Elk City, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Elk City is a city in Beckham County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. The population was 11,693 at the 2010 census
. Elk City is located on Interstate 40
and Historic U.S. Route 66 in Western Oklahoma
, approximately 110 miles (177 km) west of Oklahoma City
and 150 miles (241.4 km) east of Amarillo
.
In 1541, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado became the first known Europe
an to pass through the area. The Spanish
conquistador
was traveling northeast across the prairie in search of a place called Quivira
, a city said to be fabulously wealthy with gold. Because Coronado's route across the plains is speculative, it is quite possible that the expedition passed through present-day Elk City or the nearby area.
reservation in western Oklahoma Territory
on April 19, 1892, when the first white settlers 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 Beeks Erick, M.G. Robinson, Charles H. Dewaide, J.N. Cook, and B.C. Hendricks—all of whom were land promoters from Weatherford, Oklahoma
—when they learned that the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad
(CO & G) was coming to the area (in 1898, the CO & G Railroad completed its western route to Weatherford; beginning in 1901, it continued building west). They formed the Choctaw Townsite and Development Company. These men with great foresight determined that the area at the source of Elk Creek would be an ideal location for a town, so they came to the area to purchase lands from the homesteaders who had claims along the railroad.
Probably the most important day in Elk City's history is March 20, 1901, the date the first lots were sold by the Choctaw Townsite and Development Company, which company had, a few days earlier, purchased the site for the business district from J.M. "Joe" Allee, a settler who homesteaded the land.
By the date of the sale of the lots, March 20, hundreds of prospective purchasers had built a tent city. On that day, the townsite company sold $32,000 worth of property (about $820,000 in today's money), and continued doing a good business for some time thereafter. A legal document in the Beckham County
clerk's office certifies that the city was surveyed and platted into lots, blocks, streets, and alleys, on March 18, 1901, just two days prior to the sale of the lots.
There is some confusion about how Elk City got its name. Elk City was so named because it is located at the head
of Elk Creek, which in turn was named by U.S. Army Captain Randolph B. Marcy
who was leading an expedition to explore the Red River
in 1852. Marcy and his troops had left the Wichita Mountains
and the waterway which he named Otter Creek during his exploration, and they were traveling northwest along the North Fork of the Red River. On May 31, in the official journal of the expedition, Marcy wrote about the productive soil, the dense grass, and the vertical red clay banks of a "bold running stream of good water." 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'. I am informed by our guide that five years since, elk were frequently seen in the Wichita Mountains; but now they are seldom met with in this part of the country." Confusion also stems from the early post offices that served the residents of the town. Even though the town of Elk City has had only one name, its early settlers were served by a post office named Crowe, and later, one named Busch. Consequently, on many early maps of Oklahoma Territory
the names of "Crowe" or "Busch" are seen instead of "Elk City". Finally, on July 20, 1907, shortly before statehood, the Busch Post Office had its name officially changed to Elk City Post Office.
August 13, 1901, was another great day for Elk City. On that date, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (later purchased by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
in 1904) laid its last rail on the so-called "Choctaw Route", connecting Elk City with the outside world. The first regular train service commenced seven days later on August 20, and city folk rejoiced, predicting that the dugouts, claim shacks, and prairie stables would soon disappear and be replaced by handsome residences, commodious barns, and graineries. (Later, in 1910, the Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway Company (WF & NW, acquired by the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
in 1911) completed its northern route to Elk City.)
By January 1902, Elk City boasted more than 60 businesses and a population exceeding 1,000. Paving the streets with bricks also began in 1902, due to an effort from the many people the city employed. Though not yet a year old, the town had become one of the largest in Western Oklahoma
. Even with two devastating fires (one on October 28, 1903, which destroyed over a dozen businesses, and the other in March 1906 which burned 16 businesses to the ground), Elk City continued to grow into a major transportation and commercial hub, and by statehood in 1907, the population had more than tripled to 3,000 people. Elk City, the new town on the prairie
, was truly a boomtown
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 14.9 square miles (38.6 km²), of which, 14.6 square miles (37.8 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.88%) is water.
(Köppen
Cfa) with cool, dry winters and hot, much wetter summers.
of 2000, there were 10,510 people, 4,159 households, and 2,819 families residing in the city. The population density
was 718.8 people per square mile (277.6/km²). There were 4,973 housing units at an average density of 340.1 per square mile (131.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.95% White, 3.06% African American, 3.02% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.25% from other races
, and 2.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.96% of the population.
There were 4,159 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population 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 age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,268, and the median income for a family was $35,383. Males had a median income of $28,380 versus $18,977 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,654. About 15.4% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.2% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
and much of the Texas Panhandle
, with a 60 miles (96.6 km) trade radius that serves more than 50,000 people. Petroleum, agriculture, wind energy, transportation, tourism, manufacturing, and healthcare all contribute to Elk City’s economy.
Transportation has played an important 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 city in the early 1930s. Today, Interstate 40
serves the city, with 60,000 consumers traveling through Elk City each day, and connects the city with Oklahoma City
to the east and Amarillo, Texas
to the west. The city is also served by Oklahoma State Highway 6, which connects Elk City with Altus
to the south, and Oklahoma State Highway 34, connecting Elk City with Woodward
to the north. The Elk City Municipal Airport is located 1.5 mi. from the Interstate.
has visited Elk City twice. As the Democratic candidate
for President, he first came on November 11, 1975, as part of his campaign tour across the United States, and held a press conference with statewide and national coverage at a local hotel. A month after his visit to Elk City, Carter wrote an open letter to the people of Elk City praising the town for the warm welcome he had received. He also wrote, "I promise you that when I am elected President I will not be a stranger to Elk City, nor will you be strangers to me."
True to his promise, President Carter returned to Elk City on Saturday, March 24, 1979, flying into the Air Force base in Burns Flat, Oklahoma
and rode in a presidential limo to Elk City. The city had a street parade in his honor, and he then went to the high school gymnasium for a town hall meeting with about 3,000 people. That night, he stayed at the residence of Frances Loraine Wade, mother of the Larry R. Wade. On Sunday morning, he attended services at the First Baptist Church of Elk City and then flew out of town.
On August 7, 2009, Carter remembered the visit to Elk City fondly when he talked with the Associated Press
. "I visited at least 50 places for town hall meetings when I was president, and the best one I ever had in my life was in Elk City," he said.
Beckham County, Oklahoma
Beckham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 19,799. Its county seat is Sayre.Founded upon statehood in 1907, Beckham County was named for J. C. W...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 11,693 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. Elk City is located on Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
and Historic U.S. Route 66 in Western Oklahoma
Southwestern Oklahoma
Southwest Oklahoma is a geographical name for the southwest portion of the state of Oklahoma, typically considered to be south of the Canadian River, extending eastward from the Texas border to a line roughly from Weatherford, to Anadarko, to Duncan...
, approximately 110 miles (177 km) west of Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
and 150 miles (241.4 km) east of Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
.
European Exploration
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an to pass through the area. The Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
was traveling northeast across the prairie in search of a place called Quivira
Quivira
Quivira may refer to:*Quivira, a place first visited by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado while in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold*Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, a salt marsh located in south central Kansas...
, a city said to be fabulously wealthy with gold. Because Coronado's route across the plains is speculative, it is quite possible that the expedition passed through present-day Elk City or the nearby area.
Founding to Statehood
Elk City's history dates back to the days immediately following the opening of the Cheyenne-ArapahoCheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are a united, federally recognized tribe of Southern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne people in western Oklahoma.-History:...
reservation in western Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was 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 under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
on April 19, 1892, when the first white settlers made their appearance. Prior to this time, many early ranchers had driven cattle over the Great Western Cattle Trail
Great Western Cattle Trail
The Great Western Cattle Trail was used in the 19th century for movement of cattle to markets in the East. It ran west of and roughly parallel to the Chisholm Trail. The Great Western Trail began at Bandera west of San Antonio and passed near Buffalo Gap and Abilene in West Texas...
from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City is a city in, and the county seat of, Ford County, Kansas, United States. Named after nearby Fort Dodge, the city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,340.-History:The first settlement of...
, 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 Beeks Erick, M.G. Robinson, Charles H. Dewaide, J.N. Cook, and B.C. Hendricks—all of whom were land promoters from Weatherford, Oklahoma
Weatherford, Oklahoma
Weatherford is a city in Custer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 10,833 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Weatherford is located at , elevation 1,647 feet ....
—when they learned that the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad
Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad
The Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad , known informally as the "Choctaw Route," was an American railroad located in located in Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The company, originally known as the Choctaw Coal and Railway Company, completed its main line between West Memphis, Arkansas and western...
(CO & G) was coming to the area (in 1898, the CO & G Railroad completed its western route to Weatherford; beginning in 1901, it continued building west). They formed the Choctaw Townsite and Development Company. These men with great foresight determined that the area at the source of Elk Creek would be an ideal location for a town, so they came to the area to purchase lands from the homesteaders who had claims along the railroad.
Probably the most important day in Elk City's history is March 20, 1901, the date the first lots were sold by the Choctaw Townsite and Development Company, which company had, a few days earlier, purchased the site for the business district from J.M. "Joe" Allee, a settler who homesteaded the land.
By the date of the sale of the lots, March 20, hundreds of prospective purchasers had built a tent city. On that day, the townsite company sold $32,000 worth of property (about $820,000 in today's money), and continued doing a good business for some time thereafter. A legal document in the Beckham County
Beckham County, Oklahoma
Beckham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 19,799. Its county seat is Sayre.Founded upon statehood in 1907, Beckham County was named for J. C. W...
clerk's office certifies that the city was surveyed and platted into lots, blocks, streets, and alleys, on March 18, 1901, just two days prior to the sale of the lots.
There is some confusion about how Elk City got its name. Elk City was so named because it is located at the head
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
of Elk Creek, which in turn was named by U.S. Army Captain Randolph B. Marcy
Randolph B. Marcy
Randolph Barnes Marcy was a career officer in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in 1881. Although beginning in 1861 his responsibilities were those of a brigadier general, the U.S...
who was leading an expedition to explore the Red River
Red River (Mississippi watershed)
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
in 1852. Marcy and his troops had left the Wichita Mountains
Wichita Mountains
The Wichita Mountains are located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The mountains are a northwest-southeast trending series of rocky promontories, many capped by 540 million-year old granite. These were exposed and rounded by weathering during the Permian Period...
and the waterway which he named Otter Creek during his exploration, and they were traveling northwest along the North Fork of the Red River. On May 31, in the official journal of the expedition, Marcy wrote about the productive soil, the dense grass, and the vertical red clay banks of a "bold running stream of good water." Continuing, he wrote, "From the circumstance of having seen elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
tracks upon the stream we passed in our march today, I have called it 'Elk Creek'. I am informed by our guide that five years since, elk were frequently seen in the Wichita Mountains; but now they are seldom met with in this part of the country." Confusion also stems from the early post offices that served the residents of the town. Even though the town of Elk City has had only one name, its early settlers were served by a post office named Crowe, and later, one named Busch. Consequently, on many early maps of Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was 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 under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
the names of "Crowe" or "Busch" are seen instead of "Elk City". Finally, on July 20, 1907, shortly before statehood, the Busch Post Office had its name officially changed to Elk City Post Office.
August 13, 1901, was another great day for Elk City. On that date, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (later purchased by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
in 1904) laid its last rail on the so-called "Choctaw Route", connecting Elk City with the outside world. The first regular train service commenced seven days later on August 20, and city folk rejoiced, predicting that the dugouts, claim shacks, and prairie stables would soon disappear and be replaced by handsome residences, commodious barns, and graineries. (Later, in 1910, the Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway Company (WF & NW, acquired by the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
in 1911) completed its northern route to Elk City.)
By January 1902, Elk City boasted more than 60 businesses and a population exceeding 1,000. Paving the streets with bricks also began in 1902, due to an effort from the many people the city employed. Though not yet a year old, the town had become one of the largest in Western Oklahoma
Western Oklahoma
Western Oklahoma can usually be defined as all territory west of Interstate 35, and west of Oklahoma City.It is usually broken up into two primary regions: Northwestern Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma....
. Even with two devastating fires (one on October 28, 1903, which destroyed over a dozen businesses, and the other in March 1906 which burned 16 businesses to the ground), Elk City continued to grow into a major transportation and commercial hub, and by statehood in 1907, the population had more than tripled to 3,000 people. Elk City, the new town on the prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
, was truly a boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
.
Geography
Elk City is located at 35°24′10"N 99°25′26"W (35.402694, -99.423812), elevation 1,928 feet (588 m).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 14.9 square miles (38.6 km²), of which, 14.6 square miles (37.8 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (1.88%) is water.
Climate
Elk City experiences a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa) with cool, dry winters and hot, much wetter summers.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,510 people, 4,159 households, and 2,819 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 718.8 people per square mile (277.6/km²). There were 4,973 housing units at an average density of 340.1 per square mile (131.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.95% White, 3.06% African American, 3.02% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.96% of the population.
There were 4,159 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population 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 age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,268, and the median income for a family was $35,383. Males had a median income of $28,380 versus $18,977 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,654. About 15.4% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.2% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Today, Elk City is the principal center of trade for Western OklahomaWestern Oklahoma
Western Oklahoma can usually be defined as all territory west of Interstate 35, and west of Oklahoma City.It is usually broken up into two primary regions: Northwestern Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma....
and much of the Texas Panhandle
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
, with a 60 miles (96.6 km) trade radius that serves more than 50,000 people. Petroleum, agriculture, wind energy, transportation, tourism, manufacturing, and healthcare all contribute to Elk City’s economy.
- Since the 2000 censusUnited States Census, 2000The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, Elk City has had a nearly 3% growth 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 oil and natural-gas area on the shelf of Oklahoma’s Anadarko BasinAnadarko BasinThe Anadarko Basin is a geologic depositional and structural basin centered in the western part of the state of Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, and extending into western Kansas and southeast Colorado.-Geology:...
, the petroleum industry is the heart of the city’s economy. Because of this, the city is the self-proclaimed “Natural Gas Capital of the World”, complete with Parker Drilling Rig #114, located downtown. The rig dominates the Elk City skyline, and at 180 feet (54.9 m) in height, is the world’s tallest, non-operating oil rig. Elk City has enjoyed significant growth due to the opening and location of oil field services and drilling companies in the city.
- Agriculture doesn’t play as much of a prominent role as it did in the 20th century, with the only remaining viable agricultural market being the livestock auction. Nevertheless, Elk City still serves as a vital retail center for farmers and ranchers in the area.
- In early 2009, Acciona EnergyAcciona EnergyAcciona Energy, a subsidiary of Acciona based in Madrid, is a Spanish company developing renewable energy projects, including small hydro, biomass, solar energy and thermal energy, and the marketing of biofuels. It also has assets in the field of co-generation and wind turbine manufacture...
commissioned the Red Hills Wind FarmRed Hills Wind FarmThe 123 megawatt Red Hills Wind Farm is located in Roger Mills and Custer counties, near Elk City, Oklahoma. The wind farm has 82 Acciona 1.5-MW wind turbines, and the Red Hills facility is spread across 5,000 rural acres...
http://acciona-na.com/About-Us/Our-Projects/U-S-/Red-Hills-Wind-Farm.aspx, located approximately eight miles north of Elk City. The Red Hills Wind Farm includes 82 wind turbine generators that produce 123 MW of clean energy, enough to power more than 40,000 homes. This is the first wind farm in the area, with more wind farms being planned for the future.
Transportation has played an important part in Elk City's economy throughout its history, beginning with the building of the famed U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
through the heart of the city in the early 1930s. Today, Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
serves the city, with 60,000 consumers traveling through Elk City each day, and connects the city with Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
to the east and Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
to the west. The city is also served by Oklahoma State Highway 6, which connects Elk City with Altus
Altus, Oklahoma
Altus is a city in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 19,813 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County....
to the south, and Oklahoma State Highway 34, connecting Elk City with Woodward
Woodward, Oklahoma
Woodward is a city in and the county seat of Woodward County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the largest city in a nine-county area. The population was 12,051 at the 2010 census....
to the north. The Elk City Municipal Airport is located 1.5 mi. from the Interstate.
- Given that Historic U.S. Route 66 runs through Elk City, a sprawling museum 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 museum is housed in separate buildings, which altogether depict a mockup of early Elk City, complete with general stores, bank, a railroad depot and train caboose, opera house, and other buildings. Elk City is also in close proximity to many other attractions in Western Oklahoma, including the Flying W Guest Ranch, Foss State Park, the Washita National Wildlife Refuge, Black Kettle National Grassland, the Wichita MountainsWichita MountainsThe Wichita Mountains are located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The mountains are a northwest-southeast trending series of rocky promontories, many capped by 540 million-year old granite. These were exposed and rounded by weathering during the Permian Period...
, the Antelope HillsAntelope Hills (Oklahoma)The Antelope Hills in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma are a series of low hills in the bend of the Canadian River. They were a major landmark for the Plains Indians and travelers on what is now the western plains of Oklahoma. The hills are on the National Register of Historic Places.-External links:*...
, the Quartz MountainsQuartz MountainsThe Quartz Mountains are an extension of the Wichita Mountains in the far southwestern part of the state of Oklahoma. The section extends west and northwest of the main Wichita range separated by a plain dotted with smaller foothills. The tallest mountain in the range is Quartz Mountain at 2,040 feet...
, the Washita Battlefield National Historic SiteWashita Battlefield National Historic SiteWashita Battlefield National Historic Site protects and interprets the site of the Southern Cheyenne village of Chief Black Kettle where the Battle of Washita occurred. The site, a National Historic Landmark, is located about 150 miles west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, near Cheyenne, Oklahoma.Just...
http://www.nps.gov/archive/waba/index.htm, and the Black Kettle Museum. - Bar-S Foods Company operates a packaged-meat warehouse and distribution center in Elk City.
- Great Plains Regional Medical Center is Elk City’s largest employer, and serves Western Oklahoma and the Eastern Texas Panhandle. The hospital has been named by OKCBusiness and Best Companies Group as one of the “Thirty Best Places to Work in Oklahoma” for three consecutive years: 2006, 2007, and 2008. On May 11, 2007, construction began on a new, $60 million, 151030 square feet (14,031.1 m²) hospital that opened in July 2009.
- In June 2009, it was announced that a Wal-Mart SupercenterWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
will be constructed, bringing at least 150 jobs to the city. Soon afterward, a $2.2 million federal grant was provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
to help fund the project and bring more jobs to Elk City. - On October 27, 2010. at 7:30 AM the new Walmart store opened on the east side of town. just off I-40 at Exit 40. The Walmart has 180000 square feet (16,722.5 m²) area. Is the largest between Amarillo, and Oklahoma City.
Schools
- Elk City Public Schools and Merritt Public Schools are members of the Western Technology CenterWestern Technology CenterWestern Technology Center is a public career and technology education center founded in 1970 with its main campus located in Burns Flat, Oklahoma. Branch campuses are located in Hobart, Sayre and Weatherford...
District. WTC provides the opportunity for adults and high school students to get occupationally-specific training. 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. High school students who are residents of the WTC District can enroll in WTC full-time training on a tuition-free basis. Adult students are allowed to attend classes on a tuition basis. Tuition for adult students is $2.00 per training hour. Adult students can apply for financial assistance to attend WTC.
Notable citizens
- Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
, Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning songwriter - Kelli O'HaraKelli O'HaraKelli O'Hara is an American actress, singer, and songwriter.O'Hara has been nominated for three Tony Awards: for her performance as Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza; for her performance as Babe Williams in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of The Pajama Game, where she starred...
, award-winning BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
actress, singer, and songwriter - Richard HartRichard Hart (jazz guitarist)Richard W. Hart is a jazz fusion guitarist who has opened for numerous jazz acts and has taught music in Utah and Oklahoma. He has composed his own songs and released an album called Fearless Shores on Innervision Records.-References:...
, Jazz guitarist - Susan Powell, Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1981, actress, and singer - Justin McBrideJustin McBrideJustin Travis McBride is a former professional bull rider on the PBR's Built Ford Tough Series Tour. He is a two-time PBR World Champion , has a record 32 career wins, and was the first professional bull rider to earn more than $5 million in the course of his career.He is a country music singer...
, World Champion Bull Rider - Joe SpencerJoe Spencer (American football)Joe Spencer is a former defensive tackle in the National Football League. He was originally drafted in the nineteenth round of the 1945 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Later he was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1948 NFL season and the Cleveland Browns during the 1949 NFL season...
, NFL player - Joel TaylorStorm Chasers (TV series)Storm Chasers is a weekly American documentary reality television series that premiered on October 17, 2007 on the Discovery Channel. Produced by Original Media, the program follows several teams of storm chasers as they attempt to intercept tornadoes in Tornado Alley in the United States...
, Storm Chaser/Meteorologist
National Register of Historic Places
- Casa Grande Hotel
- Hedlund Motor Company Building
- Storm House
- Whited Grist Mill
Museums
- Elk City features five museums: the Old Town Museum, the National Route 66 Museum, the National Transportation Museum, the Farm and Ranch Museum, and the Blacksmith Museum http://www.elkcity.com/Pages.asp?s=Mus&id=6.
President Jimmy Carter
U.S. President Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
has visited Elk City twice. As the Democratic candidate
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
for President, he first came on November 11, 1975, as part of his campaign tour across the United States, and held a press conference with statewide and national coverage at a local hotel. A month after his visit to Elk City, Carter wrote an open letter to the people of Elk City praising the town for the warm welcome he had received. He also wrote, "I promise you that when I am elected President I will not be a stranger to Elk City, nor will you be strangers to me."
True to his promise, President Carter returned to Elk City on Saturday, March 24, 1979, flying into the Air Force base in Burns Flat, Oklahoma
Burns Flat, Oklahoma
Burns Flat is a town in Washita County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,057 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Burns Flat is located at ....
and rode in a presidential limo to Elk City. The city had a street parade in his honor, and he then went to the high school gymnasium for a town hall meeting with about 3,000 people. That night, he stayed at the residence of Frances Loraine Wade, mother of the Larry R. Wade. On Sunday morning, he attended services at the First Baptist Church of Elk City and then flew out of town.
On August 7, 2009, Carter remembered the visit to Elk City fondly when he talked with the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. "I visited at least 50 places for town hall meetings when I was president, and the best one I ever had in my life was in Elk City," he said.
Newspapers
- Daily Elk Citian
- Elk City Daily NewsElk City Daily NewsThe Elk City Daily News is a five-day daily newspaper published Tuesday through Friday and Sunday, and can be found online at http://www.ecdailynews.com. The newspaper has been in publication in one form or another since 1901, six years prior to Oklahoma statehood. The publication is owned by...
Further reading and references
- Elk City - Rising from the Prairie, Western Oklahoma Historical Society (2007)
- Prairie Fire, Western Oklahoma Historical Society (1978)