Greer County, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Greer County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Oklahoma
. As of 2000, the population was 6,061. Its county seat
is Mangum
. From 1860 to 1896, the state of Texas
claimed an area known as Greer County, Texas
, which included present-day Greer County along with neighboring areas.
, the county has a total area of 644 square miles (1,668 km²), of which 639 square miles (1,655 km²) is land and 4 square miles (10.4 km²) (0.67%) is water.
of 1819, both the governments of the United States and the state of Texas claimed ownership of some 1.5 million acres (6,000 km²) in what was then operated as Greer County, Texas
. Litigation followed, and in the case of United States v. State of Texas , issued on March 16, the Supreme Court
, having original jurisdiction over the case, decided in favor of the United States. The county was then assigned to the Oklahoma Territory on May 4, 1896, and when Oklahoma became a state, in addition to becoming Greer County, the region was also further split into Harmon
, Jackson
, and part of Beckham
counties.
of 2000, there were 6,061 people, 2,237 households, and 1,442 families residing in the county. The population density
was 10 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 2,788 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.46% White
, 8.78% Black
or African American
, 2.47% Native American
, 0.26% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 3.99% from other races
, and 3.02% from two or more races. 7.44% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,237 households out of which 25.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples
living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. 33.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out with 20.00% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 123.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,793, and the median income for a family was $30,702. Males had a median income of $24,318 versus $18,641 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $14,053. About 15.00% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. As of 2000, the population was 6,061. Its county seat
County 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....
is Mangum
Mangum, Oklahoma
Mangum is a city in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greer County....
. From 1860 to 1896, the state of Texas
Texas
Texas 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...
claimed an area known as Greer County, Texas
Greer County, Texas
Greer County, was a county created by the Texas legislature on February 8, 1860 , was land claimed by both Texas and the United States.-Origin of the dispute:...
, which included present-day Greer County along with neighboring areas.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited 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 county has a total area of 644 square miles (1,668 km²), of which 639 square miles (1,655 km²) is land and 4 square miles (10.4 km²) (0.67%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 283
State Highway 6State Highway 6 (Oklahoma)State Highway 6, abbreviated to SH-6 or OK-6, is a state highway in Oklahoma. It runs in a 116.4 mile crescent through the southwestern part of the state, running from the Texas state line north of Quanah, Texas, to SH-152 in the unincorporated town of Sweetwater...
State Highway 9State Highway 9 (Oklahoma)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 the Arkansas state line near Fort Smith, Arkansas. State...
State Highway 34State Highway 34 (Oklahoma)State Highway 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...
Adjacent counties
- Beckham CountyBeckham County, OklahomaBeckham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 19,799. Its county seat is Sayre.Founded upon statehood in 1907, Beckham County was named for J. C. W...
(north) - Kiowa CountyKiowa County, OklahomaKiowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 10,227. Its county seat is Hobart.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of . is land and is water....
(east) - Jackson CountyJackson County, OklahomaJackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 28,439. Its county seat is Altus.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
(south) - Harmon CountyHarmon County, OklahomaHarmon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 2,992. In population, it is the second smallest county in Oklahoma, only Cimarron County, according to the 2010 census, having fewer inhabitants. The county seat is Hollis.-Geography:According to the...
(west)
History
After a dispute over the Adams-Onís TreatyAdams-Onís Treaty
The Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty or the Purchase of Florida, was a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819 that gave Florida to the U.S. and set out a boundary between the U.S. and New Spain . It settled a standing border dispute between the two...
of 1819, both the governments of the United States and the state of Texas claimed ownership of some 1.5 million acres (6,000 km²) in what was then operated as Greer County, Texas
Greer County, Texas
Greer County, was a county created by the Texas legislature on February 8, 1860 , was land claimed by both Texas and the United States.-Origin of the dispute:...
. Litigation followed, and in the case of United States v. State of Texas , issued on March 16, the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, having original jurisdiction over the case, decided in favor of the United States. The county was then assigned to the Oklahoma Territory on May 4, 1896, and when Oklahoma became a state, in addition to becoming Greer County, the region was also further split into Harmon
Harmon County, Oklahoma
Harmon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 2,992. In population, it is the second smallest county in Oklahoma, only Cimarron County, according to the 2010 census, having fewer inhabitants. The county seat is Hollis.-Geography:According to the...
, Jackson
Jackson County, Oklahoma
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 28,439. Its county seat is Altus.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
, and part of Beckham
Beckham County, Oklahoma
Beckham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 19,799. Its county seat is Sayre.Founded upon statehood in 1907, Beckham County was named for J. C. W...
counties.
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 6,061 people, 2,237 households, and 1,442 families residing in the county. 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 10 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 2,788 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.46% White
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...
, 8.78% Black
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...
or African American
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...
, 2.47% Native American
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...
, 0.26% Asian
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...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
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...
, 3.99% 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 3.02% from two or more races. 7.44% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 2,237 households out of which 25.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% 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, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. 33.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out with 20.00% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 123.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,793, and the median income for a family was $30,702. Males had a median income of $24,318 versus $18,641 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 county was $14,053. About 15.00% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- GraniteGranite, OklahomaGranite is a town in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,065 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Granite is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- MangumMangum, OklahomaMangum is a city in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Greer County....
- WillowWillow, OklahomaWillow is a town in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 149 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Willow is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
- BrinkmanBrinkman, OklahomaBrinkman is an unincorporated community in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. It lies at the western end of State Highway 34B, nine miles north of Mangum and one mile west of U.S. Route 283.-History:...
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Greer County, OklahomaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Greer County, OklahomaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Greer County, Oklahoma.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties on the National Register of Historic Places in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States...
- USS Greer County (LST-799)USS Greer County (LST-799)USS Greer County was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Greer County, Oklahoma on 1 July 1955, and the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name....