Beaver is a town and
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 ...
in
Beaver County,
Oklahoma, United States.
The community is in the
Oklahoma Panhandle. As of the
2010 census, the town population was 1,515,
a 3.5 percent decrease from 1,570 at the 2000 census. The city is host to the annual World
Cow Chip Throwing Championship.
[ V. Pauline Hodges, "Beaver," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', 2009. Accessed April 15, 2015.](_blank)
/ref> Held in April, "Cow Chip" brings attention from nearby cities with a parade, carnival, and cowchip throwing.
History
Beaver is located by Beaver River, also known as North Canadian River
The North Canadian River is a river, long, in Oklahoma in the United States. It is a tributary of the Canadian River, draining an area of U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset/Watershed Boundary Dataset, area data covering North ...
, and began as the location of a fur
Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket t ...
-trading
Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market.
An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...
post in 1879. Its original name was Beaver City, and was planned to be the capital of the short-lived Cimarron Territory
The Oklahoma Panhandle (formerly called No Man's Land, the Public Land Strip, the Neutral Strip, or Cimarron Territory) is a salient in the extreme northwestern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, consisting of Cimarron County, Texas Cou ...
. The Federal government never recognized the proposed Territory, but Beaver City remained the center of business and law enforcement for the area. In 1890, the territory was assigned to Oklahoma Territory, and Beaver City became the seat for the entire Oklahoma Panhandle, then known as Seventh County.
Beaver began as a stop on the Jones and Plummer Trail The Jones Plummer Trail, also known as the Jones and Plummer Trail, began in Dodge City, Kansas and went southwest through the Oklahoma Panhandle into Texas. Ed Jones and Joe Plummer originally used the path for bringing buffalo meat and hides to ...
. In 1880, Jim Lane built a house on the south side of Beaver Creek, that also served as a general store, saloon, hotel, and restaurant. Beaver slowly sprouted along the banks of Beaver Creek. The first post office had been established on the north side of the river in 1883. In 1884 Lane moved the post office to his store and became the postmaster. He also added a corral and livery stable to accommodate freighters and cattle drivers. The Presbyterian Church was built in 1887. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as ""the oldest church in Oklahoma Territory". The Groves Hotel (later renamed the Thompson Hotel) was said to be the first business in town, when it was built in 1885. In 1891, Carter Tracy opened a general hardware and implement store. The first newspaper, the ''Territorial Advocate'', began printing in 1887.
Although the Oklahoma Panhandle is noted for its lack of rainfall, it is occasionally subjected to flash floods. One such event occurred early in Beaver's history, and flooded Main Street, where many of the businesses had been built. Another street, Douglas, had already been built, running south up a hill from the river, where the businesses relocated to prevent a recurrence.
The population grew to 112 in 1900, the main reason for its existence was to support cattle ranches located in the Panhandle area. In 1901–02, the Homestead Act
The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of t ...
encouraged farmers to move in to the area. Growth continued after the turn of 1900. A telephone exchange was built in 1905, and the Bank of Beaver City and the First National Bank, were established. The Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad
The Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad (BM&E) extended from Beaver, Oklahoma to Keyes, Oklahoma in the Oklahoma Panhandle, about 105 miles. It was chartered in 1912, and abandoned in 1972.
History
The BM&E started as an effort by the citizens ...
(BME) was built to connect to the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway, a.k.a. M-K-T or "Katy" in Forgan, Oklahoma
Forgan is a town in Beaver County, Oklahoma, Beaver County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 547 at the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census.
History
The town name honors James B. Forgan, a Chicago banker and financier.Hodges, V. Pa ...
, to the north. The BME track to Forgan was not completed until 1915. Meanwhile, the BME was extended into Texas and Cimarron Counties. Soon, the M-K-T bought the BME system for $2 million.[ Capace, Nancy. ''The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma''. pp. 126-7. 1999.](_blank)
Somerset Publishers, Inc. St. Clair Shores, MI. Accessed August 20, 2018
During the Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s. The phenomenon was caused by a combination of both natural factors (severe drought) a ...
and the Great Depression most of the Panhandle and its communities suffered great economic hardships and lost population. The city of Beaver actually gained population. In 1920, it had 920 residents, which grew to 1028 in 1930 and 1146 in 1940.
Between Beaver and Guymon along Beaver Creek there are several plains Indians ruins. They are on private property and not accessible to the public. These ruins are associated with the Buried City Plains Indian Ruins near Perryton, Texas
Perryton is a city in and the county seat of Ochiltree County, Texas, United States. Its population was 8,802 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Perryton is located at (36.391752, –100.806109). According to the United States Census Bureau, the ...
.
Geography
Beaver is located at (36.813486, −100.524298). 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 t ...
, the city had a total area of , all land.
A mile north of the town is Beaver Dunes Park, now owned by the City of Beaver, featuring sand dunes left by ancient seas that once covered the area.
Climate
Beaver experiences 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 sem ...
(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 ...
''BSk'') with cool, dry winters and hot, much wetter summers.
While not the snowiest location in Oklahoma ranked by highest annual average snowfall, Beaver has the distinction of holding the State snowfall record for 1 season, being the 87.3" which fell during 1911-1912.
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 in ...
of 2010, there were 1,515 people living in the city. The population density was . There were 702 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile (230/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.48% 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 o ...
, 0.57% 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 ...
, 1.53% Native American, 0.06% 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 ...
, 0.13% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 3.69% 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 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...
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 ...
people of any race were 9.68% of the population.
There were 606 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,560, and the median income for a family was $44,107. Males had a median income of $34,167 versus $19,511 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 $19,897. About 6.8% of families and 10.2% 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 12.9% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
At the start of the twenty-first century, Beaver's economy was primarily based on cattle ranching, hog farms, wheat and milo farming and oil and gas production. Supporting these industries were such businesses as two banks, oil field suppliers, a hospital, a nursing home and two medical clinics.
Education
* Beaver Independent School District
Transportation
Highways
U.S. Route 270 runs concurrently with State 23 north/south through the town.
Airport
The Beaver Municipal Airport is located at the southern end of town, at coordinates 036° 47' 52.44"N 100° 31' 36.84"W. The FAA Identifier is K44, and it has two runways used primarily for general aviation. Runway 17/35 is 4050' x 60' with an asphalt surface, while 04/22 is a grass/turf field that is 2000' x 130'.
Historical sites
The Jones & Plummer Trail Museum offers a glimpse into the early days in and around the town through displays of historical artifacts and prototype rooms.
NRHP-listed sites include the Beaver County Courthouse, the Presbyterian Church, and the Lane Cabin at Main Street and Avenue C.
Notable people
* Nick Bobeck
Nick Bobeck (born June 7, 1980) is an American football coach, who formerly served as the head football coach at the University of Central Oklahoma, and Navarro College, a junior college in Texas. In 2008, Bobeck received the NJCAA Coach of the ...
(1980-), football player and coach
* George Dobson (1851–1919), lawyer and politician
* Timothy Leonard (1940-), United States federal judge for the Western District of Oklahoma (since 1992; senior status since 2006)
* Robert Loofbourrow (1873–1926), pioneer settler, attorney and Associate Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court (1913–1915)
* Ross Rizley (1892–1969), politician and U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from Oklahoma
See also
* Otasco
Otasco (Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company) was a retail chain specializing in auto parts and appliances based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It was first established in 1918 by three Jewish Lithuanian immigrant brothers, Sam (1898–1939), Maurice (1891–19 ...
* Jones Plummer Trail
* Black Sunday, one of the worst dust storms during Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s. The phenomenon was caused by a combination of both natural factors (severe drought) a ...
* Presbyterian Church (Beaver, Oklahoma)
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Beaver County, Oklahoma
Notes
References
Further reading
*
* 2 v. illus. (part col.) 32 cm.
External links
Town of Beaver
Beaver Chamber of Commerce
Beaver Dunes State Park
Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture – Beaver
Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
{{authority control
Towns in Beaver County, Oklahoma
Towns in Oklahoma
Populated places established in 1879
County seats in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Panhandle