Duncan 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 parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Stephens County, Oklahoma Stephens County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 42,848. Its county seat is Duncan, Oklahoma, Duncan. The county was created at state ...

, United States. Its population was 22,310 at the 2020 census. Centrally located in Stephens County, Duncan became the county seat after Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907. Oil wells opened in Stephens County in 1918 and led to rapid development. Cotton was a dominant crop until the

Dust Bowl The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s. The phenomenon was caused by a combination of natural factors (severe drought) and hum ...

brought its decline, but cattle remain an important part of the economy. The

Chisholm Trail The Chisholm Trail ( ) was a stock trail and wagon route used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle overland from ranches in southern Texas, across the Red River into Indian Territory, and northward to rail stops in Kansas. The trail cons ...

passed to the east of Duncan prior to the town's founding, which is home to the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. Duncan is the birthplace of the

Halliburton Corporation Halliburton Company is an American multinational corporation and the world's second-largest oil service company which is responsible for most of the world's fracking operations. It employs approximately 55,000 people through its hundreds of su ...

Erle P. Halliburton Erle Palmer Halliburton (September 22, 1892 – October 13, 1957) was an American businessman specializing in oil field services. Early life Halliburton was born on September 22, 1892, near Henning, Tennessee, Henning, Tennessee, the son of Lou ...

established the New Method Oil Well Cementing Company in 1919. Halliburton maintains seven different complexes in Duncan plus an employee recreational park, but the corporate offices relocated first to

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

and later to

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

History

19th century

The Chisholm Trail passed to the east of Duncan prior to the town's founding. An estimated 9,800,000 Longhorn cattle were herded up the trail between

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

and

Abilene, Kansas Abilene (pronounced ) is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 6,460. It is home of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Libra ...

, during its existence. After learning that an extension of the

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The original 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 ...

was being built from Kansas to Texas, Scotsman William Duncan brought his wife, parents, and other relatives and created a trading post situated at the intersection of the north-south Chisholm Trail and the east–west military passage between Fort Arbuckle and

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...

. The first train arrived on June 27, 1892; that date is considered the official birth date of the town. Many of the city's first buildings were wood frame but were replaced by sandstone and brick structures after natural disasters destroyed them. At the time of its founding, Duncan was located in

Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation Pickens County was a political subdivision of the Chickasaw Nation in the Indian Territory from 1855, prior to Oklahoma being admitted as a state in 1907. The county was one of four that comprised the Chickasaw Nation. Following statehood, its ter ...

20th century

Four fires in 1901 burned down several buildings. Centrally located in

, Duncan became the county seat after Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907. As a compromise between residents of the northern and southern parts of the county, the county courthouse was located in the middle of Duncan's Main Street, half of it in the northern part of the city and county and half in the southern. Main Street made a wide circle around it on both ends. Oil wells opened in Stephens County in 1918 led to rapid development in Duncan. Shacks were prohibited immediately following the opening of the wells and other regulations were also put in place to channel the growth in an organized manner. Several

Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture, also known as mock Tudor in the UK, first manifested in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture, in rea ...

-style homes were built in the 1930s.

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to car ...

projects meant to rebuild the economy after the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

resulted in a public library, a senior high school, a stadium, a pool, a school and auditorium for the black community, an armory, and numerous bridges and sidewalks. Duncan expanded its city limits during an economic surge brought on by World War II. Towards the end of this period, the downtown area began to see a decline.

Geography

Duncan is situated approximately 30 miles east of Lawton and south of

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which (15.67%) are covered by water. Duncan is known for

crape myrtle ''Lagerstroemia'' (), commonly known as crape myrtle (also spelled crepe myrtle or crêpe myrtle), is a genus of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, northern Australia ...

trees, Oklahoma prairie, and rich farmland. State lawmakers designated the city as Oklahoma's official "Crape Myrtle Capital". Oklahoma's grasslands are made up of shortgrass, mixed-grass and tallgrass prairie. The city is part of the Great Plains and has four lakes.Duncan
,
Travelok.com
(accessed May 10, 2010). Duncan receives 34 inches of rain per year, with five inches of snowfall. The city also receives an average of 241 sunny days per year. It lies 1,128 feet above mean sea level. The downtown area lies between Walnut and Willow Avenues, from the railroad tracks to Highway 81.

Climate

Demographics

2000 census

At the 2000 census, 22,505 people in 9,406 households, including 6,424 families, were residing in the city. The population density was . The 10,795 housing units had an average density of 278.3/sq mi (107.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 90.48% White, 1.07% African American, 2.95% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.04%

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 ...

, 2.36% from other races, and 2.63% from two or more races.

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 ...

s or Latinos of any race were 5.99% of the population. Of the 9,406 households, 28.8% had children under 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were not families. About 28.9% of households were one person and 14.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.88. The age distribution was 24.1% under 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males. The median income for a household was $30,373 and for a family was $37,080. Males had a median income of $31,173 versus $19,731 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,643. About 28.7% of families and 27.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 42.8% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, 23,431 people and 9,535 households were residing in the city, with 11,064 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 82.3% White, 3.3% African American, 4.7% Native American, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.9% of the population. The average household size was 2.41. The age distribution was 23.8% under 18 and 17.9% 65 or older. The median household income was $39,683. The per capita income for the city was $22,230. About 16% of the population was below the poverty line.

Economy

Duncan once adopted the slogan, "The Buckle on the Oil Belt". Its main claim to fame is as the birthplace of the Halliburton Corporation.

perfected a new method of cementing wells, making oil production much easier and more profitable, and established the New Method Oil Well Cementing Company in 1919. He died in 1957, when the company had 201 offices in 22 states and 20 foreign countries. Halliburton maintains seven different complexes in Duncan, but the corporate offices relocated first to Dallas and later to Houston. Halliburton operates the Halliburton Technology Center in Duncan. In 2010, Halliburton announced that 150 jobs in the center were to move to Houston over the following two years.Halliburton to move jobs from Duncan to Houston
." ''

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

'' at ''

Tulsa World The ''Tulsa World'' is an American daily newspaper. It serves the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is the primary newspaper for the northeastern and eastern portions of Oklahoma. The printed edition is the second-most circulated newspaper in the sta ...

''. February 18, 2010. Retrieved on April 5, 2010. Agriculture has always played a part in Duncan's economy. Cotton was a dominant crop until the Dust Bowl brought about a reduction in its role. The cattle business remains an important part of Duncan's economy. The city has been home to a number of banks and doctors since its early settlement, and both continue to be well represented today.

Arts and culture

Duncan is home to the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. Among other exhibits, it features the Paul Moore bronze ''On the Chisholm Trail'', which stands nearly 15 feet high atop its immense base, and stretches almost 35 feet across the horizon. Trail Ruts at Monument Hill just outside of Duncan has visible traces of cattle hoofs and wagons actually left on the trail. The Stephens County Historical Museum contains displays and artifacts from the land run and early settlement in the area. In 1974 the museum moved to the NRHP-listed old National Guard Armory in Fuqua Park, built in 1936-1937 as a WPA project. The city holds an annual county fair and top-rated livestock events year round. Other annual events include the Chisholm Trail Arts Council's Art Walk, Trail Dance Film Festival, Cruizin' the Chisholm Trail Car and Motorcycle Show, the Chisholm Trail Stampede, the Dehydrator bicycle race/ride, Summerfest with the World's Largest Garage Sale, and the Western Spirit Celebration.

Parks and recreation

Duncan city parks include—Abe Raizen (baseball, soccer, playground, picnic); Arboretum and Heritage Park (walking path, flora); Douglass Park (splash pad, picnic, playground, community center, tennis courts); Fuqua Park (swimming pool, swings, picnic, playground, museum, train exhibit, kiddie land, gazebo); Hillcrest Park (water pad, playground, tennis court, baseball); Jaycee Park (playground); McCasland Rotary Park (field, baseball); Memorial Park (war memorials, tennis courts); Olen Sledge Memorial Park (walking path, playground); Playday Park (playground, picnic area); Timbergate Park (playground); and Whisenant Park (walking path, playground). Area lakes include Lake Humphreys and Clear Creek Lake to the northeast, Fuqua Lake to the east-northeast, Duncan Lake to the east, Waurika Lake to the south-southwest, Lake Lawtonka to the west-northwest, and Lake Ellsworth to the northwest. The

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton, has protected unique wildlife habitats since 1901 and is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service system. The refuge's l ...

is to the northwest.

Historic structures

Eight of the 10 NRHP-listed places in Stephens County are located in Duncan, including the Brittain-Garvin House, the H.C. Chrislip House, the W.T. Foreman House, the Louis B. Simmons House, Duncan Armory, Duncan Public Library, the Johnson Hotel and Boarding House, and the Patterson Hospital.

Government

Duncan is governed by a city council composed of the city's mayor and four council members.

Education

* Duncan Public Schools is Duncan's school district. * Red River Technology Center is the city's

vocational education Vocational education is education that prepares people for a skilled craft. Vocational education can also be seen as that type of education given to an individual to prepare that individual to be gainfully employed or self employed with req ...

institution. * Cameron University also has a branch in Duncan.

Newspapers

Duncan's only newspaper still in circulation is ''The Duncan Banner'', which began in 1892 and was published by J.P. Sampson until 1929. On April 24, 1921, the ''Banner'' began publishing a Sunday issue. A

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

-leaning newspaper titled ''Justice'' was published by Wiley Edgar (Ed) Chives during 1907, the year of Oklahoma's statehood. ''The Duncan Weekly Eagle'' was published by Lee Woods from 1910 until 1935 and was later rebranded ''The Duncan Eagle'' from 1935 until it ceased publication in 1979. ''The Duncan American'' was a weekly newspaper published from 1933 to 1935 by M. R. Carley.

Infrastructure

Duncan is served by U.S. Route 81 and State Highway 7. State Highway 29 runs just north of town, and State Highway 53 runs just south of town. Halliburton Field (KDUC; FAA ID: DUC), owned by the City of Duncan and located two miles south, has a paved 6326’ x 100’ runway. The airport hosted commercial air service from Central Airlines in the 1960s.

Notable people

* Ben Aldridge (1926–1956) – professional football player * Jari Askins (born 1953) – Oklahoma State Representative; Lt. Governor of Oklahoma *

Gary Austin Gary Austin (born Gary Moore; October 18, 1941 – April 1, 2017) was an American improvisational theatre teacher, writer, and director who founded The Groundlings theatre company in 1974. Early life Austin grew up in the Nazarene Church and in ...

(1941–2017) – actor and teacher of improvisational theater * Larry Austin (1930–2018) – composer and music educator * Hoyt Axton (1938–1999) – country music singer-songwriter * Bryce Davis (born 1989) – professional football player * Donald Grantham (born 1947) – composer and music educator * Quinn Grovey (born 1968) – college football player and sportscaster *

(1892–1957) – founder, Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company * Joe Hassler (1905–1971) – professional baseball player * Hall Haynes (1928–1988) – professional football player * Jean Speegle Howard (1927–2000) – actress * Rance Howard (1928–2017) – actor *

Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. Howard started his career as a child actor before transitioning to directing films. Over his six-decade career, Howard has received List of awards and nominations r ...

(born 1954) – actor, director, producer *

Jeane Kirkpatrick Jeane Duane Kirkpatrick (née Jordan; November 19, 1926December 7, 2006) was an American diplomat and political scientist who played a major role in the foreign policy of the Ronald Reagan administration. An ardent anticommunist, she was a lon ...

(1926–2006) – United States ambassador to the United Nations * Ralph Mooney (1928–2011) - country music

steel guitar A steel guitar () is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conventional guitar i ...

ist and songwriter * Ned Pettigrew (1881–1952) – professional baseball player and manager *

Jackie Sherrill Jackie Wayne Sherrill (born November 28, 1943) is an American former college football player and coach. He was the head football coach at Washington State University (1976), the University of Pittsburgh (1977–1981), Texas A&M University (1982� ...

(born 1943) – former college football head coach * Betty Lou Shipley (1931–1998) - Poet Laureate of Oklahoma (1997-1998) * Phil Stephenson (born 1945) – member of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...

from Wharton, Texas * Basil Wilkerson (1907–1967) – professional football player

References

External links

City of Duncan

Duncan Convention & Visitors Bureau
{{Authority control Cities in Oklahoma Cities in Stephens County, Oklahoma County seats in Oklahoma Micropolitan areas of Oklahoma Populated places established in 1892 1892 establishments in Oklahoma Territory