Washita County, Oklahoma

In 1883, John Miles leased {{convert|3000000|acre|km2}} of Cheyenne and Arapaho land to seven cattlemen. However, arguments soon developed between the cattlemen and the tribesmen. In 1885, the Federal government terminated all of the leases and ordered the cattlemen to remove their stock.

The area was settled in 1886, when John Seger established a colony along Cobb Creek. Seger convinced 120 Cheyenne and Arapaho to settle near the old ranch headquarters at Cobb Creek. The intent was that "Seger's Colony" would teach these tribes how to farm, using modern agricultural methods. The name, Seger's Colony, would be shortened and become the present day town of Colony, Oklahoma.{{cite web|last1=Boothe|first1=Wayne|title=Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Colony|url=http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=CO031|date=2009|website=Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Colony|publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society|access-date=January 26, 2016}}

After the government declared the excess lands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian Reservation available for non-Indian settlement, the Cheyenne-Arapaho Opening was made available to homesteading on April 19, 1892, in the Land Run of 1892. At that time, the town of Tacola, soon renamed to Cloud Chief, was designated by the Secretary of the Interior as the county seat.

Washita County is located in that part of western Oklahoma which was included in County H of the Territory of Oklahoma, 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 and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma. The county itself was renamed for the Washita River. The French had called the river "Faux Ouachita", literally meaning "false Washita", to distinguish it from the ‘true’ Ouachita in Arkansas and Louisiana. The spelling of the name of the Oklahoma Washita was changed by substituting "w" for "ou".{{cite web|title=ORIGIN OF COUNTY NAMES IN OKLAHOMA, Vol. 2, No. 1, March 1924|url=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/chronicles/v002/v002p075.html|website=Oklahoma Historical Society's Chronicles of Oklahoma|publisher=Oklahoma State University|access-date=May 9, 2016|page=81}}

An election in 1900 designated the town of Cordell as the county seat. It was favored by the majority because it was located in the center of the county. The election result was contested in court. The Oklahoma Territorial Supreme Court ruled in 1904 that the seat could not be moved without Federal authorization. The U. S. Congress moved the seat to Cordell in 1906. When the Oklahoma Constitution went into effect at statehood in 1907, it confirmed Cordell (by then relocated and renamed New Cordell) as the county seat.

In 1948, the nation's first flood control dam under the authorization of the Flood Control Act of 1944 was completed in the Cloud Creek Watershed in Washita County.{{cite web |url=http://www.ok.gov/conservation/documents/Washita%2520River%2520Watershed%2520Project.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816203622/http://www.ok.gov/conservation/documents/Washita%20River%20Watershed%20Project.pdf |archive-date=August 16, 2012}}

File:Washita County, Okla.svg

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1009|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1006|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.6|sqmi}} (0.6%) is water.{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_40.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 22, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}} The county lies in the Western Redbeds Plains sub-region of the Osage Plains. The Washita River drains most of the county, except that the southwest corner drains into the North Fork of the Red River

• Custer County - north
• Caddo County - east
• Kiowa County - south
• Beckham County - west

{{US Census population

|1910= 25034

|1920= 22237

|1930= 29435

|1940= 22279

|1950= 17657

|1960= 18121

|1970= 12141

|1980= 13798

|1990= 11441

|2000= 11508

|2010= 11629

|2020= 10924

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 22, 2015}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=February 22, 2015}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ok190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=February 22, 2015}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=February 22, 2015}} 2010{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/40/40149.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 13, 2013|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905061858/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/40/40149.html|url-status=dead}}

}}

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,629 people, 4,599 households, and 3,186 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|11.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 5,479 housing units at an average density of {{convert|5.4|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units }}.{{cite web|title=General Housing Characteristics: 2010 - United States – County by State; and for Puerto Rico|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_GCTH2.US05PR&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212210153/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_GCTH2.US05PR&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=October 18, 2013}} The racial makeup of the county was 95.8% white, 0.7% black or African American, 3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, less than 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Eight percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Ninety-six percent spoke only English and 3.3% spoke Spanish.

There were 4,599 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5% had a male household with no wife present, and 30.7% were non-families. Individuals living alone accounted for 27.1% of households, and individuals 65 years of age or older living alone accounted for 13% of households. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,331, and the median income for a family was $56,619. Males had a median income of $42,149 versus $31,402 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,781. About 12% of families and 16% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Prior to 1952, Washita County was dominated by the Democratic Party as part of the Solid South. However, it backed the national winner in every presidential election from 1928 to 1992 except for 1956 and 1960. It last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 1992.

{{PresHead|place=Washita County, Oklahoma|source={{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 30, 2018}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,030|551|71|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,086|598|93|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,854|588|189|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,494|822|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,724|1,052|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,705|1,340|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,850|1,564|54|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,994|1,913|768|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,912|1,929|1,498|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,402|2,290|53|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,847|1,547|36|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,206|2,044|123|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,165|3,304|62|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,578|1,305|125|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,592|1,771|858|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,147|3,339|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,209|2,414|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|2,552|3,191|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,914|3,177|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,637|4,326|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|2,706|3,524|18|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|2,978|4,256|11|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,792|5,205|32|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|887|6,049|0|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|3,572|2,024|49|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,357|2,325|372|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|2,070|2,125|320|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|958|2,107|719|Oklahoma}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,100|1,665|767|Oklahoma}}

{{PresFoot|1908|Democratic|1,118|1,867|421|Oklahoma}}

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Clinton (part)
• New Cordell (county seat)

{{div col end}}

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Bessie
• Burns Flat
• Canute
• Colony
• Corn
• Dill City
• Foss
• Rocky
• Sentinel

{{div col end}}

• Cloud Chief
• Port

School districts include:{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40149_washita/DC20SD_C40149.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Washita County, OK|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-10-13}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40149_washita/DC20SD_C40149_SD2MS.txt Text list]

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Burns Flat-Dill City Schools
• Canute Public Schools
• Carnegie Public Schools
• Clinton Public Schools
• Cordell Public Schools
• Elk City Public Schools
• Hydro-Eakly Public Schools
• Merritt Public Schools
• Mountain View-Gotebo Schools
• Sentinel Public Schools
• Weatherford Public Schools

{{div col end}}

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washita County, Oklahoma

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Washita County, Oklahoma

|North = Custer County

|Northeast =

|East = Caddo County

|Southeast =

|South = Kiowa County

|Southwest =

|West = Beckham County

|Northwest =

}}

{{Washita County, Oklahoma}}

{{Oklahoma}}

{{coord|35.29|-98.99|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-OK_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1891 establishments in Oklahoma Territory

Category:Populated places established in 1891