Watonga, Oklahoma

History

Watonga is located on former Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian Reservation lands that were allotted to individual tribal members and the excess opened to white settlers in the Land Run of 1892. Watonga is named after Arapaho Chief Watonga whose name means "Black Coyote".

The town began as a tent city on April 19, 1892. A post office opened in Watonga during the same year. However, the first railroad line through Watonga was not built until 1901-02, when the Enid and Anadarko Railway (later the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway) constructed a line from Guthrie.

Geography

Watonga is located in central Blaine County at 35°50′57″N 98°24′42″W (35.849249, -98.411591). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), of which 0.012 square miles (0.03 km²), or 0.28%, is water.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 4,658 people, 1,273 households, and 858 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,703.1 people per square mile (656.4/km²). There were 1,507 housing units at an average density of 551.0 per square mile (212.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.19% White, 15.33% African American, 8.24% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 2.02% Pacific Islander, 4.89% from other races, and 6.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.91% of the population.

There were 1,273 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the city, the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 36.7% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 169.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 191.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,208, and the median income for a family was $31,391. Males had a median income of $23,056 versus $16,146 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,567. About 12.4% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The dairy industry grew in western Oklahoma and led to the opening of the Watonga Cheese Factory in 1941. It was one of the state's five active dairy product plants in 2004. The plant subsequently closed in 2007. The city has hosted the Diamondback Correctional Facility, owned by the Corrections Corporation of America since 1998, but it rioted in May 2004 and closed in May 2010.

Arts and culture

The city hosts an annual cheese & wine festival in October. The festival was formed in 1976 by the Watonga Chamber of Commerce because the town had the only cheese factory in Oklahoma at the time. The festival has continued even after the closing of the factory in 2007. In 2013, a wine competition was added to the festival.

Notable people

One of Watonga's most notable citizens was Clarence Nash (1904–1985) whom Walt Disney hired to be the voice of Donald Duck in the 1930s. Nash provided Donald's voice exclusively for over 50 years.

Robert J. Helberg, who was born in Watonga, was awarded the Public Service Medal by NASA for his contributions to the Lunar Orbiter program.

Harold Blackledge, an agricultural pilot from Watonga, was interviewed and featured in the National Public Radio (NPR) story, "Drought Keeps Oklahoma Pilot Grounded." Blackledge was also severely affected by Tropical Storm Erin that destroyed much of Watonga's Municipal Airport in 2007.

Thompson B. Ferguson moved to Watonga in 1892 and began publishing a newspaper, the Watonga Republican. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as the eighth governor of Oklahoma Territory in 1901.