Garfield County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the U.S. state of

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,846. Enid is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

and largest city within Garfield County. The county is named after President James A. Garfield. Garfield County comprises the Enid, OK metropolitan statistical area. Prior to the Land Run of 1893, Garfield County was named O County and was part of the Cherokee Outlet, occupied by the

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

people following the Treaty of New Echota and the Cherokee trail of tears.Turner, Alvin O
Cherokee Outlet Opening
''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 4, 2015. Historically, the area was a hunting ground for the Wichita, Osage, and Kiowa tribes. The Chisholm Trail, stage coach lines, mail routes, and railroads passed through stations at Buffalo Springs and Skeleton, today known as Bison and Enid.Fulbright, Jim
Hell on Rails: Oklahoma Towns at War with the Rock Island Railroad
, ''Wild West Magazine'', December 2007Dortch, Steven D
The Chisholm Trail
''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009, Accessed April 4, 2015. Railroad development in the county began four years prior to the land opening. Enid became a central hub within the county.Wilson, Linda D
Garfield County
''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 4, 2015. Historical railroads included Enid and Tonkawa Railway, Enid and Anadarko Railway, Blackwell, Enid and Southwestern Railway, Enid Central Railway and the Denver, Enid and Gulf Railroad.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water. Several creeks run through the county, including Black Bear, Boggy, Red Rock, Rock, Skeleton, and Turkey.

Adjacent counties

* Grant County (north) * Noble County (east) * Logan County (southeast) * Kingfisher County (south) * Major County (west) * Alfalfa County (northwest)

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 60 * U.S. Highway 64 * U.S. Highway 81 * U.S. Highway 412 * State Highway 15 * State Highway 45 * State Highway 74

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 57,813 people, 23,175 households, and 15,805 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 26,047 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.65%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 3.26%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 2.11% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.49%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 2.02% from other races, and 2.62% from two or more races; 4.13% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. By the 2020 census, its population grew to 62,846. The most reported ancestries in 2020 were English (18.5%), German (16.4%), Mexican (11.9%), Irish (11%), Marshallese (4.6%), and

(2.5%). In 2000, there were 23,175 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.20% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.95. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.40 males. As of 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $33,006, and the median income for a family was $39,872. Males had a median income of $29,921 versus $20,791 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $17,457. About 10.50% of families and 13.90% 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 ...

, including 19.70% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over. By 2021 census estimates, its median household income increased to $60,732, and the county had a poverty rate of 12.9%.

Politics

Garfield County is one of the most Republican counties in Oklahoma. It has only supported a Democrat for president twice since statehood, during

Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

's landslide victories in 1932 and 1936. A Democrat has only managed as much as 40 percent of the county's vote twice since FDR's death, in 1948 and 1964.

Economy

Primary industries in Garfield County are agriculture and livestock. Historically, crops have included wheat, corn, oats, sorghum, Kaffir corn, and alfalfa. In addition, oil and gas and flour milling have proved fruitful for the county. The county seat of Enid, Oklahoma has the most grain storage capacity in the United States and one of the largest grain elevators in the world. Vance Air Force Base is also a major employer in the area of both airmen and civilians.

Communities

Cities

* Enid (county seat) * Garber

Towns

* Breckinridge * Carrier * Covington * Douglas * Drummond * Fairmont * Hillsdale *

Hunter Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, ...

Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin (fortification), Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Mosco ...

* Lahoma * North Enid * Waukomis

Census-designated place

Bison A bison (: bison) is a large bovine in the genus ''Bison'' (from Greek, meaning 'wild ox') within the tribe Bovini. Two extant taxon, extant and numerous extinction, extinct species are recognised. Of the two surviving species, the American ...

Other unincorporated places

* Blanton * Etna * Hayward

NRHP sites

The county courthouse in 1908. The following sites in Garfield County are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

: ;Covington * Kimmell Barn * R. E. Hoy No. 1 Oil Well ;Enid ;Hunter * Bank of Hunter

References

External links

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Garfield County

Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
{{coord, 36.38, -97.78, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-OK_source:UScensus1990 1893 establishments in Oklahoma Territory Populated places established in 1893