Beaver County, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
 Rural Beaver County (2011) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOklahoma | |
 Oklahoma's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:36°45′N100°29′W / 36.75°N 100.48°W /36.75; -100.48 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oklahoma |
| Founded | 1890 |
| Seat | Beaver |
| Largest town | Beaver |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,818 sq mi (4,710 km2) |
| • Land | 1,815 sq mi (4,700 km2) |
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km2) 0.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,049 |
| • Density | 3.1/sq mi (1.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | beaver |
Beaver County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofOklahoma. As of the2020 census, the population was 5,049.[1] Thecounty seat isBeaver.[2] The name was given because of the presence of manybeaver dams on theBeaver River, which runs through the area.[3] It is located in theOklahoma Panhandle.
The land where Beaver County is located has been under several jurisdictions. At one time, it was part ofMexico and thenTexas before Texas became a state of the United States. Then in theCompromise of 1850, Texas ceded the land that would eventually become the Oklahoma panhandle to the United States government.[4] The area was known as "No Man's Land" because it belonged to no state or territorial government.[4] From 1886 to 1890, it was a separate organized territory known asCimarron Territory.[5] After becoming part of theOklahoma Territory in 1890, Beaver County (first called Seventh County) covered the entireOklahoma Panhandle.[5] Atstatehood in 1907, Cimarron County was taken from the western one-third, whileTexas County was taken from the middle, leaving Beaver County only in the east.[4] Its borders are now at 100°W (east), 37°N (north), 36.5°N (south), and approximately 100.8°W (west).
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,818 square miles (4,710 km2), of which 1,815 square miles (4,700 km2) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6] It is the fifth-largest county in Oklahoma by area.
Just north of the town of Beaver is theBeaver Dunes Park.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 3,051 | — | |
| 1910 | 13,631 | 346.8% | |
| 1920 | 14,048 | 3.1% | |
| 1930 | 11,452 | −18.5% | |
| 1940 | 8,648 | −24.5% | |
| 1950 | 7,411 | −14.3% | |
| 1960 | 6,965 | −6.0% | |
| 1970 | 6,282 | −9.8% | |
| 1980 | 6,806 | 8.3% | |
| 1990 | 6,023 | −11.5% | |
| 2000 | 5,857 | −2.8% | |
| 2010 | 5,636 | −3.8% | |
| 2020 | 5,049 | −10.4% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 5,025 | [7] | −0.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010[12] | |||
As of the 2020census, the county had a population of 5,049. Of the residents, 25.8% were under the age of 18 and 21.0% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.4 males.[13][14]
The racial makeup of the county was 75.5%White, 0.1%Black or African American, 0.9%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Asian, 15.8% from some other race, and 7.3% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 25.8% of the population.[14]
There were 1,962 households in the county, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 18.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 2,460 housing units, of which 20.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.4% were owner-occupied and 22.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 20.1%.[13]
As of the 2010census, there were a total of 5,636 people, 2,192 households, and 1,614 families in the county.[15] Thepopulation density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km2). There were 2,719 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.71%White, 0.29%Black orAfrican American, 1.25%Native American, 0.10%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 3.76% fromother races, and 1.86% from two or more races. 10.76% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 2,245 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.30% weremarried couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.00% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.80% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,715, and the median income for a family was $41,542. Males had a median income of $31,013 versus $20,162 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,905. About 8.80% of families and 11.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.80% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of May 31, 2023[16] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 312 | 10.24% | |||
| Republican | 2,370 | 77.80% | |||
| Others | 364 | 11.95% | |||
| Total | 3,046 | 100% | |||
Although at one time competitive, Beaver has become strongly Republican in presidential elections. The last Democratic candidate to win the county wasHarry Truman in 1948.[17] In every election since 2000, the Republican presidential candidate has received over 85% of the county's vote.
It is part ofOklahoma's 3rd congressional district and as such is represented byFrank Lucas. In theOklahoma Senate it is part of the 27th district and is represented by Republican Casey Murdock. In theOklahoma House of Representatives it is part of the 61st district and is represented by Republican Kenton Patzkowsky.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1908 | 1,362 | 48.89% | 1,212 | 43.50% | 212 | 7.61% |
| 1912 | 1,070 | 42.75% | 926 | 37.00% | 507 | 20.26% |
| 1916 | 913 | 32.91% | 1,382 | 49.82% | 479 | 17.27% |
| 1920 | 1,973 | 59.99% | 1,076 | 32.72% | 240 | 7.30% |
| 1924 | 1,565 | 49.42% | 1,195 | 37.73% | 407 | 12.85% |
| 1928 | 2,596 | 73.67% | 887 | 25.17% | 41 | 1.16% |
| 1932 | 1,358 | 34.72% | 2,553 | 65.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1,340 | 34.69% | 2,502 | 64.77% | 21 | 0.54% |
| 1940 | 2,219 | 51.82% | 2,034 | 47.50% | 29 | 0.68% |
| 1944 | 1,913 | 58.06% | 1,355 | 41.12% | 27 | 0.82% |
| 1948 | 1,420 | 47.08% | 1,596 | 52.92% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,539 | 75.61% | 819 | 24.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 2,046 | 68.38% | 946 | 31.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,442 | 73.36% | 887 | 26.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,982 | 56.79% | 1,508 | 43.21% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,114 | 68.70% | 624 | 20.28% | 339 | 11.02% |
| 1972 | 2,562 | 80.41% | 522 | 16.38% | 102 | 3.20% |
| 1976 | 1,801 | 58.84% | 1,213 | 39.63% | 47 | 1.54% |
| 1980 | 2,430 | 75.51% | 696 | 21.63% | 92 | 2.86% |
| 1984 | 2,689 | 82.69% | 536 | 16.48% | 27 | 0.83% |
| 1988 | 2,013 | 71.03% | 777 | 27.42% | 44 | 1.55% |
| 1992 | 1,699 | 59.61% | 580 | 20.35% | 571 | 20.04% |
| 1996 | 1,893 | 72.50% | 515 | 19.72% | 203 | 7.77% |
| 2000 | 2,092 | 85.18% | 339 | 13.80% | 25 | 1.02% |
| 2004 | 2,272 | 88.44% | 297 | 11.56% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2008 | 2,199 | 89.25% | 265 | 10.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2012 | 2,062 | 89.42% | 244 | 10.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2016 | 1,993 | 88.85% | 176 | 7.85% | 74 | 3.30% |
| 2020 | 1,968 | 90.36% | 190 | 8.72% | 20 | 0.92% |
| 2024 | 1,938 | 91.24% | 158 | 7.44% | 28 | 1.32% |
Beaver County's economy has largely been based on agriculture since the turn of the 20th century. At first, the major crop wasbroomcorn, but that was overtaken by wheat in the 1920s. Railroads connected the county to agricultural markets and stimulated an influx of new farmers. Beginning in 1912, theWichita Falls and Northwestern Railway built a line from Woodward through Gate to Forgan. TheBeaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad completed a spur in 1915 from Beaver to Forgan, which was extended westward in 1925–1927 to Hooker. New towns arose along the rail lines or old ones relocated along them.[5]
The 17,700 acres (7,200 ha)Beaver River WMA provides wildlife, hunting, fishing, boating, and swimming recreation.
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Meridian Cemetery is a cemetery that is located at36°46′1.7″N100°00′26.9″W / 36.767139°N 100.007472°W /36.767139; -100.007472 in Beaver County. There are many unmarked graves and many lost graves.[18]
Originally known as Cline Cemetery, established sometime in 1893 or 1894, named after the City ofCline, which is now a ghost town, was sold to Meridian Cemetery Association in 1908. It was land originally owned by Phillip Huret, Jr. and consists of two acres of land. In 1908, it was sold for $150 to the Meridian Cemetery Association.[19]
The following sites in Beaver County are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places:
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School districts:[20]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Places adjacent to Beaver County, Oklahoma | |
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Municipalities and communities ofBeaver County, Oklahoma,United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
