El Reno, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
El Reno is a city in Canadian County
, Oklahoma
, United States
, in the central part of the state. A part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area
, El Reno is 25 miles (40.2 km) west of downtown Oklahoma City. The population was 16,729 at the 2010 census
.
of Canadian County
, and the only city in Oklahoma to have a streetcar in operation in the downtown area. At one time it possessed a terminal and repair facility for the CRI&P (Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, or "Rock Island") railroad, which employed a large number of people. The CRI&P went bankrupt in 1975.
El Reno is located at the interchange of I-40
and U.S. Route 81
. Redlands Community College is located in El Reno as is Canadian Valley Technology Center
, which opened in 1970 and is directly on famed Route 66 (about three miles (5 km) east of the city). El Reno is also home to a Federal Prison.
It was originally located about five miles (8 km) north of its present location, on the banks of the North Canadian river, bearing the name "Reno City," which caused its mail to get mixed up with mail for Reno, Nevada. After the second time the town was flooded, it was moved to its present location and changed its name to El Reno.
Historic Fort Reno
was built in 1874, and first commanded by General Phillip Sheridan. He named it in honor of his friend, Gen. Jesse L. Reno
, who was killed in the Civil War. Today, the grounds of the old fort are home to a research laboratory for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The laboratory studies environmentally sustainable forage and livestock production, contributing to preservation of the great plains of North America.
During WWII, Fort Reno, about one mile (1.6 km) west of El Reno, was the site of a prisoner of war camp, and today contains a P.O.W. cemetery, with stones bearing the names of German and Italian prisoners who died there.
El Reno is a Main Street community. The Oklahoma
Main Street Program is a downtown revitalization program and the El Reno Program won the Great American Main Street Award in 2006.
The town is noted for its annual Fried Onion Burger Day Festival, which is always the 1st Saturday in May. Burger Day is where you can witness the cooking of the world’s largest fried onion hamburger
, weighing over 850 pounds. The giant burger contains all the important parts of the famous El Reno fried onion burgers which includes meat, fried onions, sliced pickles, and mustard all between two giant buns. Not only do festival goers get to watch the massive burger be built and cooked, but they are also allowed to help eat the monstrosity. Volunteers divide the giant burger into individual sized portions with burger-sized cookie cutters. Other volunteers shuttle back and forth from the burger to the crowd, delivering the free portions to anyone wanting a piece. In 2008, El Reno celebrated the 20th Annual Fried Onion Burger Day.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 80.4 square miles (208.2 km²), of which, 80 square miles (207.2 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (0.56%) is water.
of 2000, there were 16,212 people, 5,727 households, and 3,842 families residing in the city. The population density
was 202.7 people per square mile (78.3/km²). There were 6,484 housing units at an average density of 81.1 per square mile (31.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.39% White, 9.83% Native American, 7.85% African American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.33% from other races
, and 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.52% of the population.
There were 5,727 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 114.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,200, and the median income for a family was $39,106. Males had a median income of $29,521 versus $20,107 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,570. About 11.4% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
operates the Federal Correctional Institution, El Reno
in El Reno.
Canadian County, Oklahoma
Canadian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 115,541. Its county seat is El Reno. Canadian County is also part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area. Canadian County is named for the Canadian River.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the central part of the state. A part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area
Oklahoma City metropolitan area
-Metro-area suburbs and exurbs:The following communities are suburbs and exurbs of Oklahoma City with populations of at least 1,000 found within the bounds of State Highway 33 to the north, State Highway 18 and US-177 to the east, State Highway 39 and State Highway 9 to the south, and US-81 to the...
, El Reno is 25 miles (40.2 km) west of downtown Oklahoma City. The population was 16,729 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
.
History
El Reno is a historic community with many historic buildings, is the county seatCounty seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Canadian County
Canadian County, Oklahoma
Canadian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 115,541. Its county seat is El Reno. Canadian County is also part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area. Canadian County is named for the Canadian River.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, and the only city in Oklahoma to have a streetcar in operation in the downtown area. At one time it possessed a terminal and repair facility for the CRI&P (Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, or "Rock Island") railroad, which employed a large number of people. The CRI&P went bankrupt in 1975.
El Reno is located at the interchange of I-40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
and U.S. Route 81
U.S. Route 81
U.S. Route 81 is one of the many United States Numbered Highways established in 1926 by the US Department of Agriculture Bureau of Public Roads....
. Redlands Community College is located in El Reno as is Canadian Valley Technology Center
Canadian Valley Technology Center
Canadian Valley Technology Center is a public career and technology education center, which opened in 1970.Three main central Oklahoma campuses serve district patrons. The campuses are located in El Reno, west Oklahoma City and in Chickasha...
, which opened in 1970 and is directly on famed Route 66 (about three miles (5 km) east of the city). El Reno is also home to a Federal Prison.
It was originally located about five miles (8 km) north of its present location, on the banks of the North Canadian river, bearing the name "Reno City," which caused its mail to get mixed up with mail for Reno, Nevada. After the second time the town was flooded, it was moved to its present location and changed its name to El Reno.
Historic Fort Reno
Fort Reno (Oklahoma)
Fort Reno was established as a permanent post in July 1875, near the Darlington Indian Agency on the old Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation in Indian Territory, in present-day central Oklahoma. Named for General Jesse L. Reno, who died at the Battle of South Mountain, it supported the U.S...
was built in 1874, and first commanded by General Phillip Sheridan. He named it in honor of his friend, Gen. Jesse L. Reno
Jesse L. Reno
Jesse Lee Reno was a career United States Army officer who served in the Mexican-American War, the western frontier, and as a Union General during the American Civil War...
, who was killed in the Civil War. Today, the grounds of the old fort are home to a research laboratory for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The laboratory studies environmentally sustainable forage and livestock production, contributing to preservation of the great plains of North America.
El Reno is a Main Street community. The Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Main Street Program is a downtown revitalization program and the El Reno Program won the Great American Main Street Award in 2006.
The town is noted for its annual Fried Onion Burger Day Festival, which is always the 1st Saturday in May. Burger Day is where you can witness the cooking of the world’s largest fried onion hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
, weighing over 850 pounds. The giant burger contains all the important parts of the famous El Reno fried onion burgers which includes meat, fried onions, sliced pickles, and mustard all between two giant buns. Not only do festival goers get to watch the massive burger be built and cooked, but they are also allowed to help eat the monstrosity. Volunteers divide the giant burger into individual sized portions with burger-sized cookie cutters. Other volunteers shuttle back and forth from the burger to the crowd, delivering the free portions to anyone wanting a piece. In 2008, El Reno celebrated the 20th Annual Fried Onion Burger Day.
Geography
El Reno is located at 35°31′49"N 97°57′27"W (35.530261, -97.957529). At one time it sat on the boundary between Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory, and sits about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of the old Chisholm Trail. Jesse Chisholm is buried nearby.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 80.4 square miles (208.2 km²), of which, 80 square miles (207.2 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (0.56%) is water.
Climate
El Reno has endured numerous weather- and climate-related incidents in recent years:- El Reno has weathered several ice storms in recent years, including the January 4–5, 2005 storm that left up to two inches of ice in the hardest-hit locations.
- In 2006, El Reno experienced "exceptional" drought conditions as the entire state endured one of the driest summers on record.
- On March 12, 2006, drought conditions allowed an area wildfire to grow to burn over a thousand acres (4 km²). Winds carried the smoke into the Oklahoma City metro, spurring thousands of calls to emergency services by concerned residents.
- On April 24, 2006, a rare anti-cyclonic tornadoTornadoA tornado is a violent, dangerous, 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. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
hit El Reno's municipal airport, causing damage to the hangars and small airplanes. - On the night of May 8, 2007, a tornado ripped through the south and east sides of the city. There was at least 1 injury when the tornado knocked over a semi on I-40.
- Overnight on August 19, 2007, Tropical Storm Erin dumped over 10 inches (254 mm) of rain on El Reno and the surrounding area. This caused extensive flooding.
- On May 24, 2011, a violent long-track tornado passed through the El Reno area, causing extensive damage and killing 9 people. The tornado was given an EF5 rating, after reviewing the damage.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 16,212 people, 5,727 households, and 3,842 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 202.7 people per square mile (78.3/km²). There were 6,484 housing units at an average density of 81.1 per square mile (31.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.39% White, 9.83% Native American, 7.85% African American, 0.64% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.33% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.52% of the population.
There were 5,727 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 114.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,200, and the median income for a family was $39,106. Males had a median income of $29,521 versus $20,107 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,570. About 11.4% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The Federal Bureau of PrisonsFederal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
operates the Federal Correctional Institution, El Reno
Federal Correctional Institution, El Reno
The Federal Correctional Institution, El Reno is a Federal Bureau of Prisons prison in El Reno, Oklahoma that houses medium security male prisoners. It is west of Oklahoma City.In the 1960s El Reno was designated for prisoners who were 18 to 25 years old...
in El Reno.
Media
The El Reno Tribune publishes Wednesday and Sunday and has a circulation of about 5,000.Notable residents
- Charles Weldon CannonCharles Weldon CannonCharles Weldon Cannon, known as Tooter Cannon , was a widely recognized manufacturer of boots and saddles in rural Dickens, Texas....
(1915–1997), the TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
saddleSaddleA saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
maker, broke horses for the U.S. government in El Reno during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... - Harvey PrattHarvey PrattHarvey Phillip Pratt is an American forensic artist and Native American artist, who has worked for over forty years in law enforcement, completing thousands of composite drawings and hundreds of soft tissue postmortem reconstructions. To this end, his work has assisted in thousands of arrests and...
, Native American forensic artist (b. 1941) - Sam RiversSam RiversSamuel Carthorne Rivers , is an American jazz musician and composer. He performs on soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute, harmonica and piano....
, jazz musician and composer (b. 1923) - Erik RhodesErik Rhodes (actor)Erik Rhodes was an American film and Broadway singer and actor. He is best remembered today for appearing in two classic Hollywood musical films with popular dancing team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, The Gay Divorcee and Top Hat .-Biography:Born Ernest Sharpe at El Reno, Indian Territory,...
, Broadway and Hollywood actor (1906–1990) - Hub ReedHub ReedHubert F. Reed is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'9" center from Oklahoma City University under famous coach Abe Lemons, Reed played in the National Basketball Association from 1958 to 1965 as a member of the St. Louis Hawks, Cincinnati Royals, Los Angeles Lakers, and...
, Pro basketball player (St. Louis Hawks, Cincinnati Royals, Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
) (b. 1936) - Gaylord D. Shaw, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning journalist (b. 1942) - Gene Sears, Hall-of-Fame Trap and Sporting Clays Shooter
National Register of Historic Places
- Avant’s Cities Service Station
- Canadian County Jail
- Carnegie Library
- El Reno High SchoolEl Reno High School- Architectural History :El Reno High School, located at 405 South Choctaw in El Reno, Oklahoma, is a -story horizontally massed, detached building . Measuring 175 feet east-west and 132 feet north-south, the building is oriented in an east-west direction, with the main entrance facing west on...
- El Reno Hotel
- El Reno Municipal Swimming Pool Bath House
- William I. and Magdalen M. Goff House
- Jackson Conoco Service Station
- Red Cross Canteen
- Rock Island Depot
- Southern Hotel
- Darlington Agency Site
- Fort RenoFort Reno (Oklahoma)Fort Reno was established as a permanent post in July 1875, near the Darlington Indian Agency on the old Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation in Indian Territory, in present-day central Oklahoma. Named for General Jesse L. Reno, who died at the Battle of South Mountain, it supported the U.S...
- Mennoville Mennonite Church