Elk City, Oklahoma Elk City, Oklahoma City Elk City is a town/city in Beckham County, Oklahoma, United States.
The populace was 11,693 at the 2010 census, and the populace was estimated at 12,717 in 2015. Elk City is positioned on Interstate 40 and Historic U.S.
Route 66 in Oklahoma, approximately 110 miles (180 km) west of Oklahoma City and 150 miles (240 km) east of Amarillo, Texas.
The Spanish conquistador was traveling northeast athwart the prairie in search of a place called Quivira, a town/city said to be fabulously wealthy with gold.
Because Coronado's route athwart the plains is speculative, it is quite possible that the expedition passed through present-day Elk City or the close-by area.
Elk City's history dates back to the days immediately following the opening of the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation in Oklahoma Territory on April 19, 1892, when the first white pioneer made their appearance.
Prior to this time, many early ranchers had driven cattle over the Great Western Cattle Trail from Texas to Dodge City, Kansas, the present townsite of Elk City being in the direct path of that famous trail.
The creation of Elk City was an idea conceived by territory promoters from Weatherford, Oklahoma, when they learned that the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (CO & G) was coming to the region (in 1898, the CO & G Railroad instead of its route to Weatherford; beginning in 1901, it continued building west).
These men with great foresight determined that the region at the origin of Elk Creek would be an ideal locale for a town, so they came to the region to purchase lands from the homesteaders who had claims along the barns .
Probably the most meaningful day in Elk City's history is March 20, 1901, the date the first lots were sold by the Choctaw Townsite and Development Company.
By this time, hundreds of prospective purchasers had assembled a tent city.
There is some confusion about how Elk City got its name.
Elk City was so titled because it is positioned at the head of Elk Creek, which in turn was titled by U.S.
Continuing, he wrote, "From the circumstance of having seen elk tracks upon the stream we passed in our march today, I have called it 'Elk Creek'.
Even though the town of Elk City has had only one name, its early pioneer were served by a postal service titled Crowe, and later, one titled Busch.
Consequently, on many early maps of Oklahoma Territory the names of "Crowe" or "Busch" are seen freshwater "Elk City".
Finally, on July 20, 1907, shortly before statehood, the Busch Post Office had its name officially changed to Elk City Post Office.
On August 13, 1901, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (purchased in 1904 by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad in 1904) laid its last rail on the so-called "Choctaw Route", bringing rail access to Elk City.
The first regular train service commenced seven days later on August 20, and town/city folk rejoiced, predicting that the dugouts, claim shacks, and prairie stables would soon disappear and be replaced by handsome residences, commodious barns, and granaries.
Kemp properties, reached from Wichita Falls, Texas, into the wheat-growing region of Oklahoma.
The route through Elk City was abandoned in 1973, as Altus became the new northern end of the barns , which was combined in 1923 by the Missouri Kansas Texas Railroad.
By January 1902, Elk City had more than sixty businesses and a populace exceeding 1,000. Paving the streets with bricks also began in 1902. Although not yet a year old, the town had turn into one of the biggest in Oklahoma.
Even with two devastating fires (one on October 28, 1903, which finished more than a dozen businesses, and the other in March 1906 which burned sixteen businesses to the ground), Elk City continued to expanded into a primary transportation and commercial hub, and by statehood in 1907, the populace had more than tripled to 3,000 citizens .
Elk City is positioned in northeastern Beckham County at 35 24 10 N 99 25 26 W (35.402694, -99.423812), altitude 1,928 feet (588 m).
According to the United States Enumeration Bureau, the town/city has a total region of 16.4 square miles (42.5 km2), of which 16.2 square miles (41.9 km2) is territory and 0.23 square miles (0.6 km2), or 1.37%, is water. Elk City experiences a humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa) with cool, dry winters and hot, much wetter summers.
Climate data for Elk City, Oklahoma The ethnic makeup of the town/city was 88.95% White, 3.06% African American, 3.02% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.25% from other competitions, and 2.15% from two or more competitions.
In the city, the populace was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median income for a homehold in the town/city was $28,268, and the median income for a family was $35,383.
The per capita income for the town/city was $15,654.
Today, Elk City is the principal center of trade for Western Oklahoma and part of the Texas Panhandle, with a 60-mile (97 km) trade radius that serves more than 50,000 citizens .
Petroleum, agriculture, wind energy, transportation, tourism, manufacturing, and healthcare all contribute to Elk City's economy.
Since the 2000 census, Elk City has had a nearly 3% expansion in jobs.
Over the next decade, the number of jobs available in Elk City is expected to skyrocket by about 42%. Since Elk City lies in a rich petroleum and natural-gas region on the shelf of Oklahoma's Anadarko Basin, the oil trade is the heart of the city's economy.
Because of this, the town/city is the self-proclaimed "Natural Gas Capital of the World", complete with Parker Drilling Rig #114, positioned downtown.
The rig dominates the Elk City skyline, and at 180 feet (55 m) in height, is the world's tallest, non-operating petroleum rig. Elk City has appreciateed momentous growth due to the opening and locale of petroleum field services and drilling companies in the city.
Nevertheless, Elk City still serves as a vital retail center for farmers and ranchers in the area.
In early 2009, Acciona Energy commissioned the first small-town wind farm, the Red Hills Wind Farm, positioned approximately 8 miles (13 km) north of Elk City.
Transportation has played an meaningful part in Elk City's economy throughout its history, beginning with the building of the famed U.S.
Route 66 through the heart of the town/city in the early 1930s.
Today, Interstate 40 serves the city, with 60,000 consumers traveling through Elk City each day, and joins with Oklahoma City to the east and Amarillo, Texas, to the west.
The town/city is also served by Oklahoma State Highway 6, which joins Elk City with Altus to the south, and Oklahoma State Highway 34, connecting Elk City with Woodward to the north.
The Elk City Regional Business Airport is positioned in the northeast part of the city, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the Interstate. Route 66 runs through Elk City, a widespread exhibition complex has developed, which includes the National Route 66 Museum, the Old Town Museum, the Transportation Museum, the Farm and Ranch Museum, and the Blacksmith Museum.
Each exhibition is homed in separate buildings, which altogether depict a mockup of early Elk City, complete with general stores, bank, a barns depot and train caboose, opera home, and other buildings.
Elk City is also in close adjacency to many other attractions in Western Oklahoma, including Foss State Park, the Washita National Wildlife Refuge, Black Kettle National Grassland, the Wichita Mountains, the Antelope Hills, the Quartz Mountains, and the Washita Battlefield National Historic Site.
Great Plains Regional Medical Center is Elk City's biggest employer and serves Western Oklahoma and the easterly Texas Panhandle.
In June 2009, it was announced that a Walmart Supercenter would be constructed, bringing at least 150 jobs to the city.
Featuring 180,000-square-foot (17,000 m2) area, it is the biggest store between Amarillo and Oklahoma City.
Elk City Public Schools Elk City Public Schools and Merritt Public Schools are members of the Western Technology Center District.
As a member of the WTC district, high school juniors and seniors living in the Elk City School District and Merritt School District have the opportunity to attend classes at WTC.
Elk City Daily News Elk City features five exhibitions: the Old Town Museum, the National Route 66 Museum, the National Transportation Museum, the Farm and Ranch Museum, and the Blacksmith Museum. There also is another, the Anadarko Basin Museum of Natural History but it is presently closed due to lack of funding. a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Elk City city, Oklahoma".
"Monthly Averages for Elk City, OK".
"2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status".
"City of Elk City, Oklahoma - Pages".
"Oklahoma Oil & Gas Museums - American Oil & Gas Historical Society".
Elk City - Rising from the Prairie, Western Oklahoma Historical Society (2007) Elk City official website Elk City Chamber of Commerce Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Elk City
Categories:
Cities in Beckham County, Oklahoma - Cities in Oklahoma - Micropolitan areas of Oklahoma - Populated places established in 1901
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