Watts, Oklahoma
Watts, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
 Location within Adair County and the state of Oklahoma | |
| Coordinates: 36°6′28″N 94°34′17″W / 36.10778°N 94.57139°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Adair |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) |
| • Land | 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 981 ft (299 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 324 |
| • Density | 810/sq mi (324/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 74964 |
| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-79100[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1099434[2] |
Watts is a town in northern Adair County, Oklahoma, United States. It was named for John Watts, also known as Young Tassel, a Chickamauga Cherokee chief, who died in 1802.[3] The population was 324 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.5 percent from 316 at the 2000 census.[4][a]
History
Watts is near the site of Fort Wayne, which was founded in 1838. The Kansas City Southern Railway built a line through the area in 1895-96, and in 1912, relocated its division point from Stilwell, Oklahoma to Watts Switch, one mile north of a community called Ballard.[b] Most of Ballard's merchants moved to the new community of Watts, along with gamblers, land speculators, construction workers and KCS employees.[3][c]
Frank C. Adair and Frank Howard organized the Guarantee Bank. After statehood, Adair also became the first sheriff of Adair County, Oklahoma.[3] Several other businesses sprang up in Watts. Hotels and rooming houses catered to the construction workers and railroad travelers. A lumberyard moved from Ballard, a hardware store and two livery stables were not far behind. At some point in these early days, three doctors opened practices in town. No doubt their patients supported the two drug stores in town. Prosperity had apparently come to Watts, because A. W. Willey opened a bakery and a man called "Cigar" Smith moved from Stilwell to manufacture cigars. The local newspaper, the Watts Watchman, began publication sometime in the 1910s. A post office was established inside a store March 30, 1912.[3]
The town began to decline even before the Great Depression took hold. KCS, like many American railroads, fell on hard times between WWI and WWII. During this period KCS began dismantling its operations in Watts. It removed the roundhouse, coal chute, water pump station, icehouse, and water tower, as they were no longer needed. The depot, razed in the 1980s, was the last thing to go. Idled workers had to find work elsewhere.[3]
No census data were reported at either the time of statehood or the 1910 U.S. Census. An unofficial estimate of 300 residents was made in 1913. The first official count was 396 at the 1920 census. This declined to 353 in 1930, then reached its bottom of 267 in 1950, before rising to 326 in 1970, and going back to 303 in 1990.[3]
By 2000, Watts had only two feed mill businesses. Most of the employed residents commuted to work in other towns, especially Siloam Springs, Arkansas, which was only 6 miles (9.7 km) north.[3]
Geography
Watts is located at 36°6′28″N 94°34′17″W / 36.10778°N 94.57139°W (36.107896, -94.571389).[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), all of it land.
Watts is located on U.S. Highway 59 9 miles (14 km) north of Westville.[6]
Nearby Ballard Creek is a tributary of the Illinois River.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 396 | — | |
| 1930 | 353 | −10.9% | |
| 1940 | 307 | −13.0% | |
| 1950 | 267 | −13.0% | |
| 1960 | 268 | 0.4% | |
| 1970 | 326 | 21.6% | |
| 1980 | 316 | −3.1% | |
| 1990 | 303 | −4.1% | |
| 2000 | 316 | 4.3% | |
| 2010 | 324 | 2.5% | |
| 2015 (est.) | 311 | [7] | −4.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
As of the census[1] of 2000, there are 316 people, 103 households, and 73 families residing in the town. The population density was 861.0 people per square mile (329.8/km²). There were 120 housing units at an average density of 326.9 per square mile (125.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 66.14% White, 0.32% African American, 24.68% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 1.58% from other races, and 6.65% from two or more races. 3.16% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 103 households out of which 36.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% are married couples living together, 9.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% are non-families. 27.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.76 and the average family size is 3.35.
In the town, the population was 27.2% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females, there are 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,417, and the median income for a family was $27,250. Males had a median income of $25,543 versus $18,393 for females. The per capita income for the town was $9,356. 19.7% of the population and 9.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 21.6% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
See also
Notes
- ^ The Hagan article reported a population of 500 in 2000, but this number belongs to Watts Community, Oklahoma, an unincorporated area in the same county.
- ^ John Watts died well before the forced emigration of the Cherokees and never lived in the Indian Territory, his family settled in this area after the Trail of Tears.[3]
- ^ The Township of Ballard is a township located in Adair County, Oklahoma, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the city limits of Watts, Oklahoma, and administered by the Watts city government. The community is locally referred to as Ballard Hill. Ballard is located at 36°05′40″N 94°35′22″W / 36.09444°N 94.58944°W (36.0945269, -94.5893877)[2]
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hagan, Phyllis. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Watts." Retrieved September 11, 2012.[1]
- ^ CensusViewer:Watts, Oklahoma Population
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Official State Map (Map) (2008 ed.). Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
Municipalities and communities of Adair County, Oklahoma, United States | ||
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| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |