Elk City (Oklahoma)

Beckham County

40-23500

Elk City is a city in Beckham County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It has 10,510 inhabitants ( 2000). Elk City is located on Interstate 40 and historic Route 66 in southwest Oklahoma, about 180 km west of Oklahoma City and 210 kilometers east of Amarillo.

Geography

Elk City is located at 588 meters above sea level and has an area of 38.6 km ², of which 37.9 km ² land and 0.7 km ² water surface are.

History

1541 reached Francisco Vázquez de Coronado was the first European region. The Spanish Konquistadorer still moved north-west in search of a city called Quivira which a fabulous wealth of gold was said. Although Coronado's route is unknown, it is very likely that his expedition has touched the place of today's Elk City or the surrounding area.

Elk City's history began immediately after the opening of the Cheyenne and Arapaho reservations in western Oklahoma Territory for settlement on April 19, 1892. Previously cattle on the " Great Western Cattle Trail " from Texas to Kansas has been regularly driven by the current urban area.

The establishment of Elk City's was the brainchild of Beeks Erick, MG Robinson, Charles H. Dewaide, J.N. Cook and B. C. Hendricks - all from Weatherford ( Oklahoma) - after they learned the route of Choctaw Oklahoma Golf railroad. They founded the " Choctaw Town and Development Company " and decided to build a town at the head of Elk Creek on the new railway. On 20 March 1901, the first plots were sold on an area that had acquired the company a few days ago by a settler. On 31 August 1901, the city received its vital rail link.

In January 1902 there were in Elk City, more than 60 companies and the population exceeded 1,000. Not even a year old, the place was already one of the largest in western Oklahoma. Despite two devastating fires ( on 28 October 1903, in March 1906) Elk City grew steadily become an important location for traffic and business. When the state was founded 1907, its population had tripled to 3,000.

Demographic data

Economy

Today, Elk City is an important commercial center for Western Oklahoma and parts of North Texas with a catchment area within a radius of about 90 kilometers. Major industries are petroleum, agriculture, wind energy, tourism, engineering, and healthcare. Since Elk City is located on a rich oil and natural gas reservoir, the oil industry is the core of the local economy. Since the historic Route 66 crosses Elk City, is also a complex of museums has evolved in the city.

Well-known residents

• Jimmy Webb ( born 1946 ), songwriter
• Kelli O'Hara ( b. 1976 ), actress, singer and songwriter
• Richard Hart ( born 1955 ), jazz guitarist
• Susan Powell, Miss America 1981
• Justin McBride ( born 1979 ), former Bull rider and world champion in bull riding
• Joe Spencer ( b. 1923 ), American football player

Attractions

• Casa Grande Hotel
• Hedlund Motor Company Building
• Storm House
• Whited Grist Mill
• National Route 66 Museum Complex
• Country Dove Gifts and Tea Room
• Elk City has five museums: the Old Town Museum, the National Route 66 Museum, the National Transportation Museum, the Farm and Ranch Museum, and the Blacksmith Museum.

Newspapers

• The Elk City Daily News, since 1901
• Elk Citian, since 2003