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Davis, Oklahoma

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Davis, Oklahoma
City
Location of Davis, Oklahoma
Location of Davis, Oklahoma
CountryUnited States
StateOklahoma
CountiesMurray
Area
 • Total
11.0 sq mi (28.5 km2)
 • Land11.0 sq mi (28.5 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
846 ft (258 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total
2,683
 • Density237.1/sq mi (91.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
73030
Area code580
FIPS code40-19450[1]
GNIS feature ID1091947[2]
Website[1]
Turner Falls, nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains near Davis, Oklahoma.

Davis is a city in Garvin and Murray counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 2,683 at the 2010 census.

History

Davis is named after Samuel H. Davis, who moved to Washita in what was then Indian Territory in 1887.[3] Davis owned a dry goods store, which was four miles south of the current town of Davis. Davis submitted a petition for a Santa Fe depot to be built near his store, and the petition was accepted.[3] In 1890, he also successfully petitioned for a post office to be built.[3] The post office was supposed to be named after Nelson Chigley a Chickasaw Indian who owned the land on which the town was to be built.[3] Chigley was already an Indian Territory name, so it was named after Davis.[3] The town was established on November 16, 1898.[3] It is located twenty-three miles north of Ardmore and twenty-three miles south of Pauls Valley.[3]

By 1900, Davis had fifty-seven businesses, two banks, ten doctors, three dentists, and three lawyers.[3] Cotton farming was a common occupation in Davis, which was in one of the best cotton producing sections in Oklahoma.[3]

Later, when U.S. Interstate 35 was constructed, it was built 2 miles to the west of Davis.[3]

By the year 2000 the population had grown to 2,610, and very few people worked as farmers.[3] However, the education, health, and social services sectors of the economy had grown, with around a quarter of the population working in these areas.[3]

Geography

Davis is located at 34°29′52″N 97°7′37″W / 34.49778°N 97.12694°W / 34.49778; -97.12694 (34.497858, -97.126933).[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28.5 km²), all land. It is located near Lake Arbuckle.

Attractions

Davis is the home of Turner Falls Park which is the oldest park in Oklahoma. Turner Falls is located in the Arbuckle Mountains and is named after Mazeppa Turner. Mazepa Turner was born in Virginia who married a Chickasaw woman named Laura Johnson. Turner became a farmer in Murray County and he and his wife settled in a cabin along Honey Creek. Turner discovered the waterfall in the park therefore giving it the name Turner Falls. In 1919 Turner Falls came under the ownership of Davis. Davis purchased three-hundred and seventy acres for the park from the Turner family for an estimated seventeen thousand dollars. Davis operated the park until 1950 and then leased the park out until the late 1970s. Turner Falls is in the heart of the Arbuckle Mountains, and is home to a seventy-seven foot waterfall, which is the largest in Oklahoma. Turner Falls is now a fifteen-hundred acre water resort that offers many things like swimming, cave exploration, miles of hiking trails, picnic areas, and overnight camping. Also another attraction in the Turner Falls Park is the Collings Castle. The castle was built in the 1930s and became the home of Ellsworth Collings. Ellsworth Collings was an author and also the dean of education of the University of Oklahoma for twenty years. The castle covers about an acre of land that included a main house with three rooms.

Davis is also home to Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center and Youth Camp. The B. B. McKinney Chapel in Falls Creek is named in honor of Baylus Benjamin McKinney, the Louisiana native and Christian singer and composer of 149 gospel hymns.

Football

One of Davis' main attractions every fall is the High School football team. Known as the Wolves since 1925, Coach Grover Cleveland "Key" Wolf's first year as head coach. Coach Wolf's 1929 team became Davis' first undefeated football team and won the Red River Valley Championship. The Davis Wolves have won 6 state championships (1979, 1986, 1990, 1995, 2013 and 2014) and have been state runner-up 6 times (1951, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2010 and 2012). Davis has been running the wishbone offense almost exclusively since 1974, Coach Mickey Hoy's first season as head coach. Coach Hoy's 1979 team was Davis' first state championship football team. Coach Hoy also coached the 1986 state championship team and left Davis after the 1987 season with a 112-29 record. Joe Weber was promoted to head coach and led Davis to two more state championships (1990 and 1995) before leaving after the 2000 runner-up season with a 134-35 record. Coach Weber's son, Jody, was promoted to head coach in 2001 and is Davis' winningest coach with a record of 174-29 at the conclusion of the 2015 season. Coach Jody Weber led Davis to their first back-to-back state championships in 2013 and 2014. The Wolves have the most wins in the state since 1975, 5th most wins in the state since 1944, the 3rd most playoffs wins in the state all-time and the state's longest active playoff streak (32 consecutive playoff seasons).

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19001,346—
19101,4165.2%
19201,60913.6%
19301,7056.0%
19401,698−0.4%
19501,92813.5%
19602,20314.3%
19702,2230.9%
19802,78225.1%
19902,543−8.6%
20002,6102.6%
20102,6832.8%
2015 (est.)2,794[5]4.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 2,683 people, 1,042 households, and 723 families residing in the city. The population density was 237.1 people per square mile (91.5/km²). There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of 109.2 per square mile (42.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.34% White, 4.56% African American, 10.65% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 3.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.

There were 1,042 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,958, and the median income for a family was $37,100. Males had a median income of $27,266 versus $16,667 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,604. About 13.0% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

References

  1. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Chadwick, R.W. and Sharon Chandwick. "Davis,", Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society, Accessed August 12, 2015.
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  6. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
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