Guymon, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Guymon is a city in and the county seat
of Texas County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,442, making it the largest city on the Oklahoma Panhandle
. Corporate hog farms and cattle feedlots dominate its economy.
, which was further down the line. Guymon incorporated in 1901.
The Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo has offered tributes to the community’s pioneer spirit every May since the 1930s. The Rodeo is the 5th Largest Outdoor Rodeo and the 10th Largest Rodeo in Prize Money in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
(PRCA). In 2006, the rodeo had over 900 contestants with over $385,000 in prize money.
The Anchor D Ranch
is located nearby.
of the central Oklahoma Panhandle
Guymon sits 105 miles (169 km) north of Amarillo, Texas
and 120 miles (193 km) west-northwest of Woodward, Oklahoma
. Optima National Wildlife Refuge
and Optima Lake
lie roughly 16 miles (26 km) to the east along the North Canadian River
.
Guymon is located at 36°41′7"N 101°28′46"W (36.685383, -101.479582) and sits at an elevation of 3126 feet (953 m). According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), of which 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.27%) is water.
of 2000, there were 10,472 people, 3,651 households, and 2,632 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,433.2 people per square mile (553.1/km²). There were 3,941 housing units at an average density of 539.4 per square mile (208.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.44% White, 0.84% African American, 1.32% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 23.46% from other races
, and 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.37% of the population.
There were 3,651 households out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were married couples
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,333, and the median income for a family was $44,841. Males had a median income of $26,162 versus $20,450 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,682. About 10.1% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
, livestock
, and dairy
area. A United States soil conservation station sits nearby. The city has oil and gas wells. Manufacturers include agricultural tillage tools, pressure tanks, printing, and formula feeds. The hamlet of Goodwell, Oklahoma
, home of Oklahoma Panhandle State University
, lies 11 miles (18 km) to the southwest. The city once had scheduled air service.
The city's largest employer, a pork
processing plant, operates at double shift capacity and processes about 18,000 hogs each day, and its 2,300 employees make up about 20% of the entire city's population.
is a city-owned, public-use airport
located two nautical miles (3.7 km) west of the central business district
of Guymon.
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....
of Texas County
Texas County, Oklahoma
Texas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Texas County was formed at Oklahoma statehood from the central one-third of "Old Beaver County" also known as "No Man's Land"...
, 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...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,442, making it the largest city on the Oklahoma Panhandle
Oklahoma Panhandle
The Oklahoma Panhandle is the extreme western region of the state of Oklahoma, comprising Cimarron County, Texas County, and Beaver County. Its name comes from the similarity of shape to the handle of a cooking pan....
. Corporate hog farms and cattle feedlots dominate its economy.
History
In the 1890s, Edward T. “E.T.” Guymon purchased a section of land west of the Beaver River. The site grew very rapidly after the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway began to pass through it after 1901. The town, first named Sanford, was later renamed Guymon by railroad officials in order to avoid confusion with the town of Stratford, TexasStratford, Texas
Stratford is a city in Sherman County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,991 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sherman County...
, which was further down the line. Guymon incorporated in 1901.
The Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo has offered tributes to the community’s pioneer spirit every May since the 1930s. The Rodeo is the 5th Largest Outdoor Rodeo and the 10th Largest Rodeo in Prize Money in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association is an organization whose members compete in rodeos throughout North America, primarily in the United States. The PRCA sanctions rodeo venues and events through the PRCA Circuit System. Its championship event is the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo...
(PRCA). In 2006, the rodeo had over 900 contestants with over $385,000 in prize money.
The Anchor D Ranch
Anchor D Ranch
The Anchor D Ranch in Guymon, Oklahoma was one of the largest cattle ranches in the No Man's Land section of the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandle area. It was created circa 1878 by Ezra Dudley, a Yankee investor. In 1970 the Anchor D land was sold and part of it is now the Freeman Ranch.-Further reading:*...
is located nearby.
Geography
Located on the High PlainsHigh Plains (United States)
The High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains mostly in the Western United States, but also partly in the Midwest states of Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota, generally encompassing the western part of the Great Plains before the region reaches the Rocky Mountains...
of the central Oklahoma Panhandle
Oklahoma Panhandle
The Oklahoma Panhandle is the extreme western region of the state of Oklahoma, comprising Cimarron County, Texas County, and Beaver County. Its name comes from the similarity of shape to the handle of a cooking pan....
Guymon sits 105 miles (169 km) north of Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
and 120 miles (193 km) west-northwest of Woodward, Oklahoma
Woodward, Oklahoma
Woodward is a city in and the county seat of Woodward County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the largest city in a nine-county area. The population was 12,051 at the 2010 census....
. Optima National Wildlife Refuge
Optima National Wildlife Refuge
Located in the middle of the Oklahoma panhandle, the Optima National Wildlife Refuge is made up of grasslands and wooded bottomland on the Coldwater Creek arm of the Optima Reservoir.-References:**...
and Optima Lake
Optima Lake
Optima Lake is a reservoir in Texas County, Oklahoma. The lake is located near the towns of Hardesty and Guymon in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The lake has never reached more than 5 percent of its design capacity, and now is effectively empty...
lie roughly 16 miles (26 km) to the east along the North Canadian River
North Canadian River
The North Canadian River is a tributary of the Canadian River, approximately long, that flows through New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma in the United States....
.
Guymon is located at 36°41′7"N 101°28′46"W (36.685383, -101.479582) and sits at an elevation of 3126 feet (953 m). 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 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), of which 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.27%) is water.
Climate
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 10,472 people, 3,651 households, and 2,632 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 1,433.2 people per square mile (553.1/km²). There were 3,941 housing units at an average density of 539.4 per square mile (208.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.44% White, 0.84% African American, 1.32% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 23.46% 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 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.37% of the population.
There were 3,651 households out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% 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, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,333, and the median income for a family was $44,841. Males had a median income of $26,162 versus $20,450 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 $15,682. About 10.1% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Guymon serves as a trade center for a wide wheatWheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, and dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
area. A United States soil conservation station sits nearby. The city has oil and gas wells. Manufacturers include agricultural tillage tools, pressure tanks, printing, and formula feeds. The hamlet of Goodwell, Oklahoma
Goodwell, Oklahoma
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,192 people, 407 households, and 221 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,003.8 people per square mile . There were 478 housing units at an average density of 402.5 per square mile...
, home of Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Oklahoma Panhandle State University is a university in Goodwell, Oklahoma. OPSU is a baccalaureate degree granting institution. General governance of the institution is provided by the Board of Regents of the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges...
, lies 11 miles (18 km) to the southwest. The city once had scheduled air service.
The city's largest employer, a pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
processing plant, operates at double shift capacity and processes about 18,000 hogs each day, and its 2,300 employees make up about 20% of the entire city's population.
Education
Guymon residents are served by the Guymon School District. The city has eight elementary schools, one junior high school and one high school, whose team mascot is the Tiger.Elementary Schools
Media
Guymon has one newspaper and two radio stations- Guymon Daily Herald Newspaper printed since 1891 and the only daily newspaper for the entire Panhandle
- KBIJ 99.5 FM "Today's Message .. Tomorrow's Hope"
- KGYN Radio AM 1210 News, Weather and Sports
- KKBS Radio The Boss 92.7
Transportation
Guymon Municipal AirportGuymon Municipal Airport
Guymon Municipal Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles west of the central business district of Guymon, a city in Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. As per the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009-2013, it is classified as a general...
is a city-owned, public-use airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located two nautical miles (3.7 km) west of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Guymon.
Notable people
- Michael D. BrownMichael D. BrownMichael DeWayne Brown was the first Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response , a division of the Department of Homeland Security . This position is generally referred to as the director or administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency . He was appointed in January 2003 by...
, former FEMA Director and Bush appointee. - Gordon GriceGordon GriceGordon Grice is an American nature writer and essayist.-Life:Grice grew up in rural Oklahoma, a setting that has figured in much of his writing. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a BA in English and the University of Arkansas with an Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. He is...
, Award-winning nature writer. - Mark KingMark KingMark King may refer to:*Mark King , singer and bass guitar player with Level 42*Mark King *Mark King , Northwich Victoria player*Mark Anthony King Minor league basketball owner/player...
, guitarist for the rock band HinderHinderHinder is an American rock band from Oklahoma that was formed in 2001 by drummer Cody Hanson, guitarist Joe Garvey, and singer Austin Winkler. The band was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2007.-Formation and early history:...
.