Editing Ellis County, Oklahoma

{{short description|County in Oklahoma, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Ellis County
 | state                = Oklahoma
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1907
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Arnett
 | largest city wl      = Shattuck
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1232
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1232
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.4
 | area percentage      = 0.03%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 3749
 | census estimate yr   = 
 | pop                  = 
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 3rd
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = 
 | named for            = [[Albert H. Ellis]] 
 | ex image             = Ellis County, Oklahoma courthouse from W 2.JPG
 | ex image cap         = [[Ellis County Courthouse (Oklahoma)|Ellis County Courthouse]] in Arnett
}}

'''Ellis County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located on the western border of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Oklahoma]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 3,749,<ref>{{cite web|title=Ellis County, Oklahoma|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Ellis_County,_Oklahoma?g=050XX00US40045|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 11, 2023}}</ref> making it the fifth-least populous county in Oklahoma. Its [[county seat]] is [[Arnett, Oklahoma|Arnett]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref>

The county was named for [[Albert H. Ellis]], vice president of the 1906 Constitutional Convention.<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo.">Everett, Dianna. [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=EL008 "Ellis County,"] ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', 2009. Accessed April 4, 2015.</ref>

==History==
This area was used by indigenous tribes that included the Comanche, Kiowa, Apache, Cheyenne, and Arapaho. In 1820, an expedition led by [[Stephen Harriman Long|Stephen Long]] passed through the area while exploring the Canadian River all the way to [[Fort Smith, Arkansas]]. Conflicts broke out between the Native Americans and the white settlers that were rapidly moving into Texas. In May 1858, the governor of Texas sent a force of Texas Rangers, militia and allied Indians (notably the Tonkawas), led by [[John Salmon Ford|Captain John S. "Rip" Ford]] into Indian Territory. Ford's command fought a battle known as either the [[Battle of Little Robe Creek]] or the Battle of Antelope Hills inside the present Ellis County. The battle was notable because it resulted in killing the Comanche chief, [[Iron Jacket]], father of [[Peta Nocona]] and grandfather of [[Quanah Parker]].<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo."/>

After the Civil War, roads and railroads turned the Ellis County area into a transportation corridor. A military road connected [[Fort Supply (Oklahoma)]] with Fort Elliott. During the 1880s, the Western Trail, a cattle trail between Texas and Kansas, intersected the military road near the present town of Fargo. The Southern Kansas Railway, later owned by the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]], built a line in 1886-7 from [[Kiowa, Kansas]] that resulted in starting three Ellis County towns: Fargo, Gage, and Shattuck.<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo."/>

When Oklahoma Territory was created, the present Ellis County became part of [[Day County, Oklahoma Territory|Day County]]. After statehood, several county boundaries changed and resulted in the elimination of Day County. The northern part became Roger Mills County, while the southwestern part of Woodward County was added to the remainder of Day County to become Ellis County. An election for location of the county seat in June 1908, resulted in a runoff between the towns of Shattuck and Arnett. The latter won the runoff election and remains the county seat.<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo."/>

On [[1947 Glazier–Higgins–Woodward tornadoes|April 9, 1947]], an [[Fujita scale#Parameters|F5 tornado]], the sixth deadliest ever recorded in the United States, tore through Ellis County. It began near White Deer, Texas and traveled northeast for {{convert|221|mi|km}}. The damage occurred mostly in rural areas, and the towns were largely spared. The storm killed six people in Ellis county itself.<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo."/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1232|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1232|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.4|sqmi}} (0.03%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_40.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 19, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> The county is mostly within the Great Plains physiographic region.<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo."/>

The major stream is [[Wolf Creek (Texas and Oklahoma)|Wolf Creek]], a tributary of the [[North Canadian River]]. Other waterways are Little Robe, Commission and Hackberry Creeks, tributaries of the [[Canadian River]], which forms the southern boundary of the county. The Ellis County Wildlife Management Area, with Lake Lloyd Vincent, are in the southwestern corner of the county. Packsaddle Wildlife Management Area is in the south central part of the county, along the Canadian River.<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo."/>

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[File:US 60.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 60 in Oklahoma|U.S. Highway 60]]
* [[File:US 270.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 270#Oklahoma|U.S. Highway 270]]
* [[File:US 283.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 283#Oklahoma)|U.S. Highway 283]]
* [[File:US 412.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 412 in Oklahoma|U.S. Highway 412]]
* [[File:Oklahoma State Highway 3.svg|20px]] [[State Highway 3 (Oklahoma)|State Highway 3]]
* [[File:Oklahoma State Highway 15.svg|20px]] [[State Highway 15 (Oklahoma)|State Highway 15]]
* [[File:Oklahoma State Highway 46.svg|20px]] [[State Highway 46 (Oklahoma)|State Highway 46]]
* [[File:Oklahoma State Highway 51.svg|20px]] [[State Highway 51 (Oklahoma)|State Highway 51]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Harper County, Oklahoma|Harper County]] (north)
* [[Woodward County, Oklahoma|Woodward County]] (east)
* [[Dewey County, Oklahoma|Dewey County]] (southeast)
* [[Roger Mills County, Oklahoma|Roger Mills County]] (south)
* [[Hemphill County, Texas]] (southwest)
* [[Lipscomb County, Texas]] (west)
* [[Beaver County, Oklahoma|Beaver County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 15375
|1920= 11673
|1930= 10541
|1940= 8466
|1950= 7326
|1960= 5427
|1970= 5129
|1980= 5596
|1990= 4497
|2000= 4075
|2010= 4151
|2020= 3749
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 19, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=February 19, 2015}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ok190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=February 19, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=February 19, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/40/40045.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 9, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606154549/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/40/40045.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref>
}}
{{Stack|[[File:USA Ellis County, Oklahoma age pyramid.svg|thumb|Age pyramid for Ellis County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.]]}}

As of the [[census]]<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> of 2000, there were 4,075 people, 1,769 households, and 1,218 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 2,146 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.29% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.05% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 1.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.10% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.74% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.62% from two or more races. 2.60% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 96.6% spoke [[English language|English]], 2.0% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and 1.4% [[German language|German]] as their first language.

There were 1,769 households, out of which 25.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.80% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 21.60% from 25 to 44, 28.60% from 45 to 64, and 22.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,951, and the median income for a family was $33,750. Males had a median income of $27,237 versus $17,772 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $16,472. About 9.20% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.50% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over.

==Politics==
{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/20190115%20-%20Registration%20By%20County%20(vr2420).pdf|title=Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County|date=January 15, 2019|website=OK.gov|access-date=February 27, 2019}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Party
! Number of Voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | 320
| align = center | 12.89%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 1,900
| align = center | 76.52%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Others
| align = center | 263
| align = center | 10.59%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 2,483
! align = center | 100%
|}

{{PresHead|place=Ellis County, Oklahoma|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 29, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|1,585|197|30|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|1,688|162|23|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,611|155|61|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,575|226|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,627|282|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,685|395|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,513|468|32|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,090|619|287|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,072|594|641|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,422|786|36|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,881|562|17|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,908|561|81|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|1,429|1,256|61|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,059|473|116|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,601|533|426|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,452|1,120|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,085|709|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,916|920|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,583|717|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|1,522|1,420|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|1,939|1,104|8|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,162|1,657|17|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,324|2,493|30|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,089|2,795|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,953|1,122|35|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,499|879|700|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,786|845|381|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|983|960|620|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1912|Republican|1,373|918|502|Oklahoma}}
{{PresFoot|1908|Republican|1,379|1,260|235|Oklahoma}}

==Economy==
From the time of its founding, the economy of Ellis County has been based on farming and ranching. The most important crops have been wheat, cotton and broomcorn. In 1907, the town of Shattuck shipped more broomcorn than any other shipping point in the nation. Cattle raising had become important right after the Civil War. A major player locally was the Dominion Cattle Company, part of the Cherokee Strip Livestock Association. Although grazing leases ended with the land run, ranching and cattle feeding remained important. In the 1970s, dairying proved profitable.<ref name="EOHC-EllisCo."/>

==Education==
Gage Public Schools are located in Ellis County. The Gage Public School website is http://www.gage.k12.ok.us

==Recreation==
The {{convert|4800|acre}} [[List of Oklahoma Wildlife Management Areas#Ellis County WMA|Ellis County WMA]] provides public wildlife and hunting opportunities. In 1961 the [[Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation]] created the {{convert|160|acre}} Lake Lloyd Vincent by impounding Coon Creek in the WMA for boating, fishing, and swimming recreation.<ref>[https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlife-management-areas/ellis-county]- Retrieved September 23, 2019</ref>

==Communities==

=== Towns ===
* [[Arnett, Oklahoma|Arnett]] (county seat)
* [[Fargo, Oklahoma|Fargo]]
* [[Gage, Oklahoma|Gage]]
* [[Shattuck, Oklahoma|Shattuck]]

=== Unincorporated communities ===

* [[Catesby, Oklahoma|Catesby]]
* [[Harmon, Oklahoma|Harmon]]

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Ellis County, Oklahoma]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=EL008 Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Ellis County]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024013411/http://www.library.okstate.edu/okmaps/ Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Ellis County
|North     = [[Harper County, Oklahoma|Harper County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Woodward County, Oklahoma|Woodward County]]
|Southeast = [[Dewey County, Oklahoma|Dewey County]]
|South     = [[Roger Mills County, Oklahoma|Roger Mills County]]
|Southwest = [[Hemphill County, Texas]]
|West      = [[Lipscomb County, Texas]]
|Northwest = [[Beaver County, Oklahoma|Beaver County]]
}}

{{Ellis County, Oklahoma}}
{{Oklahoma}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|36.21|-99.75|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-OK_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Ellis County, Oklahoma| ]]
[[Category:1907 establishments in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1907]]