Barnsdall, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Barnsdall is a city in Osage County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. The population was 1,325 at the 2000 census
.
in March, 1905. The railroad opened Bigheart Station in September, 1905 and the Bigheart Post Office opened in January, 1906. Bigheart was exempted from the Osage allotment, so lots could be sold to anyone. Lots were auctioned in May, 1906. The first newspaper, the Bigheart Star first appeared in 1906.
Joshua Cosden built the Southwest Refining Company oil refinery in 1910. He sold it to an undisclosed buyer in 1917, Theodore Newton Barnsdall, owner of the Barnsdall Oil Company, bought the refinery in 1921. Barnsdall had discovered the nearby Bigheart (later Barnsdall) oilfield in 1916. The town was renamed on January 1, 1922 in honor of Mr. Barnsdall.
The town of Barnsdall experienced a tornado in April 1911, a major fire in March 1913 and a flood in September 1915. Despite these calamities, the population increased from 307 in 1910 to 2,099 in 1920. That proved to be the high point of population in the town.
Barnsdall Refining Company renamed itself Bareco Oil Company in 1940. It ceased refining oil in 1946 and began producing microcrystalline waxes
in 1946. Petrolite Corporation (now part of Baker Hughes Inc.) bought Bareco and has continued to operate the plant.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
The Saturday before memorial day is centered around a parade and other events.
Bigheart Day hosts the following events:
Barnsdall also hosts an annual Christmas Parade.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,325 people, 542 households, and 357 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,195.3 people per square mile (852.6/km2). There were 630 housing units at an average density of 1,043.8 per square mile (405.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.26% White, 15.62% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.23% from other races
, and 9.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 542 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,598, and the median income for a family was $34,934. Males had a median income of $31,731 versus $18,472 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,435. About 8.0% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
Singer Anita Bryant
was born in Barnsdall. Bryant was also Miss America runner-up.
Movie Star Clark Gable, famous for his role in "Gone With the Wind", came to Barnsdall with his father for a short while when the town was in the oil business. The native stone shotgun house where he resided on West Walnut Street still stands. Clark was also noted to sing in a quartet while he lived in Bigheart (Barnsdall).
Barnsdall has two properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places
; the Bank of Bigheart
and the Barnsdall Main Street Well Site
, an oil well in the middle of Main Street.
Osage County, Oklahoma
Osage County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Coterminous with the Osage Indian Reservation, it is the home of the federally recognized Osage Nation. As of the 2010 census, the population was 47,472 a 6.8 percent increase from 2000, when the population was 44,437...
, 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 1,325 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
History
The town was founded in 1905 and originally named Bigheart, for the Osage Chief James Bigheart. It was initially a 160-acre site along the Midland Valley RailroadMidland Valley Railroad
The Midland Valley Railroad was incorporated in 1903 for the purpose of building a line from Hoye, Arkansas, through Muskogee and Tulsa, Oklahoma to Wichita, Kansas. The railroad took its name from Midland, Arkansas, a coal mining town in western Arkansas which was served by the railroad...
in March, 1905. The railroad opened Bigheart Station in September, 1905 and the Bigheart Post Office opened in January, 1906. Bigheart was exempted from the Osage allotment, so lots could be sold to anyone. Lots were auctioned in May, 1906. The first newspaper, the Bigheart Star first appeared in 1906.
Joshua Cosden built the Southwest Refining Company oil refinery in 1910. He sold it to an undisclosed buyer in 1917, Theodore Newton Barnsdall, owner of the Barnsdall Oil Company, bought the refinery in 1921. Barnsdall had discovered the nearby Bigheart (later Barnsdall) oilfield in 1916. The town was renamed on January 1, 1922 in honor of Mr. Barnsdall.
The town of Barnsdall experienced a tornado in April 1911, a major fire in March 1913 and a flood in September 1915. Despite these calamities, the population increased from 307 in 1910 to 2,099 in 1920. That proved to be the high point of population in the town.
Barnsdall Refining Company renamed itself Bareco Oil Company in 1940. It ceased refining oil in 1946 and began producing microcrystalline waxes
Microcrystalline wax
Microcrystalline waxes are a type of wax produced by de-oiling petrolatum, as part of the petroleum refining process. In contrast to the more familiar paraffin wax which contains mostly unbranched alkanes, microcrystalline wax contains a higher percentage of isoparaffinic hydrocarbons and...
in 1946. Petrolite Corporation (now part of Baker Hughes Inc.) bought Bareco and has continued to operate the plant.
Geography
Barnsdall is located at 36.559344°N 96.161062°W.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 city has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Climate
Events
Barnsdall's annual Bigheart Day is held Memorial Day Weekend.The Saturday before memorial day is centered around a parade and other events.
Bigheart Day hosts the following events:
- Fishing Tournament at Lake Waxhoma. Ages 4–12.
- Frog Race and Turtle Race after the fishing tournament.
- Carnival; depends on the city budget.
- Tricycle races.
- Live music. Bands that have played, Celestial Impulse(disbanded),Accusing of the Believing(disbanded),and Pake Mackentire
- Street vendors.
- Parade at noon.
- Alumni panther football game.
- Street dance; usually 7pm - Midnight.
- Alumni Basketball game.
Barnsdall also hosts an annual Christmas Parade.
Demographics
Census
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 1,325 people, 542 households, and 357 families residing in the city. 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 2,195.3 people per square mile (852.6/km2). There were 630 housing units at an average density of 1,043.8 per square mile (405.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.26% White, 15.62% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.23% 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 9.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 542 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% 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, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males.
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 city was $13,435. About 8.0% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
Singer Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant
Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...
was born in Barnsdall. Bryant was also Miss America runner-up.
Movie Star Clark Gable, famous for his role in "Gone With the Wind", came to Barnsdall with his father for a short while when the town was in the oil business. The native stone shotgun house where he resided on West Walnut Street still stands. Clark was also noted to sing in a quartet while he lived in Bigheart (Barnsdall).
Barnsdall has two properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
; the Bank of Bigheart
Bank of Bigheart
The Bank of Bigheart is a historic commercial building in the town of Barnsdall, Oklahoma.-Construction:The building was constructed during the peak of the oil boom in Osage County. In April of 1911 a tornado destroyed much of the town which was known as Bigheart at that time. . The building was...
and the Barnsdall Main Street Well Site
Barnsdall Main Street Well Site
The Barnsdall Main Street Well is an oil well in the middle of Main Street in the town of Barnsdall, Oklahoma. It is believed to be the only such oil well anywhere in the world...
, an oil well in the middle of Main Street.