Editing Avard, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Avard, Oklahoma
| settlement_type    = [[Census-designated place]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = OKMap-doton-Avard.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Avard, Oklahoma
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = <!-- 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  = [[Woods County, Oklahoma|Woods]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| 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     = 0.27
| area_land_km2      = 0.27
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.10
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.10
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 11
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| population_density_km2 = 40.62
| population_density_sq_mi = 104.76

<!-- 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_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 1476
| coordinates        = {{coord|36|41|57|N|98|47|24|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 
| area_code          = 
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 40-03550<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1089768<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1089768}}</ref>
| website            = 
}}

'''Avard''' is a current settlement and former incorporated town located in [[Woods County, Oklahoma|Woods County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States. It is southwest of [[Alva, Oklahoma|Alva]], and northeast of [[Waynoka, Oklahoma|Waynoka]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Avard,+OK/@36.6989699,-98.9282928,11z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87af6bcc757faf95:0xb5d800660c644aff!8m2!3d36.6989211!4d-98.7889783 |title=Avard, Oklahoma|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=July 15, 2020}}</ref> As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the community had 11 residents.<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web|url=  https://data.census.gov/all?q=Avard+CDP,+Oklahoma |title=Avard (CDP), Oklahoma|publisher= US Census Bureau|accessdate=March 7, 2025}}</ref>  After initial growth, Avard began declining in the 1930s.

==History==
The post office was first established in Avard on June 1, 1895 and the town was incorporated in 1904 where the tracks of the [[St. Louis–San Francisco Railway|Frisco]], extending westward from [[Enid, Oklahoma|Enid]], tied into the line of the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe]].<ref name = "ghost_towns">{{cite book
  | last = Morris
  | first = John
  | title = Ghost Towns of Oklahoma
  | publisher = University of Oklahoma Press
  | year = 1977
  | location = Norman, Oklahoma
  | pages = 229
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fSqmnpHFEF0C
  | isbn = 978-0-8061-1420-0}}
</ref>  The town was named for Isabell Avard Todd, the wife of Robert Todd.  The town was served by the Southern Arkansas Railway (Santa Fe) and [[Arkansas Valley and Western Railway|Arkansas Valley and Western Railroad]] (Frisco).<ref name="ghost_towns"/>

Avard had mercantile establishments, two hotels, a bank, a livestock auction, and an elevator.   A weekly newspaper, the Avard Tribune<ref name="ghost_towns"/> operated from 1904 to 1918.<ref name="newspaper">{{cite web
  | title = About this Newspaper: The Avard tribune
  | work = Chronicling America
  | publisher = Library of Congress
  | url = http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn96093105/
  | accessdate = July 12, 2009}}
</ref>  It was a major cattle shipping point for the area.<ref name="ghost_towns"/>

A total of 250 people lived in the town in 1909.<ref name="ghost_towns"/>

It was an important rail transfer point for freight and passengers from 1910 to 1930.<ref name="ghost_towns"/>

Avard continued to grow until the mid-1930s.<ref name="ghost_towns"/>  Then the town started to decline due to the [[Great Depression|economic depression]], [[dust storms]], farm consolidation, and changing travel habits.<ref name="ghost_towns"/> Additionally, the town was struck by tornadoes in both 1943 and 1944.<ref name="ghost_towns"/>

The post office lasted until November 22, 1963.  As of January 1, 2010, Avard was disincorporated, although it still appears as a Census-Designated Place.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2, 2022 |title=Little Avard still making the news |url=https://www.alvareviewcourier.com/story/2022/01/02/local/little-avard-still-making-the-news/75770.html |access-date=November 17, 2024 |website=Alva Review-Courier |publisher=Marione Martin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=  https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Avard%20CDP,%20Oklahoma   |title=Avard (CDP), Oklahoma |publisher= United States Census Bureau|accessdate=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

Today, only an elevator and church are left in operation.<ref name="ghost_towns"/> There are also a few unused store buildings.<ref name="ghost_towns"/>

But the area still has important rail connections, including the [[BNSF Railway|BNSF Railway’s]] [[Avard Subdivision]] which runs from Avard to [[Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.enidnews.com/oklahoma/news/bnsf-announced-million-capital-program-in-oklahoma/article_912c45eb-3225-5310-b641-242b62122c65.html | title=BNSF announced $110 million 2018 capital program in Oklahoma | first=Ryan | last=Miller | publisher= [[Enid News and Eagle]]| date=21 February 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222021551/http://www.enidnews.com/oklahoma/news/bnsf-announced-million-capital-program-in-oklahoma/article_912c45eb-3225-5310-b641-242b62122c65.html | archive-date=22 February 2018 | access-date=19 March 2018| url-status=live }}</ref>  It is also the location of the Avard Regional Industrial Rail Park, which is a rail-served industrial park given site-certification by the BNSF to ensure the location is ready for rapid development.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bnsf.com/ship-with-bnsf/rail-development/pdf/bnsf-premier-one-sheet-avard.pdf |title= Avard Regional Industrial Rail Park, Avard, Oklahoma|publisher=BNSF Railway|accessdate=July 2, 2020}}</ref>

==Geography==
Avard is located at {{coord|36|41|57|N|98|47|24|W|type:city}} (36.699116, -98.790078).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 170
|1920= 147
|1930= 212
|1940= 126
|1950= 96
|1960= 56
|1970= 59
|1980= 51
|1990= 37
|2000= 26
|2020= 11
|align-fn=center
|footnote=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060208103743/http://www.census.gov:80/prod/www/abs/decennial/ U.S. Decennial Census]
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 26 people, 13 households, and 6 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|126.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 17 housing units at an average density of {{convert|82.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 96.15% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], and 3.85% from two or more races.

There were 13 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, and 53.8% were non-families. 46.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,750, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $14,583 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $11,757. There were no families and 17.1% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including no under eighteens and 50.0% of those over 64.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080829135035/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/A/AV002.html Avard - Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024013411/http://www.library.okstate.edu/okmaps/ Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory]

{{Woods County, Oklahoma}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Ghost towns in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Woods County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Oklahoma]]