Blanchard, Oklahoma

The center of Blanchard is situated in Township 8 North, Range 4 West, Section 30 in northwestern McClain County. Named after William G. "Bill" Blanchard,{{cite web |url=http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=BL010| title=Oklahoma Encyclopedia of History and Culture - Blanchard |access-date=2011-03-04 |last=Rex| first=Joyce A.}} the community was organized originally by the Canadian Valley Construction Company, which also planned to build a railroad. However, the company went into bankruptcy, and the railroad came under the control of the Oklahoma Central Railroad which also experienced financial problems. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway took over and completed the line.

The townsite was established by three lot sales beginning with the Canadian Valley Construction Company sale on September 19, 1906. The second sale was held on July 18, 1907, and final lots were sold on March 25, 1908, by the Blanchard Townsite Company. Within a year the town was described as having forty business establishments, including a state and a national bank, four blacksmith shops, three livery barns, two grain elevators, and a weekly newspaper.

Several incorporation dates are reported in various publications about the history of Blanchard, and the town offices as well. The most reliable source seems to be the Blanchard Record of October 25, 1907, which reported, "That Blanchard is now an incorporated town is realized by but a few of our citizens. The petition praying for incorporation was favorably acted upon at the [federal] courts at Chickasha {{sic}} last week. On or about November 19 notice of an election of officers will be given. In the meantime, candidates will be chosen."{{efn|According to the Norman Transcript, when Blanchard celebrated its centennial, it offered Blanchard Centennial Collector's Belt Buckles for sale as souvenirs.[https://www.normantranscript.com/news/local_news/blanchard-to-celebrate-its-centennial/article_5f27505f-2202-5221-9307-4d2db2b1b923.html "Blanchard to celebrate its centennial." Norman Transcript. October 15, 2007.] Accessed November 7, 2019. The backs of the buckles were inscribed: "Blanchard was included in the new state of Oklahoma on November 17, 1907. W.G. Blanchard platted the town around the new railroad. The first train ran through on July 4, 1907, and the first building was the Santa Fe Depot. Cotton and corn were the two main crops."}}

A population of 629 was reported by 1910, and 1,040 in 1930. The Blanchard post office charter was granted by the Post Office Department on December 19, 1906. Mail had previously been received at Womack. When Arthur H. "Art" and Bill Blanchard moved their store from Womack to the new townsite in 1906, they took the post office with them.

In 1909, the Northern District Court was established whereby McClain County was divided into two sections for legal matters for the convenience of the citizens. A courthouse was built in Blanchard, and the first case began on December 13, 1909. The district was disestablished in the late 1920s and combined with District One in Purcell, the county seat. At the turn of the 21st-century legal records could be found at Blanchard.

Blanchard is located in northwestern McClain County. The city limits extend west into Grady County. It is bordered to the north and east by the city of Newcastle and to the southeast by the town of Cole.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Blanchard has a total area of {{convert|30.56|sqmi|2}}, of which {{convert|30.44|sqmi|2}} are land and {{convert|0.11|sqmi|2}}, or 0.36%, are water.

Highways include U.S. Route 62, U.S. Route 277, and Oklahoma State Highway 76. Chickasha is {{convert|18|mi}} to the southwest, and Oklahoma City is {{convert|27|mi}} to the north.

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Blanchard, Oklahoma (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1952–2021)

| Jan record high F = 81

| Feb record high F = 91

| Mar record high F = 95

| Apr record high F = 100

| May record high F = 102

| Jun record high F = 107

| Jul record high F = 112

| Aug record high F = 112

| Sep record high F = 110

| Oct record high F = 100

| Nov record high F = 85

| Dec record high F = 85

| year record high F =

| Jan high F = 52.5

| Feb high F = 56.8

| Mar high F = 65.7

| Apr high F = 74.1

| May high F = 81.2

| Jun high F = 89.2

| Jul high F = 95.1

| Aug high F = 94.8

| Sep high F = 86.7

| Oct high F = 76.0

| Nov high F = 63.6

| Dec high F = 53.2

| year high F = 74.1

| Jan mean F = 39.7

| Feb mean F = 43.7

| Mar mean F = 52.3

| Apr mean F = 60.7

| May mean F = 69.3

| Jun mean F = 77.6

| Jul mean F = 82.8

| Aug mean F = 81.9

| Sep mean F = 74.0

| Oct mean F = 62.6

| Nov mean F = 50.8

| Dec mean F = 41.5

| year mean F = 61.4

| Jan low F = 27.0

| Feb low F = 30.5

| Mar low F = 38.8

| Apr low F = 47.3

| May low F = 57.4

| Jun low F = 66.1

| Jul low F = 70.4

| Aug low F = 69.0

| Sep low F = 61.4

| Oct low F = 49.3

| Nov low F = 38.0

| Dec low F = 29.8

| year low F = 48.7

| Jan record low F = -6

| Feb record low F = -14

| Mar record low F = 4

| Apr record low F = 19

| May record low F = 33

| Jun record low F = 44

| Jul record low F = 53

| Aug record low F = 50

| Sep record low F = 36

| Oct record low F = 18

| Nov record low F = 10

| Dec record low F = -11

| year record low F =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 1.45

| Feb precipitation inch = 1.60

| Mar precipitation inch = 2.66

| Apr precipitation inch = 3.62

| May precipitation inch = 5.30

| Jun precipitation inch = 4.18

| Jul precipitation inch = 3.15

| Aug precipitation inch = 3.25

| Sep precipitation inch = 3.63

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.27

| Nov precipitation inch = 2.12

| Dec precipitation inch = 2.08

| year precipitation inch = 36.31

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 4.6

| Feb precipitation days = 5.2

| Mar precipitation days = 5.9

| Apr precipitation days = 7.2

| May precipitation days = 8.9

| Jun precipitation days = 7.2

| Jul precipitation days = 5.4

| Aug precipitation days = 5.9

| Sep precipitation days = 6.5

| Oct precipitation days = 6.2

| Nov precipitation days = 5.2

| Dec precipitation days = 5.2

| year precipitation days = 73.4

| Jan snow inch = 2.0

| Feb snow inch = 0.7

| Mar snow inch = 0.5

| Apr snow inch = 0.0

| May snow inch = 0.0

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.0

| Oct snow inch = 0.0

| Nov snow inch = 0.5

| Dec snow inch = 2.5

| year snow inch = 6.2

| unit snow days = 0.1 in

| Jan snow days = 1.3

| Feb snow days = 0.5

| Mar snow days = 0.4

| Apr snow days = 0.0

| May snow days = 0.0

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.0

| Oct snow days = 0.0

| Nov snow days = 0.3

| Dec snow days = 1.4

| year snow days = 3.9

| source = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=oun

|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = December 15, 2023}}{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00340830&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = December 15, 2023}}

}}

{{US Census population

| 1910 = 629

| 1920 = 842

| 1930 = 1040

| 1940 = 1139

| 1950 = 1311

| 1960 = 1377

| 1970 = 1580

| 1980 = 1688

| 1990 = 1922

| 2000 = 2816

| 2010 = 7670

| 2020 = 8879

| estyear = 2023

| estimate = 9663

| estref = {{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/blanchardcityoklahoma/PST045223|title=QuickFacts: Blanchard city, Oklahoma|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 29, 2024}}

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}{{failed verification|reason=No mention of Blanchard at the given link|date=September 2022}}

}}

{{update|section|date=September 2022|reason=Newer information is available from the 2010 and 2020 census reports}}

As of the 2020 census (and [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/technical-documentation/table-and-geography-changes/2021/1-year.html 2021 estimates]),{{Cite web |date=2023-03-14 |title=Blanchard city, Oklahoma |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Blanchard_city,_Oklahoma?g=1600000US4006700 |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=United States Census Bureau}} there were 8,879 people. The population density was 291.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 86.1% White, 2.1% African American, 4.5% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 6.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.5% of the population. 1.8% of the population speaks a language other than English. There was 3403 households, the average household size was 2.82. 83.5% of households were occupied by their owners. 32.4% of the homes are worth between $200,000 to $299,999.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 60% from 18 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. 52.9% of the population is female. The Median Age is 39.8 (37.2 in Oklahoma). 37.7 of the population are not U.S. citizens. 9% of the population are veterans.

The median income for a Non-family household in the city was $51,190, families median income was $95,357, Married-couple families median income was 107,201. 6.9% of the population was below the poverty line, 11.1% under 18 years old.

Blanchard is served by four secondary schools with an average enrollment (as of 2024) of about 2240 students. The elementary school is of recent construction and houses grades Pre-K through the second. There is also an intermediate school for third thru fifth grade and a middle school for sixth through eighth grades. Brady Barnes is the Superintendent for Blanchard Public Schools.{{cite web |title=Blanchard Public Schools |url=https://www.blanchard.k12.ok.us/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |publisher=Blanchard Public Schools}}

Blanchard High School is home to "The Lions" football team (class 4A) and has won 3 football state championships 2023 (class 4A), 2012(class 3A), and 1979 (class A). The athletic program also includes baseball won back to back State Championships in 1979 and 1980, and recently adding 3 more state titles in 2015, 2019 (39-0), and 2022. Softball won a state championship in 1984 and 2009, basketball, golf, cheerleading, powerlifting, and wrestling. The school also includes a successful Marching band program.

Blanchard is served by the Blanchard Public Library, which is part of the Pioneer Library System spanning many of the suburbs of Oklahoma City.[http://www.pioneer.lib.ok.us/ Pioneer Library System] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501190948/http://www.pioneer.lib.ok.us/ |date=2013-05-01 }} (accessed May 24, 2013)

There are currently two parks in Blanchard as well as an athletic stadium and three nearby golf courses.

Annual festivals include "May Daze" in early May. Blanchard boasts one of the largest Veterans' Day Parades in Oklahoma around Veteran's Day. Blanchard built a new high school in 2011.

Blanchard has a new football stadium the Oscar Brooks Stadium. Blanchard hosts a new Fine Arts Performance Center.

As of March 2023, Blanchard is constructing a veterans park and memorial.[https://www.cityofblanchard.us/community/pages/blanchard-veterans-memorial]

Residents of Blanchard and nearby Dibble are served by the weekly newspaper The Blanchard News. The radio station KKNG-FM is licensed to Blanchard by the Federal Communications Commission, although only the transmitter is located northeast of Blanchard, while the operating offices and studios are in Oklahoma City.

• Tony K. Burris, Medal of Honor recipient
• Adele Collins (Chickasaw, 1908–1996), visual artist
• Jody Miller, country and pop singer
• Bonnie Owens, country singer

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.cityofblanchard.us/ City of Blanchard official website]
• [http://www.blanchardchamber.com/ Blanchard Chamber of Commerce]
• [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=BL010 Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Blanchard]

{{Grady County, Oklahoma}}

{{McClain County, Oklahoma}}

{{Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Oklahoma City metropolitan area

Category:Cities in McClain County, Oklahoma

Category:Cities in Grady County, Oklahoma

Category:Cities in Oklahoma

Category:Populated places established in 1907