Hastings is a town in Jefferson 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 143 at the 2010 census, a decline of 7.8 percent from the figure of 155 in 2000.

History

A community called Bayard existed at the site of present-day Hastings until the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Reservation was opened to new settlers on August 6, 1901. Since

Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...

already had a post office named "Baird", the postal department named the station it established at this location. A couple of residents had suggested naming it for their hometown of

Hastings, Nebraska Hastings is a List of cities in Nebraska, city and the county seat of Adams County, Nebraska, Adams County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 25,152 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is known as the town where Kool-Aid ...

. That was accepted by postal officials. In 1902, a railroad line called the Enid and Anadarko built tracks through Hastings. The population was 560 in 1907 and 727 in 1910. The population has declined nearly continuously from 1910 until the present.

Geography

Hastings is located in northwestern Jefferson County at . It is northwest of Waurika along

Oklahoma State Highway 5 State Highway 5 (SH-5 or OK-5) is the name assigned to two distinct state highways in the U.S state of Oklahoma. One runs for through extreme southwestern Oklahoma, passing through Harmon and Jackson Counties. The other is long and runs thro ...

and north of the Red River.Jon D. May, "Hastings," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''
Accessed March 27, 2015. 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 town has a total area of , all land.

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 2000, there were 155 people, 72 households, and 50 families residing in the town. 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 . There were 87 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 93.55%

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 ...

, 1.29%

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 ...

, 3.87% Native American, and 1.29% from two or more races. There were 72 households, out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% 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, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.57. In the town, the population was spread out, with 14.8% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $22,969, and the median income for a family was $23,281. Males had a median income of $25,357 versus $17,083 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 town was $13,017. About 14.8% of families and 19.1% 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 40.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 17.5% of those 65 or over.

Notable person

John Green John Michael Green (born August 24, 1977) is an American author, YouTube Content creation, content creator, podcaster, and philanthropist. His books have more than 50 million copies in print worldwide, including ''The Fault in Our Stars'' ( ...

, football player

References

External links

''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' - Hastings
{{authority control Towns in Jefferson County, Oklahoma Towns in Oklahoma Populated places established in 1901