Editing Afton, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Afton, Oklahoma
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Route 66 in Afton.jpg
|image_caption            = View of Route 66 in downtown Afton, Oklahoma
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Ottawa County Oklahoma incorporated and unincorporated areas Afton highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location within [[Ottawa County, Oklahoma|Ottawa County]] and the state of [[Oklahoma]]

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Oklahoma]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Oklahoma|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Ottawa County, Oklahoma|Ottawa]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 5.39
|area_land_km2            = 5.39
|area_water_km2           = 0.00305
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.08
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.08
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|unit_pref                = Imperial

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 734
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 352.72
|population_density_km2   = 136.15

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 784
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|41|48|N|94|57|27|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 74331
|area_codes                = [[area codes 539 and 918|539/918]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-00600<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2412336<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412336}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.travelok.com/Afton}}
}}
[[Image:Afton Station.jpg|thumb|Afton Station, now a Packard museum and visitors center.]]

'''Afton''' is a town in northeast Oklahoma in [[Ottawa County, Oklahoma]], United States.  The population was 734 at the time of the [[2020 United States census]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Afton%20town,%20Oklahoma  |title=Afton (town), Oklahoma|publisher= United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref>

==History==
Afton developed in this part of the [[Cherokee Nation]] in [[Indian Territory]] after the [[Atlantic and Pacific Railroad]] (later the [[St. Louis and San Francisco Railway]], or Frisco) built tracks through the area to [[Vinita, Oklahoma|Vinita]] in 1871. Regarding the town name, Oklahoma historian George Shirk states that a Scottish railroad surveyor, Anton Aires, named the town Afton after his daughter, while others have claimed the name comes from Robert Burns's poem, "Flow Gently Sweet Afton."<ref name= "EOHC-Afton"/>  In either case, Afton Aires' name and the Burns poem honor the [[River Afton]] in Scotland.<ref name= "EOHC-Afton">[http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=AF005  Larry O'Dell, "Afton,".''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.] Accessed February 16, 2014.</ref>

A post office was established in Afton during 1886. The 1900 census showed a population of 606.<ref name="Hinckley">{{cite book |last1=Hinckley |first1=Jim |title=Ghost Towns of Route 66 |date=2011 |publisher=Voyageur Press |location=Minneapolis |isbn=9780760338438 |pages=160}}</ref> In 1901, the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad, which soon became part of the Frisco system, constructed another line through the town, creating a shorter route to Kansas City, and causing another spurt of population growth. The town became a Frisco division point and shipping center for the surrounding agricultural area.{{efn/Agriculture mainly featured wheat, corn, hay and livestock.<ref name= "EOHC-Afton"/>}} In 1910, Afton's population was 1,276; the town had two schools, a waterworks, two hotels, two banks, a brick and tile plant, a creamery, a newspaper, mills and grain elevators. The population peaked at 1,518 in 1920, but a depression after World War I caused a drop to 1,219 in 1930.<ref name="Hinckley"/><ref name= "EOHC-Afton"/> Today there is a bank a gas station, buffalo ranch, a pecan factory, a motel, a repair shop, and a dollar general.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|1.6|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

Originally a farming and railroad community, Afton is located on the historic [[U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma|Route 66]]. Route 66 was bypassed by [[Interstate 44 in Oklahoma|I-44]] in 1957. Businesses which formerly served US&nbsp;66 travellers in the town's heyday included the Palmer Hotel, Rogers’ Motel, Rest Haven Motel, Green Acres Motel and Avon Motor Court, Baker's Cafe, Clint's Cafe, Smith Store and Barrett's Food Store, Mack's Place and Fred's 66 Bar.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.neelectric.com/nec-pdf/dec2011necon.pdf |title=Afton recalls its Route 66 heyday |journal=Northeast Connection |publisher=Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative |date=December 2011 |access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref>

There was a museum in a former [[Sunray DX Oil Company|D-X]] filling station, built in 1937 and restored in 1999 to house [[Packard]] and [[U.S. Route 66]] memorabilia.  The museum was closed and the building is now vacant.  The Palmer Hotel building burned down in 2019.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 606
|1910= 1279
|1920= 1518
|1930= 1219
|1940= 1261
|1950= 1252
|1960= 1111
|1970= 1022
|1980= 1174
|1990= 915
|2000= 1118
|2010= 1049
|2020= 734
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Afton is part of the [[Joplin-Miami, MO-OK metropolitan area]].

As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 1,049 people living in the town.<ref name="Census2010">{{cite web|title=2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=October 18, 2013 }}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>  The population density was {{convert|620|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 488 housing units at an average density of {{convert|307.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 77.46% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.09% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 14.58% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.09% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 7.78% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.70% of the population.

There were 441 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,964, and the median income for a family was $28,036. Males had a median income of $22,361 versus $16,964 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $11,032. About 15.9% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 32.6% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Afton is served by the [[Afton Independent School District]].

[[Northeast Tech]] operates one of its four campuses<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.netech.edu/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1256153&type=d&pREC_ID=1479165 |title=About Us|publisher=Northeast Tech|access-date=August 3, 2020}}</ref> at 19901 S. Hwy 69; the Afton Campus serves approximately 500 students.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.netech.edu/apps/pages/afton |title=Afton Campus|publisher=Northeast Tech|access-date=August 3, 2020}}</ref>

In 2017, the Afton High School Football team won the Class A State Trophy for the first time in school history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.joplinglobe.com/sports/local_sports/afton-wins-first-state-football-title/article_96053c67-1d0a-57eb-bd3b-5ae1bcd15d0a.html|title=Afton wins first state football title}}</ref>

In the 1970s the high school was burned down and replaced with a new one.

==Culture==
* The Darryl Starbird National Rod and Custom Hall of Fame Museum hosts an anniversary celebration in Afton, every June.<ref name= "EOHC-Afton"/>

== Transportation==
===Highways===
Afton sits at the junction of one Interstate Highway and three US Highways. A fourth US Highway previously ran through the area.
*{{jct|state=OK|I|44}}
*{{jct|state=OK|US|59}}
*{{jct|state=OK|US|60}}
*{{jct|state=OK|US|66}} (former)
*{{jct|state=OK|US|69}}

===Railroads===
[[BNSF Railway]] runs through Afton on the town's north side as it roughly parallels 1st Street. Afton has two major subdivisions that operate through the town. The BNSF Cherokee Subdivision begins in [[Springfield, Missouri]] and ends at the BNSF Cherokee Yard in the city of [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]]. The BNSF Afton Subdivision begins at the wye to the northeast of town and runs north to just south of [[Fort Scott, Kansas]], where it merges with, and becomes, the BNSF Fort Scott Subdivision into [[Kansas City, Missouri]].

==National Register of Historic Places==
* [[Cities Service Station (Afton, Oklahoma)|Cities Service Station]]
* [[Horse Creek Bridge (Afton, Oklahoma)|Horse Creek Bridge]] was modernized for the original bridge built in the 1930s was no longer able to bear the traffic.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.travelok.com/Afton Afton information, photos and videos on TravelOK.com] Official travel and tourism website for the State of Oklahoma
* [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=AF005 "Afton", ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'']

{{Ottawa County, Oklahoma}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Ottawa County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Towns in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places within the Cherokee Nation reservation]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1871]]
[[Category:1871 establishments in Indian Territory]]