Editing Fairfax, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               =Fairfax, Oklahoma
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = OKMap-doton-Fairfax.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Fairfax, 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  = [[Osage County, Oklahoma|Osage]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Charlie Cartwright {{citation needed|date=September 2023}}
| 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     = 1.99
| area_land_km2      = 1.98
| area_water_km2     = 0.01
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.77
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.77
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1136
| population_density_km2 = 572.80
| population_density_sq_mi = 1483.03

<!-- 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       = 886
| coordinates        = {{coord|36|34|11|N|96|42|29|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 74637
| area_code          = [[area codes 539 and 918|539/918]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 40-24850<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        = 2412610<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412610}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
}}

'''Fairfax''' is a town in [[Osage County, Oklahoma]], United States. The Osage Nation reservation is coterminous with the county. The population was 1,380 at the [[United States Census, 2010|2010 census]], down 11.3 percent from the figure of 1,555 recorded in [[United States Census, 2000|2000]].<ref>[http://www.muninetguide.com/states/oklahoma/fairfax/ MuniNet Guide: Fairfax, Oklahoma] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007130320/http://www.muninetguide.com/states/oklahoma/fairfax/ |date=October 7, 2012 }}</ref> It was the home of the ballerinas [[Maria Tallchief|Maria]] and [[Marjorie Tallchief]].<ref name = "EOHC-Fairfax">[http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=FA004 Carol E. Irons, "Fairfax," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.] Accessed October 3, 2011.</ref>

==History==
When the Santa Fe Railway chose to go up Salt Creek valley and bypassed the village of [[Gray Horse, Oklahoma|Gray Horse]] (which continues to exist today as the home of one of the Osage tribe's three major historic bands) the present day town of Fairfax was created.  Local merchants, including Lew A. Wismeyer, moved buildings from Gray Horse and leased {{convert|40|acres|ha}} acres for a townsite. Wismeyer rejected the name Coda proposed by the railroad and convinced them to call the depot Fairfax after a hotel he had stayed at in Washington, D.C. The Osage tribe retained title to the townsite until March 3, 1905, when Congress provided for the land to be sold at public auction, with the proceeds credited to the tribe. Fairfax had 470 residents at the time of statehood in 1907.<ref name = "EOHC-Fairfax"/> Fairfax is also the site of the majority of the [[Osage Indian Murders]] that took place in the 1920s in Osage County, Oklahoma.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=OS005|title=Osage Murders {{!}} The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture|website=www.okhistory.org|access-date=April 9, 2020}}</ref> The murders occurred following the discovery of oil on the Osage Nation Reservation (coterminous with the county).<ref name=":0" /> At least 24 Osages were murdered<ref name=":0" /> in a plot masterminded by [[William King Hale|William Hale]].

==Geography==
Fairfax is {{convert|28|miles|km}} southwest of [[Pawhuska, Oklahoma|Pawhuska]] and {{convert|32|miles|km}} southeast of [[Ponca City, Oklahoma|Ponca City]].<ref name = "EOHC-Fairfax"/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.8|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

===Climate===
<!--Infobox begins-->{{Weather box 
|location = Fairfax, Oklahoma
|single line = Y
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|Jan high F = 46.6
|Feb high F = 52.4
|Mar high F = 62.9
|Apr high F = 73.8
|May high F = 80.8
|Jun high F = 88.4
|Jul high F = 94.4
|Aug high F = 93.6
|Sep high F = 85.2
|Oct high F = 75.3
|Nov high F = 61.2
|Dec high F = 49.6
|year high F=
|Jan low F = 22.6
|Feb low F = 27.5
|Mar low F = 37.1
|Apr low F = 47.9
|May low F = 56.7
|Jun low F = 65.3
|Jul low F = 69.3
|Aug low F = 67.5
|Sep low F = 60.2
|Oct low F = 47.8
|Nov low F = 36.9
|Dec low F = 26.2
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|Jan precipitation inch = 1.2
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.6
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.1
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.2
|May precipitation inch = 4.8
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.2
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.9
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.3
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.7
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.9
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.5
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.6
|year precipitation inch=35.8
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|source 1 = weather.com
|source 2 = Weatherbase.com<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=93743&refer= | title = Historical Weather for Fairfax, Oklahoma, United States}}</ref>
|date=October 2, 2010
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 819
|1920= 1342
|1930= 2134
|1940= 2327
|1950= 2017
|1960= 2076
|1970= 1889
|1980= 1949
|1990= 1749
|2000= 1555
|2010= 1380
|2020= 1136
|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>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,555 people, 657 households, and 417 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,947.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 831 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,040.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 67.65% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.35% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 24.12% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.19% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.45% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 6.24% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.48% of the population.

There were 657 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,652, and the median income for a family was $25,385. Males had a median income of $26,518 versus $21,250 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $12,765. About 23.9% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 38.8% of those under age 18 and 21.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
The town economy has relied on agriculture and oil production. The population of Fairfax reached a high of 2,327 at the 1940 census, but began to decline as the production of oil dropped in the area, and farm populations decreased with increased mechanization. It fell to 1,869 by 1970, briefly rose to 1,949 in 1980, dropped again to 1,555 in 2000 and yet again to 1,380 in 2010 .<ref name = "EOHC-Fairfax"/>

==Education==
The area is served by [[Woodland Public Schools (Oklahoma)|Woodland Public Schools]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40113_osage/DC20SD_C40113.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Osage County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 21, 2024}}</ref> formed in 1990 when the Fairfax school district merged with the Ralston district.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=FA004|title=FAIRFAX.|work=[[The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture]]|publisher=[[Oklahoma Historical Society]]|access-date=January 21, 2024}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Maria Tallchief]], professional ballerina<ref name = "EOHC-Fairfax"/>
* [[Marjorie Tallchief]],  professional ballerina<ref name = "EOHC-Fairfax"/>
* [[Larry Coker]], high school and college football coach

==In popular culture==
David Grann wrote ''[[Killers of the Flower Moon (book)|Killers of the Flower Moon]],'' a book about the Osage Indian murders and the [[FBI]]’s involvement in solving them. Portions of the [[Killers of the Flower Moon (film)|movie based on the book]] were filmed here.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Allen |first=Kelly |date=October 20, 2023 |title='Killers of the Flower Moon' Was Filmed in the Pioneer Woman's Hometown |url=https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/entertainment/a45562117/killers-of-the-flower-moon-filming-locations/ |access-date=October 26, 2023 |magazine=House Beautiful |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=FA004 ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' - Fairfax]

{{Tulsa metro}}
{{Osage County, Oklahoma}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Osage County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Towns in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places within the Osage Nation reservation]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1903]]
[[Category:1903 establishments in Oklahoma Territory]]