Roger Mills County, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Roger Mills County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Oklahoma
. As of 2000, the population was 3,436. Its county seat
is Cheyenne
.
, a prominent American
politician
from Texas
. The town of Cheyenne
in Roger Mills County is the location of the Battle of Washita River
(also called Battle of the Washita; Washita Battlefield), where George Armstrong Custer
’s 7th U.S. Cavalry
attacked Black Kettle
’s Cheyenne
village on the Washita River
on November 26, 1868.
During the 1970s Roger Mills County and the surrounding area would benefit from the natural gas
and oil
development in the Panhandle-Hugoton field, the largest-volume gas field in the United States, and the world’s largest known source of helium
. Between 1973 and 1993 the field produced over 8-trillion cubic feet (230,000,000 m³) of gas.
, the county has a total area of 2,969 km² (1,146 mi²). 2,957 km² (1,142 mi²) of it is land and 12 km² (5 mi²) of it (0.40%) is water. The Canadian River
forms the northern border of the county. The Washita River
passes by Cheyenne
and Strong City
as it crosses the county from west to east.
of 2000, there were 3,436 people, 1,428 households, and 988 families residing in the county. The population density
was 1/km² (3/mi²). There were 1,749 housing units at an average density of 1/km² (2/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.76% White
, 0.29% Black
or African American
, 5.47% Native American
, 0.09% Asian
, 0.52% from other races
, and 1.86% from two or more races. 2.65% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,428 households out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% were married couples
living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.80% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,078, and the median income for a family was $35,921. Males had a median income of $22,224 versus $19,821 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,821. About 11.50% of families and 16.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 10.40% 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 3,436. 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 Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Oklahoma
Cheyenne is a town in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 801 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Roger Mills County.-History:...
.
History
Roger Mills County takes its name from Roger Q. MillsRoger Q. Mills
Roger Quarles Mills was an American politician and an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Background:...
, a prominent American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from 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...
. The town of Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Oklahoma
Cheyenne is a town in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 801 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Roger Mills County.-History:...
in Roger Mills County is the location of the Battle of Washita River
Battle of Washita River
The Battle of Washita River occurred on November 27, 1868 when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer’s 7th U.S...
(also called Battle of the Washita; Washita Battlefield), where George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
’s 7th U.S. Cavalry
U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment
The 7th Cavalry Regiment is a United States Army Cavalry Regiment, whose lineage traces back to the mid-19th century. Its official nickname is "Garryowen," in honor of the Irish air Garryowen that was adopted as its march tune....
attacked Black Kettle
Black Kettle
Chief Black Kettle was a leader of the Southern Cheyenne after 1854, who led efforts to resist American settlement from Kansas and Colorado territories. He was a peacemaker who accepted treaties to protect his people. He survived the Third Colorado Cavalry's Sand Creek Massacre on the Cheyenne...
’s Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
village on the Washita River
Washita River
The Washita River is a river in Texas and Oklahoma, United States. The river is long and terminates into Lake Texoma in Johnston County , Oklahoma and the Red River.-Geography:...
on November 26, 1868.
During the 1970s Roger Mills County and the surrounding area would benefit from the natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
and oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
development in the Panhandle-Hugoton field, the largest-volume gas field in the United States, and the world’s largest known source of helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
. Between 1973 and 1993 the field produced over 8-trillion cubic feet (230,000,000 m³) of gas.
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 2,969 km² (1,146 mi²). 2,957 km² (1,142 mi²) of it is land and 12 km² (5 mi²) of it (0.40%) is water. The Canadian River
Canadian River
The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and most of Oklahoma....
forms the northern border of the county. The Washita River
Washita River
The Washita River is a river in Texas and Oklahoma, United States. The river is long and terminates into Lake Texoma in Johnston County , Oklahoma and the Red River.-Geography:...
passes by Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Oklahoma
Cheyenne is a town in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 801 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Roger Mills County.-History:...
and Strong City
Strong City, Oklahoma
Strong City is a town in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 47 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Strong City is located at...
as it crosses the county from west to east.
Adjacent counties
- Ellis CountyEllis County, OklahomaEllis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 4,075. Its county seat is Arnett.-Geography:...
(north) - Dewey CountyDewey County, OklahomaDewey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 4,743. Its county seat is Taloga.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
(northeast) - Custer CountyCuster County, OklahomaCuster County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was named in honor of General George Armstrong Custer. As of 2000, the population was 26,142. Its county seat is Arapaho.-Geography:...
(east) - 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...
(south) - Wheeler County, Texas (southwest)
- Hemphill County, Texas (northwest)
National protected areas
- Black Kettle National Grassland (part)
- Washita Battlefield National Historic SiteWashita Battlefield National Historic SiteWashita Battlefield National Historic Site protects and interprets the site of the Southern Cheyenne village of Chief Black Kettle where the Battle of Washita occurred. The site, a National Historic Landmark, is located about 150 miles west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, near Cheyenne, Oklahoma.Just...
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 3,436 people, 1,428 households, and 988 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 1/km² (3/mi²). There were 1,749 housing units at an average density of 1/km² (2/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.76% 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...
, 0.29% 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...
, 5.47% 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...
, 0.09% 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...
, 0.52% 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 1.86% from two or more races. 2.65% 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 1,428 households out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.80% 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, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.80% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,078, and the median income for a family was $35,921. Males had a median income of $22,224 versus $19,821 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 $16,821. About 11.50% of families and 16.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- CheyenneCheyenne, OklahomaCheyenne is a town in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 801 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Roger Mills County.-History:...
- CrawfordCrawford, OklahomaCrawford is a rural unincorporated community in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The post office opened September 12, 1902. The ZIP Code is 73638. It is said to have been named for the Louis Crawford ranch.-Further reading:...
- DurhamDurham, OklahomaDurham is a rural unincorporated community in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. It lies along State Highway 30, south of the Antelope Hills. The post office opened May 15, 1902. The ZIP Code is 73642. Durham was named for the first postmaster, Doris Durham Morris.-Further...
- HammonHammon, OklahomaHammon is a town in Custer and Roger Mills counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located at the junction of Oklahoma Highways 33 & 34, the majority of the town is in Roger Mills County, but some of the town limits extend into Custer County. The population was 568 at the 2010...
- ReydonReydon, OklahomaReydon is a town in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 210 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Reydon is located at...
- Strong CityStrong City, OklahomaStrong City is a town in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 47 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Strong City is located at...
- SweetwaterSweetwater, OklahomaSweetwater is a town in Beckham and Roger Mills counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was incorporated in 2003. Named for nearby Sweetwater Creek, the town is at the junction of State Highway 30 and State Highway 152...