Drumright, Oklahoma

Drumright, Oklahoma
—  City  —
Downtown Drumright
Location of Drumright, Oklahoma
Coordinates: 35°59′17″N 96°36′2″W / 35.98806°N 96.60056°W / 35.98806; -96.60056Coordinates: 35°59′17″N 96°36′2″W / 35.98806°N 96.60056°W / 35.98806; -96.60056
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Counties	Creek, Payne
Area
– Total	7.1 sq mi (18.3 km2)
– Land	7.1 sq mi (18.3 km2)
– Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	850 ft (259 m)
Population (2000)
– Total	2,905
– Density	411.8/sq mi (159.0/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
– Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	74030
Area code(s)	539/918
FIPS code	40-21750[1]
GNIS feature ID	1092205[2]

Drumright is a city in Creek and Payne counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 2,905 at the 2000 census.

History

The town sprang up nearly overnight in 1912 after wildcatter Tom Slick struck oil on the farm of Frank Wheeler, causing a rush of speculators, oilfield workers, and merchants into the area. The town was named for Aaron Drumright, a farmer and later local businessman whose farm was part of the townsite. Drumright and nearby Cushing were at the center of a large, productive oilfield in the 1910s and 1920s.

In 1919 a riot broke out in Drumright during a strike by telephone workers. The town's mayor and chief of police were locked in the town jail by rioters. The Governor of Oklahoma sent six militia units to town to restore order.

Beginning with the Depression of the 1930s, the town declined as oil production waned, and a large refinery at the edge of town closed in the 1950s.

Today, oil and agriculture are the largest local industries. Drumright is also home to an area vocational and technical school that is a large employer. Most recently, a winery has opened in a historic building that once served as a school for refinery workers.

Tornadoes have caused loss of life and property damage in Drumright on at least two occasions: on April 2, 1956, when five people were killed and several homes, a school, and the public library were damaged; and on June 8, 1974, when 12 people were killed, a nursing home was destroyed, and about 100 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Education

Central Technology Center

Geography

Drumright is located at 35°59′17″N 96°36′2″W / 35.98806°N 96.60056°W / 35.98806; -96.60056 (35.988168, -96.600570)^[3]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.3 km²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 2,905 people, 1,209 households, and 790 families residing in the city. The population density was 411.8 people per square mile (159.1/km²). There were 1,378 housing units at an average density of 195.4 per square mile (75.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.44% White, 0.93% African American, 8.47% Native American, 0.03% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 5.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.

There were 1,209 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,292, and the median income for a family was $34,761. Males had a median income of $30,069 versus $20,123 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,511. About 13.7% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.7% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 

External links

• Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Drumright