Blackwell, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Blackwell is a city in Kay County
, Oklahoma
, United States
, located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 177 and State Highway 11 along Interstate 35. The population was 7,668 at the 2000 census
. Blackwell was established following the September 16, 1893 Cherokee Outlet
land run
by A. J. Blackwell
. Blackwell has an agricultural and fossil fuel based economy.
The Blackwell Zinc Company smelter first began operations in 1917.In 1974, the 80-acre Blackwell Zinc Smelter facility ceased operations . At the time, it was the city's largest employer, employing 800 people at in 1972, and over 1,000 at its peak. It also was one of the largest zinc smelter facilities in the United States. After its closure the land and was donated to the Blackwell Industrial Authority (BIA). Soil from the land was spread throughout the city, leading to widespread contamination of air and water, including the Chikaskia River.
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality has been overseeing remediation of contamination at the industrial park, groundwater, and soil throughout parts of the city since 1992. Phelps Dodge Corporation
, a subsidiary of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc
, has owned the site since 1999. On October 15, 2009 the City of Blackwell filed suit against Freeport-McMoRan calling the contamination a nuisance, and alleging that 58 million pounds of toxic waste remained in the city, causing illness within its 7,200 residents. Following several changes of venue between Federal court and Kay County courts, the City of Blackwell and Freeport settled for 54-million dollars on February 4, 2010.
and displays artifacts from the land run, antiques, and local history. Blackwell hosts the Kay County Free Fair in September, and the Tulips Abloom Festival in the springtime. Blackwell is served by 5 major parks including Riverside, Bagby, Rogers, Memorial, and Legion parks. Blackwell has 1 major and 2 minor public pools. Blackwell is also home to a brick WPA armory which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Blackwell is located at 36°48′6"N 97°17′23"W (36.801764, -97.289856), along the Chikaskia River
and to the east of Interstate 35. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²), of which, 5.4 square miles (14 km²) of it is land and 0.18% is water.
On May 25, 1955, a deadly F5 tornado struck Blackwell at approximately 9:30 PM and cut a swath of destruction through the northeastern portion of city, roughly centered in the neighborhoods surrounding Riverside Park. 20 residents died and 250 were injured. This tornado was part of a significant tornado outbreak
across the Central Plains which included another F5 tornado that struck Udall, Kansas
killing 82 people and injuring 270. The outbreak spawned 19 tornadoes across Oklahoma, Texas
and Kansas
alone.
of 2000, there were 7,668 people, 3,064 households, and 2,086 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,407.3 people per square mile (543.2/km²). There were 3,527 housing units at an average density of 647.3 per square mile (249.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.26% White, 4.13% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.13% African American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.17% from other races
, and 4.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.91% of the population.
There were 3,064 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% 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 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,835, and the median income for a family was $31,540. Males had a median income of $25,202 versus $16,704 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,558. About 13.1% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
. Historically, Oklahoma Baptist College served the city's higher education needs between 1901 and 1913.
1580 AM broadcasts sports.
and also shares the Blackwell-Tonkawa Municipal Airport
with neighboring Tonkawa, Oklahoma
. Historically, Blackwell was home to the Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railway
.
Kay County, Oklahoma
Kay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 48,080. Its county seat is Newkirk. The largest city in Kay County is Ponca City.-19th century:...
, 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...
, located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 177 and State Highway 11 along Interstate 35. The population was 7,668 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...
. Blackwell was established following the September 16, 1893 Cherokee Outlet
Cherokee Outlet
The Cherokee Outlet, often mistakenly referred to as the Cherokee Strip, was located in what is now the state of Oklahoma, in the United States. It was a sixty-mile wide strip of land south of the Oklahoma-Kansas border between the 96th and 100th meridians. It was about 225 miles long and in 1891...
land run
Land run
Land run usually refers to an historical event in which previously restricted land of the United States was opened for homesteading on a first arrival basis. Some newly opened lands were sold first-come, sold by bid, or won by lottery, or by means other than a run...
by A. J. Blackwell
A. J. Blackwell
A.J. Blackwell was the founder and namesake of Blackwell, Kay County, Oklahoma. Blackwell, the city, was founded in September 1893 as of one the Cherokee Allotments. A.J. Blackwell had settled in the area in 1882, having married the former Rosa Vaught who was of Cherokee descent, he was eligible...
. Blackwell has an agricultural and fossil fuel based economy.
Zinc Smelter
The Blackwell Zinc Company smelter first began operations in 1917.In 1974, the 80-acre Blackwell Zinc Smelter facility ceased operations . At the time, it was the city's largest employer, employing 800 people at in 1972, and over 1,000 at its peak. It also was one of the largest zinc smelter facilities in the United States. After its closure the land and was donated to the Blackwell Industrial Authority (BIA). Soil from the land was spread throughout the city, leading to widespread contamination of air and water, including the Chikaskia River.
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality has been overseeing remediation of contamination at the industrial park, groundwater, and soil throughout parts of the city since 1992. Phelps Dodge Corporation
Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...
, a subsidiary of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc
Freeport-McMoRan
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., often called simply Freeport, is the world's lowest-cost copper producer and one of the world's largest producers of gold...
, has owned the site since 1999. On October 15, 2009 the City of Blackwell filed suit against Freeport-McMoRan calling the contamination a nuisance, and alleging that 58 million pounds of toxic waste remained in the city, causing illness within its 7,200 residents. Following several changes of venue between Federal court and Kay County courts, the City of Blackwell and Freeport settled for 54-million dollars on February 4, 2010.
Parks, museums, and cultural events
The Top of Oklahoma Historical Society Museum is located in the Electric Park PavilionElectric Park Pavilion
The Electric Park Pavilion is a pavilion located in Blackwell, Oklahoma, designed in 1912 by W.L. McAltee. The pavilion was built as a "salute to electricity" and features a 160-foot domed ceiling, and an 800 seat auditorium. The building was once lined with over 500 lights, on the dome, its 27...
and displays artifacts from the land run, antiques, and local history. Blackwell hosts the Kay County Free Fair in September, and the Tulips Abloom Festival in the springtime. Blackwell is served by 5 major parks including Riverside, Bagby, Rogers, Memorial, and Legion parks. Blackwell has 1 major and 2 minor public pools. Blackwell is also home to a brick WPA armory which is 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...
.
Geography
Chikaskia River
The Chikaskia River is a tributary of the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River in southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma in the United States...
and to the east of Interstate 35. 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 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²), of which, 5.4 square miles (14 km²) of it is land and 0.18% is water.
Climate
In May 1906, an L5 meteorite fell, landing in Blackwell, Oklahoma.On May 25, 1955, a deadly F5 tornado struck Blackwell at approximately 9:30 PM and cut a swath of destruction through the northeastern portion of city, roughly centered in the neighborhoods surrounding Riverside Park. 20 residents died and 250 were injured. This tornado was part of a significant tornado outbreak
1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak
The 1955 Great Plains tornado outbreak was a deadly tornado outbreak that struck the southern and central U.S Plain States on May 25–26, 1955. It produced at least 46 tornadoes across 7 states including 2 F5 tornadoes in Blackwell, Oklahoma and Udall, Kansas. The outbreak killed 102 from 3...
across the Central Plains which included another F5 tornado that struck Udall, Kansas
Udall, Kansas
Udall is a city in Cowley County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 746.-History:Founded in 1881 by J.M. Napier and P.W. Smith. Udall was named after English author Cornelius Udall....
killing 82 people and injuring 270. The outbreak spawned 19 tornadoes across Oklahoma, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
alone.
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 7,668 people, 3,064 households, and 2,086 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 1,407.3 people per square mile (543.2/km²). There were 3,527 housing units at an average density of 647.3 per square mile (249.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.26% White, 4.13% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.13% African American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.17% 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 4.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.91% of the population.
There were 3,064 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% 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, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% 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 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,835, and the median income for a family was $31,540. Males had a median income of $25,202 versus $16,704 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 city was $13,558. About 13.1% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Blackwell is a Home Rule Charter City, which is governed by Council-City Manager form of government. The current City Manager is Mark Skiles. The City Council consists of Brad Bechtel, Nita Carrol, Max Wirtz and Piccolla Hundsonpillar, with Mark Cordell serving as Mayor. The Chief of Police is Fred LeValley and the Fire Chief is Tom Beliel.Education
The Blackwell School District consists of Blackwell Middle School and Blackwell High School, as well as Huston, Northside, Parkside, and Washington Elementary Schools, which are all listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational 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...
. Historically, Oklahoma Baptist College served the city's higher education needs between 1901 and 1913.
Media
Blackwell's local paper is the Blackwell Journal-Tribune. Radio station KOKBKOKB
KOKB may refer to:* The ICAO code for Oceanside Municipal Airport, in Oceanside, California, United States* KOKB , a radio station licensed to Blackwell, Oklahoma, United States...
1580 AM broadcasts sports.
Infrastructure
Blackwell has a full service city government, that includes, electricity, sewage and police and fire services. The police department has 17 officers full time officers, and operates 24 hours per day. The Blackwell Fire Department is staffed 24 hours per day as well, and also provides ambulance service to Blackwell and the surrounding communities.Transportation
Blackwell is home to the Earl Henry AirportEarl Henry Airport
Earl Henry Airport is a private-use airport located two nautical miles west of the central business district of Blackwell, in Kay County, Oklahoma, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
and also shares the Blackwell-Tonkawa Municipal Airport
Blackwell-Tonkawa Municipal Airport
Blackwell-Tonkawa Municipal Airport is a public use airport located in Kay County, Oklahoma, United States. The airport is five nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Blackwell, Oklahoma and is owned by the cities of Blackwell and Tonkawa.Although most U.S...
with neighboring Tonkawa, Oklahoma
Tonkawa, Oklahoma
Tonkawa is a city in Kay County, Oklahoma, United States, along the Salt Fork Arkansas River. The population was 3,299 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. Historically, Blackwell was home to the Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railway
Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railway
The Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railway was built as a short line railroad operating in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.It was founded in March 1900 to link the Frisco Beaumont, Kansas subdivision and Vernon, Texas...
.
Healthcare
Blackwell and the surrounding communities are served by Integris-Blackwell Regional hospital, a 53 bed facility with 24 hour emergency services and Heli-Pad.Notable residents
- Jack BriscoJack BriscoFreddie Joe Brisco was an American professional wrestler, better known as Jack Brisco or Uvalde Slim. He performed for various territories of the National Wrestling Alliance , becoming a two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time NWA Tag Team Champion with his brother Gerald Brisco...
, professional wrestler; former National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
World Heavyweight Champion - Jerry Brisco, professional wrestler and longtime employee of World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. - Stephen Aloysius LevenStephen Aloysius LevenStephen Aloysius Leven was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Angelo from 1969 to 1979.-Biography:...
- Brad PennyBrad PennyBradley Wayne "Brad" Penny is a Major League starting pitcher. Penny has spent portions of his career with the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers....