Dewey County, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
 Dewey County Courthouse | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOklahoma | |
| Coordinates:35°59′N99°00′W / 35.99°N 99°W /35.99; -99 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oklahoma |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Named after | George Dewey |
| Seat | Taloga |
| Largest city | Seiling |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,008 sq mi (2,610 km2) |
| • Land | 999 sq mi (2,590 km2) |
| • Water | 8.8 sq mi (23 km2) 0.9% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 4,484 |
| • Density | 4.49/sq mi (1.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Dewey County is acounty in the western part of theU.S. state ofOklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,484.[1] Itscounty seat isTaloga.[2] The county was created in 1891 as "County D".[3] In an 1898 election, county voters chose the name Dewey,[4] honoring AdmiralGeorge Dewey.[5]
Lands assigned to the Choctaw and Seminole tribes extended into the area now occupied by Dewey County. Under the Reconstruction Treaties of 1866 the Choctaw and Chickasaw ceded their western domain to the United States. Known as the Leased District, part of the area became the Cheyenne and Arapaho reservation.[6]
Dewey County was created inOklahoma Territory in 1891 and was opened to non-Indian settlement on April 19, 1892. It was then named as County D by an act of Congress, and did not receive its present name until a general election in 1898. A wooden structure in Taloga was used as the county courthouse from 1909 until 1926, when the present courthouse was built.[6]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,008 square miles (2,610 km2), of which 999 square miles (2,590 km2) is land and 8.8 square miles (23 km2) (0.9%) is water.[7]
Most of the county is in the Gypsum Hills physiographic region, except that the western one-fourth of the county is in the High Plains region. It is drained by theCanadian andNorth Canadian Rivers.Canton Lake, built on the Canadian River in 1966, is the only significant lake or reservoir in the county.[6]
U.S. Highway 60
U.S. Highway 183
U.S. Highway 270
U.S. Highway 281
State Highway 34
State Highway 51| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 8,819 | — | |
| 1910 | 14,132 | 60.2% | |
| 1920 | 12,434 | −12.0% | |
| 1930 | 13,250 | 6.6% | |
| 1940 | 11,981 | −9.6% | |
| 1950 | 8,789 | −26.6% | |
| 1960 | 6,051 | −31.2% | |
| 1970 | 5,656 | −6.5% | |
| 1980 | 5,922 | 4.7% | |
| 1990 | 5,551 | −6.3% | |
| 2000 | 4,743 | −14.6% | |
| 2010 | 4,810 | 1.4% | |
| 2020 | 4,484 | −6.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010[12] | |||
As of the2020 United States census, the county had a population of 4,484. Of the residents, 25.6% were under the age of 18 and 20.7% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.8 males.[13][14]
The racial makeup of the county was 85.3% White, 0.2%Black or African American, 6.0%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Asian, 1.3% from some other race, and 7.0% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.8% of the population.[14]
There were 1,736 households in the county, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 2,176 housing units, of which 20.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.8% were owner-occupied and 22.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.7%.[13]
As of thecensus[15] of 2000, there were 4,743 people, 1,962 households, and 1,336 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km2). There were 2,425 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.16%White, 0.13%Black orAfrican American, 4.64%Native American, 0.06%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.72% fromother races, and 2.28% from two or more races. 2.68% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 1,962 households, out of which 26.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% weremarried couples living together, 5.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.90% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,172, and the median income for a family was $36,114. Males had a median income of $26,675 versus $18,548 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,806. About 11.40% of families and 15.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.60% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023[16] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 497 | 16.40% | |||
| Republican | 2,235 | 73.74% | |||
| Others | 299 | 9.86% | |||
| Total | 3,031 | 100% | |||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1908 | 1,210 | 43.53% | 1,075 | 38.67% | 495 | 17.81% |
| 1912 | 1,086 | 36.78% | 1,075 | 36.40% | 792 | 26.82% |
| 1916 | 796 | 29.36% | 992 | 36.59% | 923 | 34.05% |
| 1920 | 1,738 | 51.76% | 995 | 29.63% | 625 | 18.61% |
| 1924 | 1,539 | 44.43% | 1,126 | 32.51% | 799 | 23.07% |
| 1928 | 2,486 | 65.35% | 1,175 | 30.89% | 143 | 3.76% |
| 1932 | 1,051 | 21.42% | 3,855 | 78.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1,846 | 37.96% | 2,980 | 61.28% | 37 | 0.76% |
| 1940 | 2,613 | 51.87% | 2,391 | 47.46% | 34 | 0.67% |
| 1944 | 2,166 | 54.33% | 1,808 | 45.35% | 13 | 0.33% |
| 1948 | 1,494 | 42.17% | 2,049 | 57.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 2,583 | 66.85% | 1,281 | 33.15% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,896 | 56.70% | 1,448 | 43.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,115 | 66.16% | 1,082 | 33.84% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,438 | 47.07% | 1,617 | 52.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,508 | 53.46% | 773 | 27.40% | 540 | 19.14% |
| 1972 | 2,106 | 74.79% | 626 | 22.23% | 84 | 2.98% |
| 1976 | 1,230 | 43.54% | 1,540 | 54.51% | 55 | 1.95% |
| 1980 | 1,943 | 67.56% | 826 | 28.72% | 107 | 3.72% |
| 1984 | 2,098 | 75.55% | 664 | 23.91% | 15 | 0.54% |
| 1988 | 1,543 | 60.49% | 963 | 37.75% | 45 | 1.76% |
| 1992 | 1,244 | 44.72% | 845 | 30.37% | 693 | 24.91% |
| 1996 | 1,179 | 51.24% | 816 | 35.46% | 306 | 13.30% |
| 2000 | 1,607 | 72.39% | 599 | 26.98% | 14 | 0.63% |
| 2004 | 1,843 | 81.87% | 408 | 18.13% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2008 | 1,857 | 84.29% | 346 | 15.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2012 | 1,792 | 85.62% | 301 | 14.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2016 | 1,965 | 87.41% | 222 | 9.88% | 61 | 2.71% |
| 2020 | 2,124 | 90.04% | 214 | 9.07% | 21 | 0.89% |
| 2024 | 1,984 | 89.57% | 209 | 9.44% | 22 | 0.99% |
The county economy has centered on agriculture since it began to be settled. Principal crops have included corn, cotton, wheat, broomcorn,Kaffir corn, and oats. Truck farmers in the eastern part of the county grew tomatoes, watermelons, apples, blackberries, and other small fruits. Livestock (cattle, horses, mules, sheep and goats) raising had become important by the 1930s. These products were still economically important by the turn of the 21st century.[6]
Mineral extraction included oil and gas production (mainly in the 1940s and 1950s),bentonite, gypsum, clay and sand. In 2000, Dewey County had only two manufacturing businesses that employed more than ten people.[6]
School districts include:[18]
Places adjacent to Dewey County, Oklahoma | |
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Municipalities and communities ofDewey County, Oklahoma,United States | ||
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