Chandler ( sac, Chêninêheki) 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 ...

of, Lincoln County,

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

, United States. and is part of the

Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area The Oklahoma City metropolitan area is an urban region in the Southern United States. It is the largest metropolitan area in the state of Oklahoma and contains the state capital and principal city, Oklahoma City. It is often known as the Okla ...

. The population was 3,100 at the 2010 census, an increase over the figure of 2,842 in 2000.Sally Bourne Ferrell and Donald F. Ferrell, "Chandler'" ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Accessed March 28, 2015. Chandler is located northeast of

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, and ...

on SH-66 and

I-44 Interstate 44 (I-44) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. Although it is nominally an east–west road as it is even-numbered, it follows a more southwest–northeast alignment. Its western terminus is in Wichita Fal ...

, and north of

Shawnee The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...

on SH-18.

History

Chandler was named after Judge George Chandler, also Assistant Secretary of the Interior. The site of Chandler was opened by a land run on September 28, 1891. The town had been planned to be opened on September 22, (the date of the ''

Land Run of 1891 The Land Run of 1891 was a set of horse races to settle land acquired by the federal government through the opening of several small Indian reservations in Oklahoma Territory. The race involved approximately 20,000 homesteaders, who gathered to ...

'') but the site survey had not been completed. The Chandler

Post Office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional se ...

had opened September 21, the day before the planned run. When

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 t ...

County A (Lincoln County) was organized, Chandler became the county seat. On March 30, 1897, a

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, alt ...

destroyed most of the fledgling town and killed 14 residents. In 1891 the county government operated from an office building until a courthouse was built. The courthouse was destroyed by the tornado of 1897, and a two-story frame building was erected as a temporary courthouse on the present site. The building was removed in 1907 to make way for a stone courthouse. This third courthouse burned down on December 23, 1967 and the current courthouse was constructed in its place. The St. Louis and Oklahoma City Railroad (later the

St. Louis and San Francisco Railway ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

, also known as the "Frisco") built a line through Chandler in 1898. The railroad enabled Chandler to move its agricultural products, as well as bricks made by the Chandler Brick Company, to markets. Chandler is one of the many cities along the famous U.S. Route 66 and contains a number of attractions to devotees of "The Mother Road." These include The Route 66 Interpretive Center, The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Museum and Hall of Fame, The Lincoln County Museum of Pioneer History, several Route 66-themed murals, the newly restored old cottage-style Phillips 66 gas station, and one of the last remaining painted barns advertising Meramec Caverns, which is on Route 66 in Missouri. U.S. Route 66 brought a significant amount of

commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...

business to Chandler, due to travelers crossing the state and the country; much of this business died out when the

Turner Turnpike The Turner Turnpike is a toll road in central Oklahoma, connecting its two largest cities, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Authorized by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1947 and opened in May 1953, it is the oldest of the state's eleven turnpikes.Everet ...

(

Interstate 44 Interstate 44 (I-44) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. Although it is nominally an east–west road as it is even-numbered, it follows a more southwest–northeast alignment. Its western terminus is in Wichita Fal ...

) was built. In 1949, the Oklahoma legislature declared Chandler to be "The pecan capital of the world," in Resolution No. 5. In 1958, professional baseball player Bo Belcher opened Chandler Baseball Camp. For 42 years, the camp hosted campers from around the world for a bootcamp-like baseball camp during summers. The camp closed in 2000 due to the death of Tom Belcher (not to be confused with fellow baseball player

Tim Belcher Timothy Wayne Belcher (born October 19, 1961) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 2000 for seven different teams. He was named '' The Sporting News'' Rookie Pitcher of the Year ...

). In 2011 it was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Geography

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 th ...

, Chandler has a total area of , of which is land and (10.43%) is water.

Climate

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 inc ...

of 2010, there were 3,100 people, 1,204 households, and 801 families residing 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 389.3 people per square mile (150.3/km²). There were 1,403 housing units at an average density of 176.7 per square mile (68.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.77%

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 ...

, 9.68%

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 ...

, 5.63% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.49% 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 4.05% 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 for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.79% of the population. Of all households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% 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 ...

living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% 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 2.98. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,833, and the median income for a family was $35,744. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $19,397 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 $14,676. About 12.1% of families and 16.7% 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 20.3% of those under age 18 and 15.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Today, Chandler's

economy An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with th ...

is driven mostly by

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...

and

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to ani ...

, oil and gas services, and manufacturing. The National American Insurance Company is headquartered in Chandler. Downtown Chandler, which is located on historic Route 66 and is home to many shops and restaurants. Lincoln County's first

Wal-Mart Supercenter Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...

opened in 2008 on the east side of Chandler. The Ioway Casino opened west of Chandler on June 1, 2013. The Ioway Casino is operated by the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and is the sister casino to Cimarron Casino located in Perkins. The Ioway Casino has 250 machines and is located on SH-66 between Chandler and US-177.

Recreation

Chandler is home to several city parks, a baseball complex, a splash pad, and a municipal swimming pool. Chandler has two lakes, Bell Cow Lake, and Chandler Lake. Bell Cow Lake, which features camping, boating, fishing, and horse trails, is located north of town, along with Chandler Golf Course. The Lincoln County Raceway, a quarter mile dirt track, is located south of Chandler.

Notable people

* Thomas G. Andrews lived in Chandler where he was city attorney and also

Lincoln County, Oklahoma Lincoln County is a county in eastern Central Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,273. Its county seat is Chandler. Lincoln County is part of the Oklahoma City, OK Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2010, the center of popu ...

attorney from 1922 to 1929. 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. * Wade Ellis (19091989), mathematician and professor *

Jon Gray Jonathan Charles Gray (born November 5, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Colorado Rockies. Gray played college baseball for Eastern Oklahoma S ...

, baseball player *

Roy Harris Roy Ellsworth Harris (February 12, 1898 – October 1, 1979) was an American composer. He wrote music on American subjects, and is best known for his Symphony No. 3. Life Harris was born in Chandler, Oklahoma on February 12, 1898. His ancestr ...

, (18981979), composer, born in Chandler *

James C. Nance James Clark "Jim" Nance (August 27, 1893 – September 3, 1984) was a leader for 40 years in the Oklahoma Legislature in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and was community newspaper chain publisher 66 years. Nance served as Speaker of the Oklahoma H ...

, Oklahoma community newspaper chain publisher and former

Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The speaker exercises administrative and procedural functions, but remains a rep ...

President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate The President ''pro tempore'' of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking state senator. The Oklahoma Constitution designates the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma as the highest-ran ...

and member

Uniform Law Commission The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), also called the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, is a non-profit, American unincorporated association. Established in 1892, the ULC aims to provide U.S. states (plus the District of C ...

Joseph C. Pringey Joseph Colburn Pringey (May 22, 1858 – February 11, 1935) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Oklahoma. Biography Born in Somerset, Pennsylvania, Pringey was the son of George and Effie Colburn Pringey and attended the c ...

(18581935), politician and U.S. Representative * James Brooks Ayers Robertson (18711938), fourth

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of Oklahoma *

Bill Tilghman William Matthew Tilghman Jr. (July 4, 1854 – November 1, 1924) was a career lawman, gunfighter, and politician in Kansas and Oklahoma during the late 19th century. Tilghman was a Dodge City city marshal in the early 1880s and played a role in ...

(18541924), frontier lawman

Education

Chandler and the surrounding area is served by the Chandler Public School District. The Chandler High School Alumni Association describes itself as "the oldest and most active" in the state. Chandler High School Lions State Championships: *2016 Fast Pitch Softball State Champs *2016 Slow Pitch Softball State Champs *2015 Slow Pitch Softball State Champs *2005 Baseball State Champs *2005 Football State Champs *1998 Baseball State Champs *1998 Pom State Champs *1997 Baseball State Champs *1997 Boys Basketball State Champs *1984 Football State Champs *1972 Boys Basketball State Champs *1933 Girls Basketball State Champs

National Register of Historic Places

* Boston Store *

Chandler Armory The Chandler Armory building in Chandler, Oklahoma is an Art Deco military building which now houses the Route 66 Interpretive Center, a museum devoted to understanding the construction and history of U.S. Route 66. The structure is apparently nota ...

* Chandler Baseball Camp * Chandler Bookstore * Chandler High School *

Clapp-Cunningham Building The Clapp-Cunningham Building is a historic two-story building in Chandler, Oklahoma Chandler ( sac, Chêninêheki) is a city in, and the county seat of, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States. and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Ar ...

* Conklin House *

Crane Motor Company Building Crane or cranes may refer to: Common meanings * Crane (bird), a large, long-necked bird * Crane (machine), industrial machinery for lifting ** Crane (rail), a crane suited for use on railroads People and fictional characters * Crane (surname), ...

* First Presbyterian Church of Chandler * Johnson House * Mascho Building and Public Privy ( Murphy Building) *

National Guard Statistical Building National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

* Oleson-Crane Building * St. Cloud Hotel * St. Stephen's Episcopal Church * Wolcott Building * Midlothian School * Seaba's Filling Station * Spring Dell School * Marshall William M. Tilghman Homestead

References

External links

*
Biography of George Chandler

''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' - Chandler

Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
{{authority control * Oklahoma City metropolitan area Cities in Lincoln County, Oklahoma Cities in Oklahoma County seats in Oklahoma Populated places established in 1891 1891 establishments in Oklahoma Territory