Stroud is a city in

Creek A creek in North America and elsewhere, such as Australia, is a stream that is usually smaller than a river. In the British Isles it is a small tidal inlet. Creek may also refer to: People * Creek people, also known as Muscogee, Native Americans ...

and Lincoln counties in the U.S. state of

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 ...

. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,690.

History

Stroud was founded in 1892 and named for James W. Stroud, a developer. Early in its history, Stroud lay in Oklahoma Territory, where alcoholic drinks could be sold legally. Towns close to the boundary between Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory were known as "whiskey towns," and had a reputation as a "wild" town due to its many saloons and other businesses catering to thirsty

cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...

s and travelers arriving from "dry" Indian Territory. These days were short-lived, however, because Oklahoma statehood in 1907, forced Stroud to become "dry" as well.Beltz, Danny R. "Stroud." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Accessed April 21, 2018 In 1901, after a

race riot This is a list of ethnic riots by country, and includes riots based on ethnic, sectarian, xenophobic, and racial conflict. Some of these riots can also be classified as pogroms. Africa Americas United States Nativist period: 1700s� ...

, Stroud became a sundown town, with a prominent sign warning African Americans not to stay overnight. During the first decade of the 20th century, Stroud's economy was based on cotton farming in the surrounding countryside. The population at statehood was 1,312. By 1909, Stroud had two banks, two newspapers, four cotton gins, and a cottonseed-oil mill, but the 1910 census showed population declined to 1,220. On March 27, 1915 Stroud became the victim of a legendary

outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so that anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them ...

: " Henry Starr, along with six other men, decided to rob two banks at the same time... The troudrobbery would prove... disastrous for Henry Starr. Proceeding to rob the Stroud National Bank and the First National Bank, word of the holdup spread quickly and the citizens took up arms against the bandits. Henry and another outlaw named Lewis Estes were wounded and captured in the gun battle. The rest of the gang escaped with $5815...". Henry was sentenced to prison at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, but was paroled after serving only four years. The town became quiet until about 1926 when U.S. Route 66 was built. When construction of the highway was completed, Stroud became a rest stop with amenities such as motels, gas stations and restaurants. The Rock Café, built 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 ...

using local sandstone removed during the construction of Route 66, operated 24 hours a day during its 1950s heyday. Business diminished after the Turner Turnpike diverted cross-country traffic from the town's main street. Stroud was devastated by the

1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak The 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak was a significant tornado outbreak that affected much of the Central and parts of the Eastern United States, with the highest record-breaking wind speeds of . During this week-long event, 154 tornadoes touched ...

, which destroyed the town's 53-store Tanger Outlet Center, as well as a distribution center owned by foodservice company Sygma. Neither of these facilities were rebuilt; the resulting loss of 800 jobs caused a significant amount of economic distress to the town. In 2001, Pixar crews visited to research US 66 for the

animated film Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...

Cars, at a time when the town economy was still attempting to recover from the 1999 tornado, and the Rock Café was undergoing historic restoration. The character of Radiator Springs hotelier Sally Carrera is heavily based on Rock Café proprietor Dawn Welch and her efforts to promote and rebuild the town. A fire gutted the restaurant on May 20, 2008 but the grill and the original stone walls survived. The Rock Café was rebuilt by historic preservationist David Burke; Dawn Welch reopened the business on May 29, 2009.

Geography

Stroud is located at (35.759098, -96.652162). Stroud Lake, located approximately northeast of the city, offers recreational opportunities and is also the location of the Wilderness Challenge Center of the Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.5 square miles (32.3 km), of which 11.5 square miles (29.8 km) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km) (7.93%) is water.

Demographics

The bulk of the city is in Lincoln County, part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. A sliver in the east is in Creek County, part of the Tulsa metropolitan area. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,758 people, 1,139 households, and 731 families residing in the city. The population density was 239.9 people per square mile (92.6/km). There were 1,325 housing units at an average density of 115.3 per square mile (44.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 83.72% White, 3.66% African American, 8.45% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.47% from other races, and 3.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.45% of the population. There were 1,139 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% 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, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,222, and the median income for a family was $31,742. Males had a median income of $26,076 versus $18,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,010. About 12.3% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Currently, Stroud is enjoying recovery due to increased economic activity in the oil and gas sectors, and is home to Service King, a manufacturer of oilfield workover rigs. Additionally, tourism and agriculture contribute to the local economy, including the emergence of locally produced wines, and affiliated businesses. International tourists are frequently found travelling historic U.S. 66, the main street of Stroud's downtown area. Stroud continues to exploit its location as the centerpoint between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The city also owns Stroud Midway Industrial Park. The Sac and Fox national headquarters is located about south of the city and is one of the area's largest employers.

Government

Stroud has a city manager-council form of government.

Notable people

* Kevin Bookout *

Bobby Riley Robert Riley (born October 17, 1964) is a former American football wide receiver who played in one game. He played for the New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. T ...

* Thomas G. Andrews lived in Stroud from 1911 until 1918, while serving as City Attorney and subsequently as Lincoln County Attorney. He later became an Associate Judge of the Oklahoma Supreme Court."Andrews, Thomas Galphin" (''sic''). In: ''Makers of Government in Oklahoma''. 1930. Victor E. Harlow, ed., p. 344. Harlow Publishing Co. Oklahoma City.
Accessed April 20, 2018.

Twin towns

Stroud, Gloucestershire Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021. Below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at the meeting point of the Five Va ...

, UK * Stroud Plantation, Texas, US

References

External links

City of Stroud

Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
{{authority control Cities in Oklahoma Cities in Lincoln County, Oklahoma Cities in Creek County, Oklahoma Populated places established in 1892 Sundown towns in Oklahoma