Edmond, Oklahoma
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Edmond is a city in
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Oklahoma County is a County (United States), county located in the Central Oklahoma, central part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 796,292, making it the most populous county in ...
, United States. It is a part of the
Oklahoma City metropolitan area The Oklahoma City metropolitan area is an urban region in Central Oklahoma. 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 Oklahoma City Metr ...
, located in
Central Oklahoma Central Oklahoma is the geographical name for the central region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is also known by the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, Oklahoma Department of Tourism designation, Frontier Country, defined as the 12 ...
. Its population was 94,428 according to the 2020 United States census, a 16% increase from 2010. making it the 5th most populous city in
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
. The city borders the northern boundary 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 ...
. Public transportation is provided by Citylink Edmond bus service.


History


19th century

The Santa Fe rail line in Oklahoma Territory established a water and coaling station for steam engines at this location when the Santa Fe Railroad built into Indian Territory in 1887.Oklahoma Municipal Government
''Oklahoma Almanac'', 2005, p. 535. (accessed October 1, 2013)
The site for the station was chosen because it was the highest point on the line in Oklahoma County; trains could more easily accelerate going downhill while leaving the station in either direction. The railroad then named the station for Edmond Burdick, the Santa Fe's traveling freight agent.Brenda Granger, "Edmond," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Accessed October 1, 2013
When the town was formed after the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889, early settlers decided to adopt the name. Though most of the remnants of the old railroad infrastructure are gone, the Santa Fe, now BNSF, freight line still runs through the same course. The town of Edmond sprang up overnight during the great Oklahoma land run on April 22, 1889, when homesteads were staked around the Santa Fe station. The original plat for Edmond was prepared by the Seminole Town and Development Company, a newly formed syndicate with ties to the railroad. Many of the original streets were named for men associated with either the Santa Fe Railroad or the town syndicate. The first mayor and city officers were elected in May 1889, and Edmond's population was 294 in the 1890 census. The first public schoolhouse in Oklahoma Territory, completed in August 1889, is in Edmond. It still stands as a historic monument on 2nd Street between Boulevard and Broadway, and is open to the public on the first two Saturdays of each month or by appointment. St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, the first church opened after the land run, was located on the southwest corner of East First and South Boulevard. The congregation still exists, although not in its original building or location. In December 1890, the territorial legislature established three universities, the state university in Norman, the agricultural and mechanical college in Stillwater, and a "normal" or teaching school in Edmond. The first classes for the Territorial Normal School (University of Central Oklahoma) were held November 9, 1891, in the Methodist Church on the southwest corner of North Broadway and West Hurd. Old North, the Territorial Normal School's iconic first building, was opened for classes on January 2, 1893, and ahead of Oklahoma State University's Central Hall or Oklahoma University's Science Hall. The '' Edmond Sun'', established by Milton W. "Kicking Bird" Reynolds on July 18, 1889, was the state's oldest continuous newspaper dating from Oklahoma Territorial days.


20th century

In the early 20th century, Edmond was known as a sundown town. Racial covenants barred property sales to individuals of races other than White people or Native Americans in every neighborhood built between 1911 and 1949, except the Edmond Highway Addition in 1924. Racial housing covenants in the United States became unenforceable in 1948 after the '' Shelley v. Kraemer'' decision by the
United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...
. In 1925, a new city charter was written for the city, including a still-enforced requirement that all candidates for mayor or city council be freeholders, or landowners within the city. Edmond was the site of a workplace shooting on August 20, 1986, in which 14 people were killed and six wounded by Patrick Sherrill, a postman who then committed suicide. This event was the deadliest killing in a string of U.S. postal employee murder–suicides that inspired the slang term " going postal". A memorial to the victims of the attack stands outside the U.S. Post Office in downtown Edmond. The city was the subject of a Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals case challenging the depiction of a Christian cross on the city seal, raising issues concerning the
Establishment Clause In United States law, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, together with that Amendment's Free Exercise Clause, form the constitutional right of freedom of religion. The ''Establishment Clause'' an ...
of the U.S. Constitution. In May 1996, the Supreme Court let stand a Federal Appeals Court ruling ordering the city to remove the cross from the seal. Rather than replace the cross, the city council voted to leave the spot blank so as to "remind people of what was there," as well as this being the least expensive way to comply.


21st century

A memorial service for famed Oklahoman
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
player Bobby Murcer was held in Edmond on August 6, 2008, at the Memorial Road Church of Christ. Among the some 2,000 attending the memorial were Reggie Jackson, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, and former Yankees manager Joe Girardi. In 2011, Darrell Davis was elected as the first
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
city councilor in Edmond's history, and in 2021, he was elected the first Black mayor of Edmond.


Geography

Edmond is located just north of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. 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 (3.19%) are covered by water. Arcadia Lake on the east side of the city, a fishing spot for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, contains bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, and largemouth bass. Twin Bridges Lake is a second lake in the city. Edmond lies in the Sandstone Hills region of Central Oklahoma, known for hills, blackjack oak, and post oak. The city falls into an ecological region known as the Cross Timbers.


Climate

Edmond has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
with frequent variations in weather during part of the year and consistently hot summers. Prolonged and severe droughts often lead to wildfires, and heavy rainfall often leads to flash flooding and flooding. Consistent winds, usually from the south or south-southeast during the summer, help temper the hotter weather. Consistent northerly winds during the winter can intensify cold periods. Severe ice storms and snowstorms happen sporadically during the winter. The city is subject to frequent and severe tornadoes and hailstorms, thus is located in the so-called Tornado Alley. The Oklahoma City metropolitan area is one of the most tornado-prone areas in the world.


Demographics


2020 census

According to estimates from ESRI, about 94,000 residents and 37,000 housing units are in the area. Population estimates by race/ethnicity are 79.8% White, 5.8% Black, 2.7% American Indian, 4.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.5% other races, and 5.0% of two or more races; 7.2% of the population is of Hispanic origin. The population is 51.5% female and 48.5% male. The median age of residents is 36.3 years, lower than the Oklahoma median age of 37.8. The average household income is $101,811.


Economy

The University of Central Oklahoma is a major employer. Some of Edmond's targeted industries include wholesale trade, light manufacturing, information technology, and professional, scientific, and technical services. Supermarket chain Crest Foods is based in Edmond.


Top employers

According to the city's 2022'' Comprehensive Annual Financial Report'', the top employers in the city are:


Arts and culture

The city of Edmond is making efforts to promote public art with murals, stained glass, and steel sculptures. On a portion of Main Street, statuary lines nearly every corner. On July 4, 2007, the city inaugurated a bronze statue of Nannita R.H. Daisey, believed to be the first woman laying claim on Oklahoma land in the first (1889) land run. In 2015 the Dave McGary sculpture of Chief Touch the Clouds was relocated to Edmond from Houston's
Astrodome The NRG Astrodome, formerly and also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, was the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, United States. It seated around 50,000 fans, with a record atte ...
. The 18-foot-tall, 15-foot-wide sculpture is located on Second Street at the entrance of the University of Central Oklahoma. Edmond residents have access to 57 Protestant and three Catholic congregations, six
Latter-day Saint The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded b ...
congregations, one Unitarian Universalist church, one Islamic mosque, and one Haziratu'l-Quds for followers of the
Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...
. A 163-foot-tall cross sits at the Edmond Campus of Life.Church on the corner of State Highway 66 (also called Second Street) and the I-35 Service Road. The church, known at the time as MetroChurch, fought the city of Edmond to erect the cross, which the planning commission ostensibly did not want to allow because they considered it a billboard. The movies '' Rudderless'' (2014), '' American Underdog'' (2021), and '' Reagan'' (2024) were partially shot in Edmond.


Sports

Rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
is a developing sport in Edmond and the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Edmond boasts two rugby clubs -the Edmond Rugby Club (The Storm) and the University of Central Oklahoma Rugby Football Club. Golf is a popular sport in Edmond, boasting seven golf courses, including the Oak Tree National. Soccer is also a growing sport in Edmond, being home to the Edmond Soccer Club.


Education

Most of Edmond is in the Edmond Public Schools district. Portions are in other school districts: Deer Creek Public Schools, Jones Public Schools, and Luther Public Schools.


Elementary schools

Source: * Angie Debo Elementary School (outside of Edmond) * Centennial Elementary School * Charles Haskell Elementary School (outside of Edmond) * Chisholm Elementary School * Clegern Elementary School * Clyde Howell (the district's early-childhood education center) * Cross Timbers Elementary School * Frontier Elementary School * Heritage Elementary School * Ida Freeman Elementary School * John Ross Elementary School * Northern Hills Elementary School * Orvis Risner Elementary School * Russell Dougherty Elementary School * Sunset Elementary School * Washington Irving Elementary School * West Field Elementary School * Will Rogers Elementary School * Redbud Elementary * Scissortail Elementary (outside of Edmond)


Middle schools

* Central Middle School * Cheyenne Middle School * Cimarron Middle School * Heartland Middle School * Oakdale Middle School * Sequoyah Middle School * Summit Middle School (outside of Edmond)


High schools

* Edmond Memorial High School * Edmond North High School * Edmond Santa Fe High School * Boulevard Academy


Colleges and universities

* Herbert W. Armstrong College * University of Central Oklahoma


Private schools

* Holy Trinity Lutheran School * Mercy School Institute * Oklahoma Christian School * Oklahoma Christian Academy * The Academy of Classical Christian Studies * St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School * St. Mary's Episcopal School


Notable people

* Dusty Allen,
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) player (
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
and
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
), graduated from Edmond Memorial High School (HS). * Brian Anderson, born in Edmond in 1993, was an MLB third baseman for the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
. * Jim Beaver, actor (star of '' Deadwood'' and ''
Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
''), lived in Edmond 1971–1976. * Paul Blair,
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) offensive tackle drafted by the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
in 1986, graduated from Edmond Memorial High School. * Allison Brown, Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 1986, Miss Teen USA 1986, grew up in Edmond. * Joel Comm, a ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' best-selling author, lived in Edmond from 1998 to 2007. * Greyson Chance, an Internet celebrity and recording artist, lives in Edmond. * Daryl Dike, a professional soccer player for EFL Championship club West Bromwich Albion, graduated from Edmond North High School. * Kristian Doolittle (born 1997), a former basketball player for Hapoel Eilat of the
Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl (, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is a professional basketball league in Israel and the highest level of basketball in the country. The league's name is abbreviated as either BSL ...
, graduated from Edmond Memorial HS. * Robert Galbreath, Jr. (1863-1953), lived a short time in Edmond, where he served as deputy U.S. marshal and as Edmond's postmaster.Larry O'Dell, "Galbreath Robert" (1863 - 1953)." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Retrieved May 12, 2014.
* KC Green, a comic artist, graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma. * Kelly Gregg, a retired Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl-winning
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
' nose guard, is from Edmond. * Blake Griffin, a forward for the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
, graduated from Edmond's Oklahoma Christian School. * Charlie Haas, a professional wrestler, was born in Edmond in 1972. He is a former three-time WWE tag team champion. * Johny Hendricks, a UFC welterweight champion, graduated from Edmond Memorial High School in 2002. * Mat Hoffman, a BMX rider, graduated from Edmond Memorial HS in 1990. * Hoda Katebi, an Iranian-American writer and activist, graduated from Edmond Santa Fe High School in 2012. * Trey Kennedy, Internet comedian and musician * Mike Kennerty of the
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
groups the All-American Rejects and Mikaila lives in Edmond. * Darci Lynne, a ventriloquist and the winner of season 12 of '' America's Got Talent'', grew up in Edmond. * Brady Manek, a former college basketball player and professional player in Turkey, was born in Edmond. * Shannon Miller (b. 1977), an Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics (1996), attended Edmond North High School. * Daniel Nayeri, author, lived in Edmond. * Garrett Richards, MLB player for the Los Angeles Angels, grew up in Edmond and graduated from Edmond Memorial High School in 2006. * Josh Richardson, a former
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
basketball player, attended Santa Fe HS. * Bob Ricks, a former Edmond chief of police and former FBI agent, was involved in the controversial 1993
Waco Siege The Waco siege, also known as the Waco massacre, was the siege by US federal government and Texas state law enforcement officials of a compound belonging to the religious cult known as the Branch Davidians, between February 28 and April 19, 1993 ...
. * Mookie Salaam, a professional sprinter for Team USA, attended Edmond North HS. * Bill Self, head men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...
in 2017. He attended Edmond Memorial HS. * Mark Snyder (1946-2020), a former Oklahoma state senator and businessman, was born and raised in the city. * Laura Spencer, an actress, grew up in Edmond. * William C. Wantland, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Eau Claire, was born in Edmond. * Brandon Weeden graduated from Edmond Santa Fe, and played NFL football for several teams. * Steve Zabel, an NFL linebacker and tight end drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1970, resides in Edmond.


See also

* List of sundown towns in the United States


References


External links


City of Edmond Official Website''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' - Edmond Post Office Massacre''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' - Edmond
{{authority control Oklahoma City metropolitan area Cities in Oklahoma Cities in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Populated places established in 1889 1889 establishments in Indian Territory Sundown towns in Oklahoma