Blaine County, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Blaine County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Oklahoma
. As of 2000, the population is 11,976. Its county seat
is Watonga
. Blaine County is the birthplace of voice actor Clarence Nash
, the voice of Donald Duck
.
Part of the Cheyenne-Arapaho land opening in 1892, the county had gained rail lines by the early 1900s and highways by the 1930s. The county was named for James Blaine, a U.S. Congressional leader.
. It was designated as county "C" beginning in 1890 before the land run. The area was settled by Creek and Seminole
, who the federal government relocated to the area in the 1820s and 1830s. The Cheyenne
and Arapaho
tribes were relocated to the area from Colorado
in 1869, after the Reconstruction Treaties of 1866 had taken the land back from the Creek and Seminole
.
The land run was held after giving members of the tribe allotments of 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) each.
A post office established in the county seat of Watonga, Oklahoma
the same year as the land run. The Enid and Anadarko Railway and the Blackwell, Enid and Southwester Railroad both ran lines through the countyfrom 1901 to 1903. The Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railroad The Blaine County Courthouse
was built in 1906.
The town of Geary, which also received a post office in the same year as the land run, became an agricultural trade center in the county and had a population of 2,561 by 1902. The town was home to "the oldest bank in Blaine County." Okeene was also established in the year of the land run and was surrounded by farmers of German descent.
The county's population was 17,227 in 1907 and rose to 17,960 in 1910. It had declined to 15,875 by 1920.
The U.S. highway system reached Oklahoma in 1926. U.S. Highways 270 and 281 were constructed through Blaine County. The county was also served by the Postal Highway as early as 1912; it later became part of U.S. Highway 66.
The county's population peaked at 20,452 in 1930. New Deal
programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps employed county residents and built Roman Nose State Park
, which opened in 1937.
By the 21st century, the county had a population of 11,976.
.
, the county has a total area of 939 square miles (2,432 km²), of which 928 square miles (2,403.5 km²) is land and 10 square miles (25.9 km²) (1.11%) is water. The northeastern half of the county is located on the western edge of the Red Bed Plains while the southwestern half lies in the Gypsum Hills. The North Canadian River runs through the county from northwest to southeast.
The county includes the largest lake in western Oklahoma, Canton Lake
.
The county seat of Watonga
hosts an annual cheese festival in October, celebrating the city's cheese factory.
Lying in the Cimarron Valley, Okeene
's economy has been based in agriculture, primarily wheat and hay. Major manufacturing businesses are the Okeene Milling Company, Seaboard Farms, and Mountain Country Foods, a manufacturer of pet food. The Okeene Municipal Hospital and Clinic is one of the primary medical centers of northwest Oklahoma.
of 2000, there were 11,976 people, 4,159 households, and 2,865 families residing in the county, nearly half of them located in the county seat of Watonga
. The population density
of the county was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 5,208 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.29 percent white
, 8.70 percent Native American
, 6.65 percent black
or African American
, 0.71 percent Asian
, 0.81 percent Pacific Islander
, 2.86 percent from other races
, and 3.97 percent from two or more races. Hispanic
or Latino
individuals of any race made up 6.62 percent of the population.
There were 4,159 households out of which 30.80 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them. Slightly more than half (56.20 percent) were married couples
living together, nearly a third (29 percent) were made up of individuals, 15.5 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years or age or older, and 8.6 percent were run by a female with no husband present. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
The median age of the county in 2000 was 38 years, with almost a third (28.6 percent) of the population aged 25 to 44. Individuals under the age of 18 made up 24 percent of the population, individuals age 45 to 64 made up 21.4 percent of the population, individuals age 65 or older made up 16.8 percent of the population, and individuals between the ages of 18 to 24 made up 9.1 percent of the population. There were slightly more males than females, with 119.3 males for every 100 females and 125 adult males (18 or older) for every 100 female adults.
The median income for a household in the county in 2000 was $28,356, and the median income for a family was $34,565. Males had a median income of $26,284 versus $18,619 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $13,546. About 12.8 percent of families and 16.9 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2 percent of those under age 18 and 13.2 percent of those age 65 or over.
:
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. As of 2000, the population is 11,976. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Watonga
Watonga, Oklahoma
Watonga is a city in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,658 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blaine County.-Early History:...
. Blaine County is the birthplace of voice actor Clarence Nash
Clarence Nash
Clarence Charles "Ducky" Nash was an American voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Donald Duck for the Walt Disney Studios...
, the voice of Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
.
Part of the Cheyenne-Arapaho land opening in 1892, the county had gained rail lines by the early 1900s and highways by the 1930s. The county was named for James Blaine, a U.S. Congressional leader.
History
Blaine County was one of several counties created by the Land Run of 1892Land Run of 1892
The Land Run of 1892 was the opening of the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation to settlement in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. One of seven in Oklahoma, it occurred on April 19, 1892, and opened up land that would become Blaine, Custer, Dewey, Washita, and Rogers Mills counties...
. It was designated as county "C" beginning in 1890 before the land run. The area was settled by Creek and Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
, who the federal government relocated to the area in the 1820s and 1830s. The Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
and Arapaho
Arapaho
The Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre, whose people are seen as an early...
tribes were relocated to the area from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in 1869, after the Reconstruction Treaties of 1866 had taken the land back from the Creek and Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
.
The land run was held after giving members of the tribe allotments of 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) each.
A post office established in the county seat of Watonga, Oklahoma
Watonga, Oklahoma
Watonga is a city in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,658 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blaine County.-Early History:...
the same year as the land run. The Enid and Anadarko Railway and the Blackwell, Enid and Southwester Railroad both ran lines through the countyfrom 1901 to 1903. The Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railroad The Blaine County Courthouse
Blaine County Courthouse (Watonga, Oklahoma)
Blaine County Courthouse in Watonga, Oklahoma was built in 1906. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984....
was built in 1906.
The town of Geary, which also received a post office in the same year as the land run, became an agricultural trade center in the county and had a population of 2,561 by 1902. The town was home to "the oldest bank in Blaine County." Okeene was also established in the year of the land run and was surrounded by farmers of German descent.
The county's population was 17,227 in 1907 and rose to 17,960 in 1910. It had declined to 15,875 by 1920.
The U.S. highway system reached Oklahoma in 1926. U.S. Highways 270 and 281 were constructed through Blaine County. The county was also served by the Postal Highway as early as 1912; it later became part of U.S. Highway 66.
The county's population peaked at 20,452 in 1930. New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps employed county residents and built Roman Nose State Park
Roman Nose State Park
Roman Nose State Park is a state park located in Blaine County, north of Watonga, Oklahoma. The park opened in 1937 and was named after Chief Henry Roman Nose. Roman Nose State Park is one of the original seven Oklahoma state parks...
, which opened in 1937.
By the 21st century, the county had a population of 11,976.
Government
The county is served by seven elected county officials: a county sheriff, three county commissioners, a county clerk, a county assessor, and a county treasurer. The three commissioners each have districts with approximately equal populations based on the latest census. The county government is primarily housed in the Blaine County Courthouse in Watonga, OklahomaWatonga, Oklahoma
Watonga is a city in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,658 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blaine County.-Early History:...
.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited 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 county has a total area of 939 square miles (2,432 km²), of which 928 square miles (2,403.5 km²) is land and 10 square miles (25.9 km²) (1.11%) is water. The northeastern half of the county is located on the western edge of the Red Bed Plains while the southwestern half lies in the Gypsum Hills. The North Canadian River runs through the county from northwest to southeast.
The county includes the largest lake in western Oklahoma, Canton Lake
Canton Lake
Canton Lake is a lake in Blaine and Dewey counties in Oklahoma, near Longdale and Canton. It's about an hour away from Enid.The lake is home to several species of fish including largemouth bass, white bass, channel catfish, crappie and walleye. Canton has become the primary source of walleye eggs...
.
The county seat of Watonga
Watonga, Oklahoma
Watonga is a city in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,658 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blaine County.-Early History:...
hosts an annual cheese festival in October, celebrating the city's cheese factory.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 270/U.S. Highway 281
State Highway 3State Highway 3 (Oklahoma)State Highway 3, also abbreviated as SH-3 or OK-3, is a highway maintained by the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Traveling diagonally through Oklahoma, from the Panhandle to the far southeastern corner of the state, SH-3 is the longest state highway in the Oklahoma road system, at a total length of...
State Highway 8State Highway 8 (Oklahoma)State Highway 8, also abbreviated as SH-8 or OK-8, is a highway maintained by the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Because it runs mainly north–south, it has an even number . Highway 8 runs from U.S...
State Highway 51State Highway 51 (Oklahoma)State Highway 51, abbreviated to SH-51 or OK-51, is a major state highway in Oklahoma. It runs for 333 miles east–west across the state, running from the Texas state line to Arkansas. It is the third-longest state highway in the system.-Texas to I-35:SH-51 begins at the Texas line concurrent...
State Highway 58
Adjacent counties
- Major CountyMajor County, OklahomaMajor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 7,545. Its county seat is Fairview. Located in northwestern Oklahoma. Major County is bounded by Woods and Alfalfa counties in the north, Garfield County on the east, Kingfisher, Blaine and Dewey on...
(north) - Kingfisher CountyKingfisher County, OklahomaKingfisher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 14,384. Its county seat is Kingfisher.-History:...
(east) - Canadian CountyCanadian County, OklahomaCanadian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 115,541. Its county seat is El Reno. Canadian County is also part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area. Canadian County is named for the Canadian River.-Geography:According to the U.S...
(southeast) - Caddo CountyCaddo County, OklahomaCaddo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 30,150. Its county seat is Anadarko. It is named after the Caddo tribe who were settled here on the 1870s...
(south) - Custer CountyCuster County, OklahomaCuster County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was named in honor of General George Armstrong Custer. As of 2000, the population was 26,142. Its county seat is Arapaho.-Geography:...
(southwest) - Dewey CountyDewey County, OklahomaDewey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 4,743. Its county seat is Taloga.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
(northwest)
Economy
Southard, located in central Blaine County, is the site of one of the purest gypsum deposits in the United States and is home to The U.S. Gypsum Company, the largest industrial plant in the county.Lying in the Cimarron Valley, Okeene
Okeene, Oklahoma
Okeene is a town in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,240 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Okeene is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
's economy has been based in agriculture, primarily wheat and hay. Major manufacturing businesses are the Okeene Milling Company, Seaboard Farms, and Mountain Country Foods, a manufacturer of pet food. The Okeene Municipal Hospital and Clinic is one of the primary medical centers of northwest Oklahoma.
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 11,976 people, 4,159 households, and 2,865 families residing in the county, nearly half of them located in the county seat of Watonga
Watonga, Oklahoma
Watonga is a city in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,658 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blaine County.-Early History:...
. 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...
of the county was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 5,208 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.29 percent white
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...
, 8.70 percent Native American
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...
, 6.65 percent black
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...
or African American
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...
, 0.71 percent Asian
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...
, 0.81 percent Pacific Islander
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...
, 2.86 percent 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 3.97 percent from two or more races. Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
individuals of any race made up 6.62 percent of the population.
There were 4,159 households out of which 30.80 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them. Slightly more than half (56.20 percent) 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, nearly a third (29 percent) were made up of individuals, 15.5 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years or age or older, and 8.6 percent were run by a female with no husband present. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
The median age of the county in 2000 was 38 years, with almost a third (28.6 percent) of the population aged 25 to 44. Individuals under the age of 18 made up 24 percent of the population, individuals age 45 to 64 made up 21.4 percent of the population, individuals age 65 or older made up 16.8 percent of the population, and individuals between the ages of 18 to 24 made up 9.1 percent of the population. There were slightly more males than females, with 119.3 males for every 100 females and 125 adult males (18 or older) for every 100 female adults.
The median income for a household in the county in 2000 was $28,356, and the median income for a family was $34,565. Males had a median income of $26,284 versus $18,619 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 county was $13,546. About 12.8 percent of families and 16.9 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2 percent of those under age 18 and 13.2 percent of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
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Hitchcock, Oklahoma Hitchcock is a town in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 141 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hitchcock is located at .... Hydro, Oklahoma Hydro is a town in Caddo and Blaine counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 969 at the 2010 census.Hydro was home to Lucille Hamons, a Route 66 icon dubbed "The Mother of the Mother Road." Her motel and gas station still stand on Old Route 66 just west of Hydro... Longdale, Oklahoma Longdale is a town in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 262 at the 2010 census.Longdale School, which closed in 1991, was home to the world famous "Longdale Redmen". The Redmen were widely known throughout both hemispheres for the successful sports teams fielded throughout... |
Okeene, Oklahoma Okeene is a town in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,240 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Okeene is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.... Watonga, Oklahoma Watonga is a city in Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,658 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blaine County.-Early History:... |
Homestead, Oklahoma Homestead is a small unincorporated community in northern Blaine County, Oklahoma, United States. Platted along the Rock Island railroad line before statehood, the Homestead Post Office opened April 19, 1894. Homestead had a population of 150 residents in 1905, according the Oklahoma Territorial... |
NRHP sites
The following sites in Blaine County are 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...
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