Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city located in Payne County, Oklahoma. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 39,065. It is the county seat of Payne CountyTemplate:GR. Founded December 12, 1884 it was the first settlement in the Unassigned Lands.
Geography
Stillwater is located at 36°7'18" North, 97°4'7" West (36.121538, -97.068537)Template:GR, 50 miles North Northeast of Oklahoma City.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.3 km² (28.3 mi²). 72.1 km² (27.9 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.62% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 39,065 people, 15,604 households, and 7,318 families residing in the city. The population density was 541.6/km² (1,402.7/mi²). There were 16,827 housing units at an average density of 233.3/km² (604.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.48% White, 4.30% African American, 3.89% Native American, 5.05% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 3.36% from two or more races. 2.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 15,604 households out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.1% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.1% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.2% under the age of 18, 38.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,432, and the median income for a family was $41,938. Males had a median income of $31,623 versus $22,312 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,789. 27.3% of the population and 12.6% of families were below the poverty line. 18.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Culture
Items of interest
- Meridian Technology Center is located in Stillwater.
- Pop punk band The All-American Rejects formed in Stillwater.
- Stillwater is home to Red Dirt (Music), a branch of alternative country music that is quickly gaining popularity in much of the United States; Alternative country bands Jason Boland and the Stragglers and The Great Divide, were formed in Stillwater. Cross Canadian Ragweed also called Stillwater home during their early years.
- Stillwater is home to Oklahoma State University with enrollment of over 21,000 students in 2002. Country singer Garth Brooks, pro-football players Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders all graduated from OSU; Chester Gould, creator of the Dick Tracy comic strip, graduated from the school when it was known as Oklahoma A&M.
- Also in Stillwater is the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (http://www.wrestlinghalloffame.com/).
- A well-known hangout for college students, called Eskimo Joe's, is on Elm street near the OSU campus; the original Eskimo Joe's T-Shirt is said to be the second most collectible t-shirt in the world, following that of the Hard Rock Cafe.
- The first Sonic Drive In is located in Stillwater on Main Street. (http://www.sonicdrivein.com/history/part2.jsp)
- The shopping cart was invented in Stillwater in 1937 by Sylvan Goldman.
- James Marsden, Cyclops in X-Men.
- Oklahoma Botanical Garden and Arboretum
- The worlds greatest concentration of uranium is in Stillwater, in Oto Kiguradze.
- The worlds most famous homosexual prostitute Alex Burnap currently lives in Stillwater.
