Mangum is a city in 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 ...

Greer County, Oklahoma Greer County is a county located along the southwest border of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 6,239. Its county seat is Mangum. From 1860 to 1896, the state of Texas claimed an area known as Greer Coun ...

, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It was originally part of Old Greer County in the

Texas panhandle The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a square-shaped area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east. It is adjacent to ...

. The community was named for A. S. Mangum, who owned the land on which the town was founded in 1882. It became part of

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 ...

in 1896, and thus part of the state of Oklahoma on November 16, 1907. Bielich, Peggy Crabb. "Mangum." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Retrieved March 19, 2014.

History

Beginning in 1876, the nearby

Great Western Cattle Trail The Great Western Cattle Trail was used during the late 19th century for movement of cattle and horses to markets in eastern and northern states. It is also known as the Western Trail, Fort Griffin Trail, Dodge City Trail, Northern Trail and Texa ...

was used to drive cattle north from Texas to market. The community of Mangum began in 1882 when Henry Clay Sweet established it on

land grant A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...

ed to A. S. Mangum by the state of Texas. The Mangum post office was established April 15, 1886. This part of Texas (old Greer County) was given to Oklahoma in 1896. During Mangum's early days, the community's economy largely depended on very large cattle ranches owned or leased by land companies such as the Day Land and Cattle Company of Texas and the Franklyn Land and Cattle Company, an English syndicate. The local cowboys called Mangum "Tin City" because so many tin cans were unrolled and nailed over the wooden planks that served as sidewalks. The Kiser Salt Works, named for owner Ben Kiser and located on the Elm Fork of the Red River was one of the earliest production operations in what would become western Oklahoma. Other early businesses in or around Mangum included the Oklahoma Granite Company, which opened in 1904, the ''Mangum Star'' newspaper, first published in 1887, and the Mangum Brick Plant, established in 1903 by D. J. Doyle. The newspaper still publishes in the 21st Century. The brick plant, now owned by Jewett Scott, also still operates and has greatly expanded production. By statehood, Mangum had a population of 2,672. It had two school buildings, an opera house and a county courthouse, listed in the National Register of Historical Places, NR 85000682. By 1930, the population had expanded to 4,806 (the highest recorded in the U.S. census). Agriculture had largely displaced the old cattle ranches, so the city could also boast of seven cotton gins, one cotton oil mill, one cotton compress, and one flour mill. Mangum is the birthplace of many famous people. Most are singers. These people include Margaret Avery,

Blake Ragsdale Van Leer Blake Ragsdale Van Leer (August 16, 1893 – January 23, 1956) was an engineer and university professor who served as the fifth president of Georgia Institute of Technology from 1944 until his death in 1956. Early life and education Van Leer was ...

, Gary McSpadden,

Russell Pierson Russell Pierson (December 15, 1911 – March 31, 2015) was a farm broadcasting pioneer and nationally recognized figure for his work in agriculture. Pierson was the Farm Director for WKY-TV and WKY for over twenty years as well as the owner of P ...

, James P. Garrett, and many more. The

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock. At the end ...

(aka Rock Island or CRI&P) built a line from

Chickasha, Oklahoma Chickasha is a city in and the county seat of Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,036 at the 2010 census. Chickasha is home to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The city is named for and strongly connect ...

to Mangum in 1900. The Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway, acquired by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway (also known as M-K-T or Katy) in 1911, operated its own line through Mangum by 1910. Mangum is home to the fourth longest-lasting light bulb, located in a fire house, according to ''

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

''. Mangum is the setting for the 2008 movie ''

Beer for My Horses "Beer for My Horses" is a song recorded by American country music artists Toby Keith and Willie Nelson. It was written by Keith and Scotty Emerick for Keith's seventh studio album, '' Unleashed''. The song was released as the album's fourth and ...

'', starring

Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's '' Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 19 ...

and

Rodney Carrington Rodney Scott Carrington (born October 19, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, country music artist and songwriter. He has released six major-label studio albums and a greatest hits package, on Mercury Records and Capitol Records. His ...

. On May 20, 2019, Western Mangum was hit hard by a destructive

EF2 tornado The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia. The Enhanced Fujita scale repl ...

during a

tornado outbreak __NOTOC__ A tornado outbreak is the occurrence of multiple tornadoes spawned by the same synoptic scale weather system. The number of tornadoes required to qualify as an outbreak typically are at least six to ten, with at least two rotational ...

that impacted central Oklahoma. In 2020, during the

COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

Mangum made national news when a local church was instrumental in spreading COVID-19 throughout the town, resulting in several fatalities. Mayor at the time, Mary Jane Scott, put the town on lockdown following direction from state governor,

Kevin Stitt John Kevin Stitt (born December 28, 1972) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 28th governor of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, he began his first term as governor in January 2019 and was reelected to a second te ...

. After the lockdown was lifted and many states reopened, the safety measures in place in Mangum were also removed.

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 ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Lake Altus-Lugert Lake Altus-Lugert, also known as Lake Altus, Lake Lugert, Lake Lugert-Altus, and Lugert Lake, is a reservoir located on the North Fork Red River, about 17 miles (27 km) north of Altus, Oklahoma on the former site of the town of Lugert, Okl ...

is to the east-northeast.

Climate

Mangum, Oklahoma's climate is humid subtropical ( Köppen ''Cfa'',

Trewartha Trewartha and Andrewartha are Cornish family names (and placename, Dexter). There are places called Trewartha in the parishes of Merther, St Agnes, St Neot and Veryan. According to the ''Handbook of Cornish Names'' by G. Pawley White, "Tre ...

''Cf''), giving the area mild winters and hot, humid summers. Mangum is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, strongly suggesting that the coldest night of each year averages between 0 °F (-18 °C) and 5 °F (-15 °C). On February 11, 2017, Mangum reached a high of 99.41 °F (37.45 °C). This is the Oklahoma state record high for meteorological winter (December through February). What's even more remarkable is that this occurred just three days before snow fell on Mangum.

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 2000, there were 2,924 people, 1,236 households, and 765 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 1,673.2 people per square mile (645.1/km). There were 1,553 housing units at an average density of 888.7 per square mile (342.6/km). The racial makeup of the city was 84.44%

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 ...

, 6.74%

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 ...

, 1.37% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 4.51% 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 2.84% 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 8.41% of the population. There were 1,236 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% 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, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,064, and the median income for a family was $30,547. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $16,198 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 $13,392. About 20.2% of families and 24.2% 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 ...

, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 19.5% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Cultural attractions include the Old Greer County Museum and Pioneer Hall of Fame, which occupies a 1907 hospital building and features over 60 rooms of artifacts relevant to the history of Old Greer County. The hospital was built by Dr. Fowler Borde

before Oklahoma reached statehood. The Margaret Carder Library, founded in 1922, contains 14,318 volumes and circulates 11,794 items per year. The annual Mangum Rattlesnake Derby, typically in April, features not only a rattlesnake hunt, but also a festival and large flea market.

Historical Sites

Locations in Mangum listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Greer County, Oklahoma include: * Downtown Mangum Historic District * Greer County Courthouse * Hotel Franklin * Mangum Armory * Mangum Community Building

Government

Mangum is governed by a city commission and a City Manager. * Mayor - Mary Jane Scott * Finance Commissioner - Ron Gay * Police and Fire Commissioner - Marsha Griswold * Public Highways Commissioner -Travis Reese * Utility Commissioner - Ronnie Webb are the Trustees of the Mangum Utility Authority and the Trustees of the Mangum Hospital Authority.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways

Mangum is served by

U.S. Route 283 U.S. Route 283 is a spur of U.S. Route 83. It currently runs for 731 miles (1,175 km) from Brady, Texas at U.S. Route 87 to Lexington, Nebraska at U.S. Route 30. It passes through the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. Route ...

, as well as

Oklahoma State Highway 34 State Highway 34 (abbreviated SH-34) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It runs for south-to-north in the western part of the state. The highway begins northeast of Eldorado, in the southwest corner of the state, and extends no ...

Oklahoma State Highway 9 State Highway 9, abbreviated as SH-9, OK-9, or simply Highway 9, is a major east–west highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Spanning across the central part of the state, SH-9 begins at the Texas state line near Madge, Oklahoma, and ends at ...

connects just north of town.

Air

Mangum has a civil airport named Scott Field located on the western edge of the city, about from the city center."Scott Field Municipal Airport." City of Mangum.
Accessed November 4, 2016. No scheduled passenger airlines serve this airport. Commercial air service is available at Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport about 81 miles east-southeast, or the larger

Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is a public airport six miles (10 km) east of downtown Amarillo, in Potter County, Texas, United States. The airport was renamed in 2003 after NASA astronaut and Amarillo native Rick Husband, ...

, about 139 miles to the west-northwest.

Rail

There is no passenger rail service to or from Mangum, There are no traces of track in the city limits of Mangum.

Notable people

Margaret Avery Margaret Avery (born April 15, 1944) is an American actress and singer. She began her career appearing on stage and later had starring roles in films including '' Cool Breeze'' (1972), '' Which Way Is Up?'' (1977), ''Scott Joplin'' (1977), and '' ...

, actress and singer * G. A. Brown, judge * James P. Garrett, justice of the

Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals is an intermediate appellate court in the state of Oklahoma. Cases are assigned to it by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the state's highest court for civil matters.

."James Garrett." ''The Oklahoman''. October 18, 2015.
Accessed May 11, 2018. * Clyde Hendrick, dean of

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sy ...

graduate school. * Braden Looper, professional baseball player * Gale McArthur, college basketball player *

, president of

Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part ...

* Gary McSpadden, pastor and award-winning

Gospel Music Hall of Fame The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1972 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music. Inductees This is an incompl ...

singer and producer

Notes

References

External links

Greer County Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Cities in Oklahoma Cities in Greer County, Oklahoma County seats in Oklahoma Populated places established in 1882 1882 establishments in Indian Territory