.01%	0	0.00%
2008	6,404	82.59%	1,350	17.41%	0	0.00%
2004	6,193	80.94%	1,458	19.06%	0	0.00%
2000	5,067	71.37%	1,950	27.46%	83	1.17%
1996	4,093	54.59%	2,403	32.05%	1,002	13.36%
1992	4,006	46.99%	2,063	24.20%	2,457	28.82%
1988	4,996	66.68%	2,408	32.14%	89	1.19%
1984	6,376	79.08%	1,647	20.43%	40	0.50%
1980	5,318	72.96%	1,703	23.36%	268	3.68%
1976	3,782	56.52%	2,807	41.95%	102	1.52%
1972	5,350	80.05%	1,104	16.52%	229	3.43%
1968	3,748	64.01%	1,444	24.66%	663	11.32%
1964	3,094	51.33%	2,934	48.67%	0	0.00%
1960	4,185	73.78%	1,487	26.22%	0	0.00%
1956	3,405	67.79%	1,618	32.21%	0	0.00%
1952	4,463	72.53%	1,690	27.47%	0	0.00%
1948	2,391	52.31%	2,180	47.69%	0	0.00%
1944	3,055	58.47%	2,152	41.19%	18	0.34%
1940	3,403	54.51%	2,806	44.95%	34	0.54%
1936	2,430	41.67%	3,361	57.64%	40	0.69%
1932	1,614	28.81%	3,988	71.19%	0	0.00%
1928	3,188	69.06%	1,347	29.18%	81	1.75%
1924	1,831	45.64%	1,418	35.34%	763	19.02%
1920	2,492	59.07%	1,437	34.06%	290	6.87%
1916	1,092	37.35%	1,130	38.65%	702	24.01%
1912	1,403	45.57%	1,083	35.17%	593	19.26%

In 2015, surveys identified Woodward County as one of the most climate science doubting counties in the United States. ^[14]

Economy

Agriculture and cattle production have been very important to the county income since before statehood. Grains, especially wheat, were the largest crop. However, broomcorn grew abundantly. Broom factories operated in Woodward and Mooreland. Castor beans, grown during World War I, were processed into castor oil, which was used as a lubricant for aircraft engines. ^[4]

Extractive industries became relatively more important during the 1920s, while agriculture began to decline. Mineral production included salt, bentonite and petroleum. Natural gas production began in 1956. In 1975, a plant was built near Woodward to extract iodine from oil field brine. It soon supplied 14% of the nation's supply of the chemical. ^[4]

Communities

City

• Woodward (county seat)

Towns

• Fort Supply
• Mooreland
• Mutual
• Sharon

Unincorporated communities

• Belva
• Cedardale
• Curtis
• Gerlach
• Keenan
• Quinlan (also a census-designated place)
• Richmond
• Tangier

NRHP sites

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

Wodward county has the following site on the National Register of Historic Places

• Fort Supply
  • Fort Supply Historic District
• Woodward
  • L. L. Stine House
  • Woodward Crystal Beach Park
  • Woodward Federal Courthouse and Post Office

References

1. "Woodward County, Oklahoma". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 21, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Origin of County Names in Oklahoma" Chronicles of Oklahoma. Volume 2, Number 1, March,1924. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
4. Everett, Dianna. "Woodward County," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 5, 2015.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
8. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 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 22, 2015.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
11. "General Housing Characteristics: 2010 - United States – County by State; and for Puerto Rico". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
12. "Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County" (PDF). OK.gov. January 15, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
14. Sutter, John D. (November 24, 2015). "Why so many who doubt climate change here? (Opinion)". CNN. Retrieved February 18, 2020.

36°25′N99°16′W / 36.42°N 99.26°W / 36.42; -99.26