Greer County, Oklahoma
Greer County | |
---|---|
UTC−5 (CDT) | |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Website | greer |
Greer County is a
History
After a dispute over the 1819
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
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
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
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
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% |
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
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
Unincorporated communities
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
References
- ^ "Greer County, Oklahoma". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Wilson, Linda D. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Greer County. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County" (PDF). OK.gov. January 15, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
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