Asher, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Asher is a town in Pottawatomie County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. The population was 393 at the 2010 census
.
in Pottawatomie County. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
(21 miles south) and Shawnee, Oklahoma
(27 miles north). Asher is located two miles (3 km) west of Chisholm Spring
, once the site of a trading post operated by Jesse Chisholm
, for whom the famous cattle trail was named. A Chisholm family home and cemetery are also located in Asher. Nine miles east of Asher is the Sacred Heart Mission Site
.
of 2000, there were 419 people, 164 households, and 123 families residing in the town. The population density
was 523.8 people per square mile (202.2/km²). There were 186 housing units at an average density of 232.5 per square mile (89.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 82.10% White, 12.89% Native American, 0.95% from other races
, and 4.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.
There were 164 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples
living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,341, and the median income for a family was $21,875. Males had a median income of $29,750 versus $17,344 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $9,340. About 20.5% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over.
from a Shawnee estate salesperson to set up his farm home. The post office was established in 1901 when the postmaster of nearby Avoca, Oklahoma
, George A. McCurry, moved the Avoca post office and his store to the new community that would become Asher. This was done without permission from the government and left Avoca without a post office. According to the tale, McCurry was given a home and store building as payment for moving the post office to the new settlement. The town was named for Mr. Asher, who supplied the land with the consideration the community would carry his namesake. There was a sale of public lots in 1902.
, Osmit, Avoca, Meanko, Boyer and Violet.
". Rapid construction of railroads opened up 400 square miles (1,036 km²) of a fertile section of the South Canadian River
valley to shipping facilities. Asher was the trade center and market of the area. Further development came when, on January 15, 1903, The Jennings Company closed on 1,000 business and residence lots. The Jennings Company advertised investment in the growing town and new factories and industries of various kinds soon located in Asher.
Asher and the new settlers had hopes of creating a large city. However, the settlers were disappointed when the towns of Seminole and Konawa were built and took away much of Asher’s trade. The people of Asher would not give up, and pulled together town resources and constructed a bridge across the Canadian River. The state then used the bridge in its construction of State Highway 18, drawing a small amount of trade to the area from nearby cities, such as Ada. Before the construction of the bridge, those south of Asher could only cross the river when it was shallow enough.
Asher, originally a cotton farming community, suffered in its early years from crop losses caused by boll weevils. Farmers were then dealt a further blow when the town’s first two cotton gins were destroyed by fire. These setbacks compounded the loss of trade and left the town in dire straits.
In 1927, oil was discovered in and around the town. Asher sprang up almost overnight to serve the needs of the oil workers. It was also around this time that executives moved into Asher and purchased enormous amounts of supplies and merchandise at inflated prices. There were many businesses in town including feed and grocery stores, jewelry stores and drug stores as well as banks, barber shops, hotels and a small theater. Many leading families of Oklahoma, such as the McAlisters, the O'Dells, the Patterson's, the Campbells and the Byruns, lived in the town. There were also many doctors with offices in Asher. For a while, Asher became prosperous.
was originally the county seat of Pottawatomie County. In late 1930, a long-standing war between Shawnee and Tecumseh escalated when voters approved measures to move the seat to Shawnee. A spin-off of this feud was the move for the creation of a new county, to be named Petroleum County. The new county would be composed of prime oil-producing land, including the southern half of Pottawatomie County and portions of Seminole, Pontotoc and McClain Counties. The move was started by Tecumseh supporters who wanted to make Shawnee’s county seat victory as hollow as possible by removing the most valuable section of the county. Asher was slated to be the county seat and it was planned that the greater part of Tecumseh would move down to form an impressive community. There was a paper--The Petroleum County Times—produced, meetings held and petitions circulated. However, the measure never progressed further as times were not favorable for the creation of a new county.
.
is an independent school district. It has an elementary school (grades Pre-K to 8) and a high school (grades 9 to 12). The school was established in 1903. In 1913, there were four other school districts within three miles (5 km) of Asher—Clover Dale, Gravel Hill, Avoca
, and Pleasant Hill. The schools were small, consisting of only a room or two. Basic facilities were at a minimum. Talk began of consolidating all of the schools into the Asher district. This was later accomplished, presumably around the time Asher’s new school building was built in 1929.
The baseball field in Asher was named after Murl Bowen for all the winnings he led Asher to in his coaching years that he was there, and his ever-lasting impression that he left on all Asher citizens. Up to this date, even after slipping into retirement, you can still see Mr. Murl Bowen at the schools basketball games and boys baseball games.
Asher also has chapters of the Business Professionals of America
(BPA), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America
(FCCLA) and the National FFA Organization
(FFA). Asher 4-H and FFA regularly captures the top sheep honors at livestock shows.
Shane Coker, an Asher High School graduate of 1988, also played baseball for Coach Bowen Fall of 1984 to Spring of 1988. Upon graduating from Asher, Shane was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, where he played for a few years. Upon returning home, he is the current Athletic Director and High School Baseball coach for the Asher Indians since August 2006. He has led his current high school team to one state tournament appearance and as of Spring Season 2010 has outscored his opponents 177 to 94.
Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma
Pottawatomie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 65,521 as of the 2000 census. Its county seat is Shawnee...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 393 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
.
Geography
Asher is located at 34°59′19"N 96°55′36"W (34.988580, -96.926550), at the intersection of U.S. Highway 177 and State Highway 39State Highway 39 (Oklahoma)
State Highway 39, abbreviated as SH-39 or OK-39, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is 68.4 miles in length. Built in 1923, it runs east–west through the central part of the state...
in Pottawatomie County. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
Nearby Areas
Asher is approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) south of I-40 and 34 miles (54.7 km) east of I-35. Nearby cities (with 15,000+ population) include Ada, OklahomaAda, Oklahoma
Ada is a city in and the county seat of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,008 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the city population was estimated at 17,019....
(21 miles south) and Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
(27 miles north). Asher is located two miles (3 km) west of Chisholm Spring
Chisholm Spring, Oklahoma
Chisholm Spring was a small trading post in Oklahoma Territory, two miles east of present-day Asher, Oklahoma. The post was established by frontier cattleman Jesse Chisholm in 1847. The settlement attracted many plains Indians, but efforts to create a town were aborted when Chisholm moved to...
, once the site of a trading post operated by Jesse Chisholm
Jesse Chisholm
Jesse Chisholm was an Indian trader, guide, and interpreter, born in the Hiwassee region of Tennessee, probably in 1805 or 1806. He is chiefly famous for being the namesake to the Chisholm Trail, which ranchers used to drive their cattle to eastern markets. Chisholm had built a number of trading...
, for whom the famous cattle trail was named. A Chisholm family home and cemetery are also located in Asher. Nine miles east of Asher is the Sacred Heart Mission Site
Sacred Heart, Oklahoma
Sacred Heart is a small unincorporated community in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. Established in 1879 by Father Isidore Robot as a Catholic mission on the old Pottawatomie reserve, it was originally named Sacred Heart Mission. The name was changed to Sacred Heart in 1888 shortly...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 419 people, 164 households, and 123 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 523.8 people per square mile (202.2/km²). There were 186 housing units at an average density of 232.5 per square mile (89.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 82.10% White, 12.89% Native American, 0.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.
There were 164 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,341, and the median income for a family was $21,875. Males had a median income of $29,750 versus $17,344 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $9,340. About 20.5% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over.
Beginnings
Asher dates back to 1892 when George "Matt" Asher, from Clay County, Kentucky, purchased land in Oklahoma TerritoryOklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
from a Shawnee estate salesperson to set up his farm home. The post office was established in 1901 when the postmaster of nearby Avoca, Oklahoma
Avoca, Oklahoma
Avoca was a small town in Avoca Township, located in southeastern Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Territory. The post office was established in 1894 and closed permanently in 1906.-Avoca Township:...
, George A. McCurry, moved the Avoca post office and his store to the new community that would become Asher. This was done without permission from the government and left Avoca without a post office. According to the tale, McCurry was given a home and store building as payment for moving the post office to the new settlement. The town was named for Mr. Asher, who supplied the land with the consideration the community would carry his namesake. There was a sale of public lots in 1902.
Avoca Township
Asher is the last remaining post office in the original Avoca Township, which also included the towns of Sacred Heart MissionSacred Heart, Oklahoma
Sacred Heart is a small unincorporated community in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. Established in 1879 by Father Isidore Robot as a Catholic mission on the old Pottawatomie reserve, it was originally named Sacred Heart Mission. The name was changed to Sacred Heart in 1888 shortly...
, Osmit, Avoca, Meanko, Boyer and Violet.
Growth
On October 12, 1900, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf (CO&G) bought the Shawnee to Tecumseh Railway branch from the Tecumseh Railway Co. and promptly extended the branch to Asher. For the next 40 years, Asher would serve as the termination point for the branch and its engine, "Old BeckOld Beck
Old Beck was the nickname of a train engine that ran on Rock Island Railroad’s 25-mile branch between Shawnee, Oklahoma and Asher, Oklahoma.-History of the Branch:...
". Rapid construction of railroads opened up 400 square miles (1,036 km²) of a fertile section of the South Canadian River
Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and most of Oklahoma....
valley to shipping facilities. Asher was the trade center and market of the area. Further development came when, on January 15, 1903, The Jennings Company closed on 1,000 business and residence lots. The Jennings Company advertised investment in the growing town and new factories and industries of various kinds soon located in Asher.
Asher and the new settlers had hopes of creating a large city. However, the settlers were disappointed when the towns of Seminole and Konawa were built and took away much of Asher’s trade. The people of Asher would not give up, and pulled together town resources and constructed a bridge across the Canadian River. The state then used the bridge in its construction of State Highway 18, drawing a small amount of trade to the area from nearby cities, such as Ada. Before the construction of the bridge, those south of Asher could only cross the river when it was shallow enough.
Asher, originally a cotton farming community, suffered in its early years from crop losses caused by boll weevils. Farmers were then dealt a further blow when the town’s first two cotton gins were destroyed by fire. These setbacks compounded the loss of trade and left the town in dire straits.
In 1927, oil was discovered in and around the town. Asher sprang up almost overnight to serve the needs of the oil workers. It was also around this time that executives moved into Asher and purchased enormous amounts of supplies and merchandise at inflated prices. There were many businesses in town including feed and grocery stores, jewelry stores and drug stores as well as banks, barber shops, hotels and a small theater. Many leading families of Oklahoma, such as the McAlisters, the O'Dells, the Patterson's, the Campbells and the Byruns, lived in the town. There were also many doctors with offices in Asher. For a while, Asher became prosperous.
County Seat potential
Tecumseh, OklahomaTecumseh, Oklahoma
Tecumseh is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,457 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Tecumseh is located at ....
was originally the county seat of Pottawatomie County. In late 1930, a long-standing war between Shawnee and Tecumseh escalated when voters approved measures to move the seat to Shawnee. A spin-off of this feud was the move for the creation of a new county, to be named Petroleum County. The new county would be composed of prime oil-producing land, including the southern half of Pottawatomie County and portions of Seminole, Pontotoc and McClain Counties. The move was started by Tecumseh supporters who wanted to make Shawnee’s county seat victory as hollow as possible by removing the most valuable section of the county. Asher was slated to be the county seat and it was planned that the greater part of Tecumseh would move down to form an impressive community. There was a paper--The Petroleum County Times—produced, meetings held and petitions circulated. However, the measure never progressed further as times were not favorable for the creation of a new county.
End of the oil boom
The oil boom ended when only four wells proved to be profitable. Once again, Asher was in danger of dying out. Fortunately, another oil well was found just west of the town. This time the people connected to the well were local citizens and were cautious and conservative in their estimates and spending. This led to a small but steady production of oil in the community. Asher was dealt another setback in 1967 when SH-18 was taken out of commission and traffic was diverted west of town on the new US Highway 177. Businesses migrated to the new highway and many storefronts in the original town were closed. The final business, Green's Market, which was located on Division Street (old SH-18) closed in 1985, after serving the community for 40 years. Several businesses on US-177 remain, mostly serving those traveling through the area.Centennial
In 2001, Asher celebrated its 100th anniversary. The town, along with others in the county that had passed the centennial mark, was honored on a centennial monument dedicated September 21, 2007. This date was chosen to coincide with the Oklahoma Centennial. Other Asher honorees were the First Baptist Church, which was founded in 1902 and Asher School, which was established in 1903. The monument is located in Centennial Park, on the grounds of the Santa Fe Museum, in Shawnee, OklahomaShawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
.
Timeline of major events
Below is a time table of major events that occurred in Asher as well as surrounding communities whose events affected Asher's history.| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1847 | Jessie Chishom establishes trading post 2 mi (3.2 km). E of Asher |
| 1849 | Avoca area (Wewaukee Springs) a regular stop for adventures on way to the gold rush in CA |
| 1862 | Chishom post abandoned |
| 1892 | First members of Asher family move to OK to est. home |
| First school in Avoca (near what is now Avoca Cemetery) | |
| 1893 | First general store in Avoca |
| October 30, 1901 | Asher townsite opened up |
| November 26, 1901 | Post Office established |
| Public sale of lots ($750) | |
| 1902 | George Stone (Dep. Sheriff) moves to Asher |
| Asher townsite platted, G.M. Asher supplies land | |
| April 26, 1902 | Shawnee-Tecumseh railroad expands to Asher / Old Beck began service |
| Early 1900s | Asher Altruist begins |
| Asher FBC then First Methodist est. | |
| Town became center of baseball interest | |
| 1904 | District Judge J. Knox Byrum born in Asher |
| 1906 | Asher Mercantile Co. established |
| December 13, 1906 | Asher State Bank robbed |
| Up to 1920s | 2 hardware stores, 2 banks, jewelry store, lumber yard, dry goods store, general store, and (until 1907) 6 saloons—per Annie Roe |
| May 1921 | Canadian River Bridge opens |
| 1922 | Fire destroys 2 blks of businesses |
| January 1925 | Fire destroys blk of business, incl. Canadian Valley Bank |
| 1927 | Pearson oil discovered |
| September 2, 1927 | Canadian Valley Bank robbed |
| 1928 | Water well drilled to supply water to oil fields |
| c. 1928 | Oil workers/executives moved in; Asher prosperous |
| 1929 | Oil discovered in Asher |
| Asher School current building built | |
| 1931 | Petroleum County/Asher county seat talks |
| 1940s | Asher School gym built |
| February 10, 1942 | Shawnee-Asher railroad branch ends |
| 1967 | Asher segment of SH-18 is replaced with US-177, diverting traffic from town. |
| 1985 | Green’s Market closes after 40 years |
| 2001 | Centennial |
| 2006 | Asher School main building renovated |
Post Office
Asher's Post Office was established on November 26, 1901 when it was moved from nearby Avoca.Postmasters
Below is a list of Asher Postmasters.| Date Started | Postmaster |
|---|---|
| 29 Nov 1901 | George A. McCurry |
| 8 June 1904 | Charles Snook |
| 11 June 1906 | Kate R. Snyder (or Snider) |
| 14 Sept 1914 | John S. Wood |
| 8 Dec 1917 | Winnie D. Rawlings |
| 20 Feb 1920 | Winnie R. Farmer |
| 25 Aug 1922 | Fred M. Perkins |
| 12 Mar 1923 | Lillian Gilpin (acting) |
| 11 June 1923 | Francis T. Laster |
| 7 Mar 1927 | John R. Hibbard (acting) |
| 15 Dec 1927 | John R. Hibbard (appointed) |
| 1 July 1935 | Orval L. Harris (acting) |
| 24 Jan 1935 | Orval L. Harris (appointed) |
| 14 June 1940 | John A. King |
| 19 May 1949 | Pearl A. Hopkins (acting) |
| 1 Sept 1950 | Perry H. Townsend, Jr. |
| 14 Dec 1979 | Linda L. Sturgill (ofc. in charge) |
| 8 Mar 1980 | Rosemary McKinley |
| 30 Sept 1992 | Janna Jones (ofc. in charge) |
| 28 Oct 1992 | Teresa Sexton (ofc. in charge) |
| 9 Jan 1993 | Donald Slarve |
| 28 Jan 1993 | Teresa Sexton (ofc. in charge) |
| 14 May 1993 | Vicky Stover (ofc. in charge) |
| 13 Nov 1993 | Deborah L. Cooley |
| 29 Mar 1995 | Lois L. Rennewanz (ofc. in charge) |
| 22 July 1995 | Lois L. Rennewanz |
| 11 Apr 1998 | Cynthia Schaffer (ofc. in charge) |
| 5 June 1998 | Debbie Turner (ofc. in charge) |
| 12 Sept 1998 | Deborah D. Turner |
| 21 Feb 2001 | Deborah Zimmerman (ofc. in charge) |
| 7 July 2001 | Carol Kelly (ofc. in charge) |
| 25 Mar 2002 | Bill Beard (ofc. in charge) |
| N/A | L. M. Conley (ofc. in charge) |
| 13 May 2003 | Lindsay A. Williams-Likens (ofc. in charge) |
| 23 July 2003 | Michael L. Hockersmith (ofc. in charge) |
| 19 May 2004 | Wayne A. Cooksey (ofc. in charge) |
| 13 Nov 2004 | Michael L. Hockersmith |
Brief history
Asher Public SchoolsAsher Independent School District
The Asher Independent School District is a school district based in Asher, Oklahoma, Oklahoma United States.-External links:* *...
is an independent school district. It has an elementary school (grades Pre-K to 8) and a high school (grades 9 to 12). The school was established in 1903. In 1913, there were four other school districts within three miles (5 km) of Asher—Clover Dale, Gravel Hill, Avoca
Avoca, Oklahoma
Avoca was a small town in Avoca Township, located in southeastern Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Territory. The post office was established in 1894 and closed permanently in 1906.-Avoca Township:...
, and Pleasant Hill. The schools were small, consisting of only a room or two. Basic facilities were at a minimum. Talk began of consolidating all of the schools into the Asher district. This was later accomplished, presumably around the time Asher’s new school building was built in 1929.
Original building
Asher Schools’ main and original building (after consolidation) was constructed in 1929. The building would later receive two additions, to either end. The center of the facility originally served as the schools’ gym, before being converted to an auditorium when a new gym was built in the 1940s. An extensive renovation was completed in late 2006 on the original building. The work was made possible by a $1.295 million bond issue that was approved by residents in February 2005.Extracurricular activities
Asher School, the Indians, participates in baseball, softball and men and women's basketball. Probably no small town is known as well for a sport than Asher is. For forty years, from 1959 to 1999, Asher had the winningest high school baseball team in the nation, led by head coach Murl Bowen. In those forty years, Asher won 2,115 games, lost only 349, hauled home forty-five state championship trophies, fourteen state runner-ups, and sent dozens of players to college and minor-league baseball. No high school in history, public or private, has won as many games as the Asher Indians. A book was written about a man whom once played baseball for the Asher Indians, called "The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town." Although the book was not written about him playing ball for the Indians.The baseball field in Asher was named after Murl Bowen for all the winnings he led Asher to in his coaching years that he was there, and his ever-lasting impression that he left on all Asher citizens. Up to this date, even after slipping into retirement, you can still see Mr. Murl Bowen at the schools basketball games and boys baseball games.
Asher also has chapters of the Business Professionals of America
Business Professionals of America
Business Professionals of America is a career and technical student organization that is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. BPA aims to develop leadership, academic, and technological skills in the workplace among students and leaders within the community...
(BPA), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America , formerly known as Future Homemakers of America , is a nonprofit U.S. career and technical student organization for young men and women in family and consumer science education in public and private schools through grade 12 across the United States...
(FCCLA) and the National FFA Organization
National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education...
(FFA). Asher 4-H and FFA regularly captures the top sheep honors at livestock shows.
Television
Asher receives the following television stations off-air.- KFORKFOR-TVKFOR-TV, virtual channel 4 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. KFOR-TV is owned by Local TV, a subsidiary of the private equity group Oak Hill Capital Partners, in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate KAUT-TV ; its studios are located at 444 East Britton Road in...
-4 NBC (Oklahoma City) - KOCO-5 ABC (Oklahoma City)
- KWTVKWTVKWTV-DT, virtual channel 9 , is the CBS-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; it is owned by Griffin Communications of Oklahoma City...
-9 CBS (Oklahoma City) - KTENKTENKTEN is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southeastern Oklahoma and North Texas that is licensed to Ada, Oklahoma. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 26 from a transmitter north of Milburn, Oklahoma along OK 7. Owned by the Lockwood Broadcasting Group, the station...
-10 NBC (Sherman-Denison, TX) - KXIIKXIIKXII, channel 12, is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Texoma region of Texas and Oklahoma. It is licensed to Sherman, Texas. Its transmitter is located southwest of Madill, Oklahoma...
-12 CBS (Sherman-Denison, TX) - KETAKetaKeta is a city in Volta Region, Ghana. It was an important trading post between the 14th and late 20th century via a port and fort built by the Dutch in 1784. Parts of the city were devastated by sea erosion between the 1960s and 1980s....
-13 PBS (Oklahoma City) - KOKH-25 FOX (Oklahoma City)
- KOCBKOCBKOCB, virtual channel 34 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group of Maryland, LLC, in a duopoly with Fox affiliate KOKH-TV...
-34 CW (Oklahoma City) - KAUT-43 MNT (Oklahoma City)
- KSBIKSBIKSBI, virtual channel 52, is an independent television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is locally owned and operated by Family Broadcasting Group of Oklahoma, an Oklahoma-based company, in a duopoly with Tuff TV affiliate KXOC-LP...
-52 IND (Oklahoma City) - KOPXKOPXKOPX-TV, virtual channel 62 , is the Ion Television affiliate in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is owned and operated by Ion Media Networks. The station's studios and transmitter are located at 13424 Railway Rd...
-62 i (Oklahoma City)
Newspaper
The following newspapers are circulated in Asher.- The Canadian Sands (Monthly Regional; Wanette, OK)
- The Ada Evening News (Daily; Ada, OK)
- The Shawnee News-StarShawnee News-StarThe Shawnee News-Star is the journal of record serving the Shawnee, Oklahoma area, including Pottawatomie, Lincoln, and Seminole counties....
(Daily; Shawnee, OK) - The OklahomanThe OklahomanThe Oklahoman is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the entire Oklahoma City area.-Ownership:...
(Daily; Oklahoma City)
Notable persons
- District Judge J. Knox Byrum. Born in Asher in 1904, Judge Byrum was admitted to the bar on 1927, elected to the state legislature in 1928, served as a Shawnee municipal judge from 1930 to 1934, elected county judge in 1934 and later became a district judge. Knox is now deceased.
- Coach Murl Bowen. Bowen coached the Asher Indians from 1959 to 1998. Coach Bowen's teams won 2,115 games, lost only 349, hauled home forty-three state championship trophies, and sent dozens of players to college and minor-league baseball. Coach Bowen is now retired from Asher and lives north of town.
- Ron Williamson. Williamson is the primary character in John GrishamJohn GrishamJohn Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
's first work of non-fiction, "The Innocent ManThe Innocent ManThe Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town is a nonfiction book written by John Grisham, and his first outside the legal fiction genre. He tells the story of Ronald 'Ron' Keith Williamson of Ada, Oklahoma, a former minor league baseball player who was convicted in 1988 of the rape and...
". He graduated from Asher High School in 1971 and played baseball for the Indians. Williamson went on to play minor-league ball for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees before beginning a downspiral that ended with him being arrested and sent to death row for a crime he was eventually cleared of. Williamson died December 4, 2004 due to cirrhosis of the liver. - Will Hunt. During his high school years at Asher, he won multiple state titles and was named the 1989 Oklahoma Player of the Year. In college, he won national honors at Seminole Junior College (now Seminole State College) and Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
(LSU). Later he was drafted into Minor League Baseball by the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and also played with the independent Northern League. Hunt briefly coached the Indians in baseball and basketball following the retirement of Coach Bowen. He is now an Oklahoma CityOklahoma cityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
firefighter and resides in Tecumseh. - Cody Whitney. A 1999 Asher graduate and current resident, Whitney was an actor when he was young, in the television shows Young Riders and WebsterWebster (TV series)Webster is an American situation comedy that premiered on ABC on September 16, 1983, and ran on that network until September 11, 1987, but continued in first-run syndication until 1989...
and the TV movie Red River. Whitney is now a PBR (Professional Bull Riders, Inc.Professional Bull Riders, Inc.Professional Bull Riders, Inc. is an international professional bull riding organization based in Pueblo, Colorado, USA. PBR events are televised on Versus, Fox, CBS and NBC...
) bullrider. - Jerry Adams. Graduated Class of 1989. Established himself as a professional musician and music teacher. Jerry toured the United States as well as Europe with several stars of note, and performed several times on the Grand Ole OpryGrand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
in Nashville, Tennessee. As well as his own success, he continues to inspire students at a "School of Rock" style of Music School: Pellegrino's School of Music in Springfield, Missouri. Jerry and his family reside in Nixa, Missouri and he performs at the Baldknobbers Country Music Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
Shane Coker, an Asher High School graduate of 1988, also played baseball for Coach Bowen Fall of 1984 to Spring of 1988. Upon graduating from Asher, Shane was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, where he played for a few years. Upon returning home, he is the current Athletic Director and High School Baseball coach for the Asher Indians since August 2006. He has led his current high school team to one state tournament appearance and as of Spring Season 2010 has outscored his opponents 177 to 94.