Altus () is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Jackson County,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, United States.
The population was 19,813 at the
2010 census,
a loss of 7.7 percent compared to 21,454 in 2000.
Altus is home to
Altus Air Force Base
Altus Air Force Base (Altus AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-northeast of Altus, Oklahoma.
The host unit at Altus AFB is the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW), assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF ...
, the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
training base for
C-17,
KC-46 and
KC-135
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
aircrews. It is also home to
Western Oklahoma State College
Western Oklahoma State College is a public community college in Altus, Oklahoma.
History
Western Oklahoma State College was founded in 1926 under the name Altus Junior College. In 1974 state legislature changed its name to the present Western Ok ...
and
Southwest Technology Center
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE, commonly known and branded as CareerTech) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
CareerTech oversees a statewide system of career and technology e ...
.
History
The town that would later be named Altus was founded in 1886.
[Altus](_blank)
Oklahoma State University County Extension Service
(accessed May 10, 2010) The community was originally called "Frazer", a settlement of about 50 people on Bitter Creek that served as a trading post on the
Great Western Cattle Trail
The Great Western Cattle Trail was used during the late 19th century for movement of cattle and horses to markets in eastern and northern states.
It is also known as the Western Trail, Fort Griffin Trail, Dodge City Trail, Northern Trail and Tex ...
. Cowboys driving herds northward often stopped to buy
buttermilk
Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter in western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most mod ...
from John McClearan. Thus, the town was known locally as "Buttermilk Station". The Frazer post office opened February 18, 1886. A
flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and depressions. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, or tropical storm, or by meltwater from ice or snow flowing o ...
nearly destroyed Frazer on June 4, 1891. The residents moved to higher ground east of the original site. W. R. Baucum suggested renaming the town "Altus", a Latin word meaning "high". This name stuck, although the town was also known as "Leger" from July 10, 1901, to May 14, 1904.
The city has seen relatively steady growth since the beginning. The population doubled between the time of Oklahoma statehood and the 1910 census and even increased during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
.
Although Altus had been designated as the Jackson county seat at the time of statehood, an election was held in 1908 to determine the permanent seat. The two towns contending were Altus and
Olustee Olustee may refer to:
* Olustee, Alabama, a populated place near in Pike County, Alabama
* Olustee, Florida, a town in Baker County, Florida
**Battle of Olustee, the largest battle fought in Florida during the American Civil War
** Olustee Creek, ...
. Altus won by a vote of 2,077 to 1,365. The county courthouse was built there in 1910.
An irrigation project in the 1940s and World War II led to further growth in the town as the nearby airfield was used to train military pilots.
In 1908, the
Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway (acquired by the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison, Kansas, Atchison and Top ...
in 1929) built a line through Altus. Around the same time, the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway (which became the
Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway
The Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway, its affiliate the Northwestern Railway Company of Texas, and two subsidiaries collectively constructed a railway running from Wichita Falls, Texas through Altus, Oklahoma to Forgan, Oklahoma, with a bran ...
in 1911, then was acquired by the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway in 1922) constructed a line from Altus to the Oklahoma-Texas border. The railroads stimulated economic growth in the area and made Altus a regional agricultural center. By 1930, Altus had eight cotton gins, two cotton compresses, and eighteen wholesale businesses.
Geography
Altus is located in northeastern Jackson County. It is situated in what used to be Old Greer County, an area with disputed ownership until a
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
decision awarded it to
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 th ...
instead of
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
.
The city lies between the main channel and
North Fork of the
Red River.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city of Altus has a total area of , of which are land and , or 1.08%, are water.
Climate
Altus has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Cfa'') bordering upon a
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(''BSk''). Summers are very hot to sweltering, though occasionally heavy rainfall does occur due to remains of Gulf of Mexico hurricanes moving inland. A record high of was recorded twice in 1936.
Autumn is brief, with generally very warm afternoons and comfortably cool mornings, while winter is extremely variable.
Chinook wind
Chinook winds, or simply Chinooks, are two types of prevailing warm, generally westerly winds in western North America: Coastal Chinooks and interior Chinooks. The coastal Chinooks are persistent seasonal, wet, southwesterly winds blowing in from ...
s can sometimes raise temperatures to uncomfortably hot even in the low winter sun, in the process often drying out vegetation to produce
wildfire
A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...
s. On the other hand, if a
block
Block or blocked may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Block programming, the result of a programming strategy in broadcasting
* W242BX, a radio station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina, United States known as ''96.3 ...
forms over the
Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska (Tlingit: ''Yéil T'ooch’'') is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east, ...
very cold air can be driven into the Plains States from Canada, producing temperatures below in extreme cases. Such cold temperatures on average occur once every three winters, although on average 78.5 mornings each year fall to or below the freezing point. Snowfall is rare and erratic: the most in a months being in January 1966, while most rainfall comes during the unsettled spring season, when heavy
thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...
s can occur from the convergence of hot and cold air masses to produce very intense short-period rainfall. The wettest month has been May 1980 with , whilst zero precipitation has on occasion been recorded in every month except May and June, and the wettest 24 hour period on October 20, 1983 with . The wettest calendar year has been 1941 with and the driest 1970 with .
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 19,813 people living in the city.
The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,200 people per square mile (450/km). There were 8,890 housing units at an average density of 540 per square mile (205/km).
The racial makeup of the city was 72.62%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 10.41%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.48%
Native American, 1.38%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.20%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 10.32% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.59% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 17.25% of the population.
There were 7,896 households, out of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,217, and the median income for a family was $38,400. Males had a median income of $28,041 versus $18,856 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $15,378. About 14.6% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
U.S. Routes
62 and
283
Year 283 ( CCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Carus and Carinus (or, less frequently, year 1036 ''Ab urbe cond ...
cross in the center of Altus. US 62 leads east to
Lawton, and west to
Childress, Texas
Childress ( ) (established 1887; incorporated 1890) is a city in Childress County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,905 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Childress County.
The city and county were named in honor of Georg ...
, while US 283 leads north to
Mangum, and south to
Vernon, Texas
Vernon is a city and the county seat of Wilbarger County, Texas, United States. and as of the 2010 Census had a population of 11,002.
History
The original town was called Eagle Springs by the indigenous community as early as 1858. After th ...
.
Altus/Quartz Mountain Regional Airport (KAXS; FAA ID: AXS), 3 miles to the north, has a 5501’ x 75’ paved runway.
Commercial air transportation is available at the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport, about 57 miles to the east.
The
Wichita, Tillman and Jackson Railway
The Wichita, Tillman and Jackson Railway is a shortline railroad subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation that operates in Oklahoma and Texas. The line for which it is named extends from Wichita Falls, Texas to just north of Altus, Oklahom ...
provides rail freight service.
Points of interest
*
Lake Altus-Lugert
Lake Altus-Lugert, also known as Lake Altus, Lake Lugert, Lake Lugert-Altus, and Lugert Lake, is a reservoir located on the North Fork Red River, about 17 miles (27 km) north of Altus, Oklahoma on the former site of the town of Lugert, Ok ...
, about to the north
*
Great Plains State Park
Great Plains State Park is a Oklahoma state park located in Kiowa County, Oklahoma. The part of the park that is developed for campers and hikers is about 487 acres. However, the entire park encompasses more than 1,200 acres from one end to ...
, on
Tom Steed Reservoir, about east-northeast.
* Morgan Doll Museum
*
Altus Air Force Base
Altus Air Force Base (Altus AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-northeast of Altus, Oklahoma.
The host unit at Altus AFB is the 97th Air Mobility Wing (97 AMW), assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF ...
Education
The public schools of Altus are in Oklahoma School District number 18. In the Altus Public School District there are nine schools, including five elementary schools, an intermediate school, a junior high school, a high school, and a learning center. For the 2011–2012 school year there were approximately 3,851 students.
Western Oklahoma State College
Western Oklahoma State College is a public community college in Altus, Oklahoma.
History
Western Oklahoma State College was founded in 1926 under the name Altus Junior College. In 1974 state legislature changed its name to the present Western Ok ...
and
Southwest Technology Center
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE, commonly known and branded as CareerTech) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
CareerTech oversees a statewide system of career and technology e ...
provide opportunities for higher education in the area.
Notable people
*
Robert N. Bellah, sociologist of religion
*
Jake Colhouer, American football player
*
Mark Cotney, National Football League (NFL) player (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
*
Herschal Crow, Oklahoma state senator
*
Brandon Dickerson
Brandon Dickerson is an American writer, director, and producer whose work includes film, music video, documentary film, and television commercials. He made his feature film directorial debut with the 2011 feature film '' Sironia'', which won t ...
, music video director
*
Eddie Fisher
Edwin Jack Fisher (August 10, 1928 – September 22, 2010) was an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular artists during the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show, ''The Eddie Fisher Show''. Actress Eli ...
, relief pitcher
*
Suzi Gardner
Suzanne Gardner (born August 1, 1960) is an American musician and creative director best known for being a guitarist, vocalist, and co-founder of the punk rock band L7.
Early life
Gardner was born in Altus, Oklahoma on August 1, 1960 to A ...
, guitarist for the band
L7
*
Kelly Garrison
Kelly Garrison-Funderburk, formerly known as Kelly Garrison-Steves (born July 5, 1967), is a retired American artistic gymnast. An elite gymnast for eight years, she represented the United States at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea ...
, 1988 Olympic gymnast (competed as Kelly Garrison-Steves)
*
Jason Gildon
Jason Larue Gildon (born July 31, 1972) is a former outside linebacker for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers (1994–2003) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2004). He was selected to three Pro Bowl teams from 2000, 2001, and 2002, and i ...
, NFL player; all-time sack leader for the Pittsburgh Steelers
*
David Green
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, founder of Hobby Lobby
*
Steve Marino, professional golfer who currently plays on the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...
*
Moon Martin
John David "Moon" Martin (October 31, 1945 – May 11, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Career
Born in Altus, Oklahoma, United States, Martin gained recognition in the 1970s as a pop artist and composer. Originally a rockab ...
, singer and musician
*
Richard Lee McNair
Richard Lee McNair (born December 19, 1958) is a convicted murderer known for his ability to escape and elude capture. In 1987, McNair murdered one man and shot a second man four times during a botched robbery. He is currently serving two terms o ...
, prisoner
*
Thomas C. Oden
Thomas Clark Oden (1931–2016) was an American Methodist theologian and religious author. He is often regarded as the father of the paleo-orthodox theological movement and is considered to be one of the most influential theologians of the 20th c ...
,
United Methodist
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
theologian
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
and religious author
*
Juan Pérez, Major League Baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, played at Western Oklahoma State College
*
Andrelton Simmons, shortstop, Los Angeles Angels, played at Western Oklahoma State College
*
John Sterling, NFL player (Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos)
*
Rodney Yee
Rodney Yee is an American yoga instructor who rose to national prominence in the mid-1990s when he was featured on the cover of ''Yoga Journal'' magazine and later starred in a series of Gaiam/Living Arts yoga instructional videos and DVDs. Yee h ...
, yoga instructor
*
Samuel M. Sampler
Samuel M. Sampler (January 27, 1895 – November 19, 1979) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I.
Biography
Born on January 27, 1895, in Decatur, Texas, Sampler was raised in Audubon, N ...
, World War I Medal of Honor Recipient
Gallery
References
External links
City of Altus official websiteWestern Oklahoma State CollegeAltus information, photos and videos on TravelOK.comOfficial travel and tourism website for the State of Oklahoma
{{authority control
Cities in Jackson County, Oklahoma
Cities in Oklahoma
County seats in Oklahoma
Micropolitan areas of Oklahoma