Editing Kingfisher, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Kingfisher, Oklahoma 
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|image_skyline            = Downtown_Kingfisher,_OK_September_2014.jpg
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|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = Oklahoma#USA
|pushpin_label            = Kingfisher
|pushpin_label_position   = 
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in Oklahoma and the United States
|pushpin_mapsize          = 
|image_map                =  
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
|image_map1               = 
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<!-- 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        = [[Kingfisher County, Oklahoma|Kingfisher]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
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<!-- 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           = 11.71
|area_land_km2            = 11.56
|area_water_km2           = 0.15
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.52
|area_land_sq_mi          = 4.46
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.06

<!-- Population -->
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 4903
|population_density_sq_mi = 1098.59
|population_density_km2   = 424.12

<!-- 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             = 1089
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|51|22|N|97|56|20|W|region:US-OK|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 73750
|area_code                = [[Area codes 405 and 572|405/572]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-39850 <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              = 2411546<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411546}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|kingfisher.org}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
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|population_est = 
}}

'''Kingfisher''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Kingfisher County, Oklahoma|Kingfisher County]], [[Oklahoma]],.<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 population was 4,903 at the time of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US4039850| title=Census - Geography Profile: Kingfisher city, Oklahoma| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=March 9, 2022}}</ref> It is the former home and namesake of [[Kingfisher College]]. According to the ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', Kingfisher is now primarily a [[bedroom community]] for people employed in [[Enid, Oklahoma|Enid]] and [[Oklahoma City]].<ref name="EOHC-Kingfisher">McIntyre, Glen. [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=KI010 ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. "Kingfisher."] Retrieved March 6, 2015.</ref>

==History==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Chisholm Statue in Downtown Kingfisher 2014.jpg|thumb|left|Statue of [[Jesse Chisholm]] in downtown Kingfisher]] -->

===19th century===
Kingfisher came into existence on April 22, 1889, when land owned by the federal government was opened to settlement by "[[land run]]". A huge area in what is now central Oklahoma was literally "peopled" by non-Native Americans overnight. The city is situated on a part of the [[Chisholm Trail]], over which millions of [[Texas Longhorn|Texas longhorns]] were driven to railheads in Kansas in the years immediately following the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. Extension of the railroads and settlement of the open range ended this colorful era.

The town was named for an early resident who several landmarks were named for, a man named King Fisher.<ref name="johnalley">Alley, John. City Beginnings in Oklahoma Territory. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, 1939.</ref>

The bill that opened Oklahoma Territory to non-Indian settlement limited the sizes of townsites to {{convert|320|acre|ha}}. Settlers in the Kingfisher area formed two communities: Kingfisher City, on the north side of the settlement, and Lisbon, on the south side. The two merged on June 14, 1890, and the resulting town was named Kingfisher. Oklahoma Territory was organized May 2, 1890, and consisted of the Unassigned Lands and the Panhandle. The Western District included present-day Kingfisher County, part of [[Canadian County, Oklahoma|Canadian County]] and the [[Oklahoma Panhandle|Panhandle]]. [[Abraham Jefferson Seay]], a [[Missouri]] native, was appointed as District Judge and moved to Kingfisher. In 1892, Seay was appointed as the second territorial governor by President [[Benjamin Harrison]].<ref name="EOHC-Kingfisher"/>

Railroads helped with Kingfisher’s growth: the [[Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway]] (later part of the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad|Rock Island]]) built through the area, the first passenger train arriving on October 23, 1889.<ref name="OHS1">{{Cite web |title=Kingfisher |url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=KI010 |access-date=February 18, 2023 |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society}}</ref>

A newspaper was published in Kingfisher from 1889 to 1963 under the names ''Kingfisher Free Press'', ''The New World'', ''Kingfisher Weekly Free Press'', and ''Kingfisher Weekly Star and Free Press''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kingfisher Free Press Archive |url=https://www.newspapers.com/paper/kingfisher-free-press/20570/ |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

===20th century===
The [[Coleman Company]] was founded in Kingfisher by [[W. C. Coleman]] in 1900.

In 1900, the [[Guthrie and Kingfisher Railway]]—also later part of the Rock Island—built east from Kingfisher, while the [[Guthrie and Western Railway]]—an affiliate of the [[Santa Fe Railroad]]—built west from [[Seward, Oklahoma]], meeting at a point that became [[Cashion, Oklahoma]], and giving Kingfisher access to the territorial capitol of Guthrie and the Santa Fe system.<ref name=OHS1/><ref name="Railroads1">{{Cite web |title=The Guthrie and Kingfisher Railway Company |url=https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/70290 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |publisher=Railroads of Oklahoma, June 6, 1870 to April 1, 1978 (accessed on Oklahoma Digital Prairie), p.40-43}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cashion |url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=CA069 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society}}</ref>  The Kingfisher to Seward line was abandoned in pieces in 1934 and 1937, but Kingfisher still has freight rail service on what is now the [[Union Pacific Railroad]].<ref name=Railroads1/><ref name="Railroads2">{{Cite web |title=The Guthrie and Western Railway Company |url=https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/70280 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |publisher=Railroads of Oklahoma, June 6, 1870 to April 1, 1978 (accessed on Oklahoma Digital Prairie), p.29-39}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Oklahoma 2018-2020 State Railroad Map |url=https://www.odot.org/maps/railroad/2016-2017/RRmap1_2016-17_web.pdf |access-date=February 18, 2023 |publisher=Oklahoma Department of Transportation}}</ref>

The Kingfisher County Development Foundation was created in 1958 for the purpose of assisting and promoting industrial, economic and civic growth within, and surrounding the Kingfisher area of Oklahoma.A present K.C.D.F. strategy includes the investment for development of the Kingfisher Industrial Park. The industrial park is located just south of Kingfisher, further closing the gap between [[Oklahoma City]] and Kingfisher. Kingfisher has quickly become a suburban community of the [[Oklahoma City metropolitan area|Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area]], already home to many commuters to Oklahoma City. Kingfisher is a Certified City and has received a Community Development Block Grant to inventory infrastructure features for Capital Improvement Planning (CIP).{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

===21st century===
On August 19, 2007, the city was 25% flooded when Kingfisher Creek and Uncle John Creek overflowed their banks, the result of heavy rain from [[Tropical Storm Erin (2007)|Tropical Depression Erin]]. One woman died in the flood.<ref>KWTV August 19, 2007</ref>

==Geography==
Kingfisher is located south-central Kingfisher County {{convert|42|mi}} northwest of Oklahoma City.<ref name="EOHC-Kingfisher"/> [[U.S. Route 81 in Oklahoma|U.S. Route 81]] (Main Street) passes through the center of town, leading north {{convert|38|mi}} to [[Enid, Oklahoma|Enid]] and south {{convert|23|mi}} to [[El Reno, Oklahoma|El Reno]]. [[Oklahoma State Highway 3]] (Broadway Avenue) crosses US 81 in the center of town, leading east {{convert|29|mi}} to [[Guthrie, Oklahoma|Guthrie]] and west {{convert|27|mi}} to [[Watonga, Oklahoma|Watonga]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Kingfisher has a total area of {{convert|10.6|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.1|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 1.21%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4039850| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Kingfisher city, Oklahoma| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| access-date=April 15, 2019| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213085816/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4039850| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> The city is drained by Kingfisher Creek, a northeast-flowing tributary of the [[Cimarron River (Arkansas River tributary)|Cimarron River]].

===Climate===
{{Weather box 
|location = Kingfisher, Oklahoma
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 85 
|Feb record high F = 93 
|Mar record high F = 100 
|Apr record high F = 103 
|May record high F = 105 
|Jun record high F = 113  
|Jul record high F = 115 
|Aug record high F = 118  
|Sep record high F = 110 
|Oct record high F = 101  
|Nov record high F = 90 
|Dec record high F = 88 
|year record high F = 118 
|Jan high F = 47.4
|Feb high F = 53.8
|Mar high F = 63.3 
|Apr high F = 72.4
|May high F = 80.5
|Jun high F = 89.5 
|Jul high F = 95.2
|Aug high F = 94.3
|Sep high F = 85.8
|Oct high F = 74.9
|Nov high F = 60.0
|Dec high F = 49.9 
|year high F= 72.4  
|Jan low F = 24.5 
|Feb low F = 29.4
|Mar low F = 37.8
|Apr low F = 46.7
|May low F = 56.7
|Jun low F = 65.8
|Jul low F = 70.5
|Aug low F = 69.2
|Sep low F = 61.4 
|Oct low F = 49.7 
|Nov low F = 37.1
|Dec low F = 27.8
|year low F= 48.2
|Jan record low F = -16 
|Feb record low F = -20 
|Mar record low F = -3 
|Apr record low F = 15 
|May record low F = 28 
|Jun record low F = 45 
|Jul record low F = 51 
|Aug record low F = 44 
|Sep record low F = 29 
|Oct record low F = 12 
|Nov record low F = 6 
|Dec record low F = -14 
|year record low F= -20 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.14
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.51
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.66
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.23
|May precipitation inch = 5.01
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.32
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.22
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.75
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.53
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.57
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.38
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.63
|year precipitation inch = 32.95
|Jan snow inch = 1.8
|Feb snow inch = 0.7
|Mar snow inch = 0.1
|Apr snow inch = 0
|May snow inch = 0
|Jun snow inch = 0
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 0
|Nov snow inch = 0.3
|Dec snow inch = 1.1
|year snow inch= 4.1
<!--Average daily % humidity-->
|Jan humidity= 72
|Feb humidity= 70
|Mar humidity= 71
|Apr humidity= 69
|May humidity= 73
|Jun humidity= 69
|Jul humidity= 60
|Aug humidity= 60
|Sep humidity= 65
|Oct humidity= 69
|Nov humidity= 73
|Dec humidity= 75
|year humidity= 69
<!--Average number of rainy days-->
|unit rain days= <!--If entering the average number of days, then the unit requirement should be used, because this varies between countries. Eg. 0.1 in, 0.01 in.-->
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|source = Oklahoma Climatological Survey <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://climate.ok.gov/county_climate/Products/County_Climatologies/county_climate_kingfisher.pdf | title = The Climate of Kingfisher County}}</ref>
|date=December 28, 2014
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 1134
|1900= 2301
|1910= 2538
|1920= 2446
|1930= 2726
|1940= 3352
|1950= 3345
|1960= 3249
|1970= 4042
|1980= 4245
|1990= 4095
|2000= 4380
|2010= 4633
|2020= 4903
|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]] of 2010, there were 4,633 people, 1,804 households, and 1,217 families residing in the city.<ref name="Census-2010-DP-1">[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US4039850/ DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010--2010 Demographic Profile Data] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20150428034020/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US4039850/ |date=April 28, 2015 }} ''United States Census Bureau'', retrieved April 27, 2015.</ref> The racial makeup of the city was 83.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 3.8% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 6.9% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.3% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 12.4% of the population.<ref name="Census-2010-DP-1"/>

There were 1,804 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families while 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals.<ref name="Census-2010-DP-1"/> The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.06. The median age was 37 years. 52.1% of the population was female and 47.9% male.<ref name="Census-2010-DP-1"/>

As of the 2013 American Community Survey, the median income for a household in the city was $49,727, and the median income for a family was $59,408.<ref name="ACS-2013-DP03">[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_5YR/DP03/1600000US4039850 DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics: 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20150428034304/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/13_5YR/DP03/1600000US4039850 |date=April 28, 2015 }}, ''United States Census Bureau'', retrieved April 27, 2015.</ref> Males had a median full-time income of $49,444 versus $32,996 for females.<ref name="ACS-2013-DP03"/> The [[per capita income]] for the city was $24,363.<ref name="ACS-2013-DP03"/> About 7.7% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="ACS-2013-DP03"/>

==Places of interest==
Kingfisher's only permanent tourist attraction is the [[Chisholm Trail Museum (Kingfisher, Oklahoma)|Chisholm Trail Museum]], which houses the [[Gov. Seay Mansion]]. This facility preserves relics and information of the community's unique heritage.{{Citation needed|date=March 2018}}

==Government==
Kingfisher has a commission-manager government.<ref name="EOHC-Kingfisher"/>

==Notable people==
* [[George S. Benson]], missionary, college administrator, conservative political activist and segregationist<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oklahomahof.com/member-archives/b/benson-george-s-1972|title=Benson, George S. &#124; 1972|website=oklahomahof.com}}</ref>
* [[Don Blanding]], poet
* [[Sol Butler]], pioneering black Olympian and 1920s [[National Football League|NFL]] player
* [[Arthur A. Collins]], founder of [[Collins Radio Company]]
* [[Elmer Crumbley]], jazz trombonist 
* [[Erna P. Harris]], journalist
* [[Curtis Lofton]], NFL linebacker for the [[Oakland Raiders]]
* [[Carl Mays]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] pitcher, 4-time [[World Series]] champion
* [[Joe Redington]], founder of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race
* [[Abraham Jefferson Seay]], Associate Justice of the [[Oklahoma Territorial Supreme Court]] and second Governor of [[Oklahoma Territory]]
* [[Jace Sternberger]], [[American football]] player<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newsok.com/article/5575467/former-kingfisher-te-jace-sternberger-commits-to-texas-am|title=Former Kingfisher TE Jace Sternberger commits to Texas A&M|date=December 10, 2017}}</ref>
* [[James "Bud" Walton]], co-founder of Wal-Mart
* [[Sam Walton]], founder of [[Wal-Mart]] and [[Sam's Club]]

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

==External links==
{{commons category|Kingfisher, Oklahoma}}
* [http://kingfisher.org/ Official website]
* [http://www.ctokmuseum.org/ Chisholm Trail Museum]
* [http://www.kingfisher.org Kingfisher Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024013411/http://www.library.okstate.edu/okmaps/ Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory]

{{Kingfisher County, Oklahoma}}
{{Oklahoma county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Cities in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:County seats in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1889]]
[[Category:1889 establishments in Indian Territory]]