Editing Laverne, Oklahoma

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = North Main Street Historic District, Laverne, OK.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Harper County Oklahoma incorporated and unincorporated areas Laverne highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Harper County, Oklahoma|Harper 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        = [[Harper County, Oklahoma|Harper]]

<!-- Government -->
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|government_type          = 
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|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           = 1.94
|area_land_km2            = 1.94
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.75
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.75
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1223
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|population_density_km2   = 630.72
|population_density_sq_mi = 1632.84

<!-- 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             = 2116
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|42|19|N|99|53|48|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 73848
|area_code                = [[Area code 580|580]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-41700<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2412880<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412880}}</ref>
|website                  =
}}

'''Laverne''' is a town in [[Harper County, Oklahoma|Harper County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States. The population was 1,223 at the [[United States Census, 2020|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://data.census.gov/all?q=laverne+town,+oklahoma|title=Laverne (Town), Oklahoma|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 6, 2023}}</ref>

==History==
Laverne's origin is traced to John Mollman's homestead, which he established in 1903. The site was then in Woodward County, Oklahoma Territory. A post office was established in 1896 with the name Laverne and continued operating until 1908. After 1908, mail addressed to Laverne was redirected to another post office named Speedmore (now defunct).<ref name= "EOHC-Laverne">[http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=LA027 May, Jon D. "Laverne." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. 2009.] Accessed February 14, 2018.</ref>

Mollman sold part of his acreage to a townsite promoter in 1911. The promoter platted the area and began selling lots. The [[Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway]] (WF&NW), a [[Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway]] (Katy) subsidiary, reached the new settlement in spring, 1912.<ref name= "EOHC-Laverne"/>

The community was named Laverne after the old post office was moved to the new site in May 1912. According to the ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', by June 1912, Laverne had 44 businesses, including the Laverne State Bank, the Fox Hotel (NR 78002236) and the Clover Hotel (NR 84003034). Both hotels were built in 1912.<ref name= "EOHC-Laverne"/>

==Geography==
It is at the intersection of [[U.S. Route 283#Oklahoma|U.S. Highway 283]] and [[Oklahoma State Highway 149|State Highway 149]], {{convert|23|miles|km}} southwest of Buffalo and {{convert|179|miles|km}} northwest of [[Oklahoma City]].<ref name= "EOHC-Laverne"/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.7|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

[[Lake Evans Chambers]] is to the west.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/fishing/wheretofish/northwest/evans-chambers |title=Evans Chambers|publisher= Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation|accessdate=August 22, 2021}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 476
|1930= 903
|1940= 816
|1950= 1269
|1960= 1937
|1970= 1337
|1980= 1563
|1990= 1269
|2000= 1097
|2010= 1344
|2020= 1223
|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|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,097 people, 503 households, and 303 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,473.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 637 housing units at an average density of {{convert|855.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.08% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.73% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.09% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.37% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.73% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.65% of the population.

There were 503 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,222, and the median income for a family was $38,984. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $20,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,424. About 8.9% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.9% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
The Laverne economy has been supported largely on agriculture, with broomcorn, wheat and cattle as the leading products until 1920. Hay replaced broomcorn, whose market has largely disappeared. Oil and gas production became important during the 1920s. Laverne acquired the nickname, "the Oil Capital of Northwest Oklahoma" during a short-lived boom in production during the 1950s. The Katy stopped rail service in 1972 and abandoned its line to Laverne.<ref name= "EOHC-Laverne"/>

The local newspaper, ''Laverne Leader Tribune'', is published weekly.<ref name= "EOHC-Laverne"/>

==Education==
The Laverne public school system educates students from Harper and Ellis counties, as well as those from Beaver County.<ref name= "EOHC-Laverne"/>

==Historic sites==
{{main|National Register of Historic Places listings in Harper County, Oklahoma}}
The following in the Laverne area are NRHP-listed:
* Beagley-Stinson Archeological Site
* Clover Hotel
* [[Fox Hotel]]
* [[Laverne's North Main Street District]]
* M. K. and T. Depot in Laverne
* Sharp Lumberyard

==Notable people==
*[[Jane Anne Jayroe|Jane Jayroe]], Miss America 1967, former news anchor at [[KOCO]] ([[Oklahoma City]]) and [[KXAS]] ([[Dallas]]), moved to Laverne with her family from [[Sentinel, Oklahoma|Sentinel]] during her childhood. A major street in Laverne was renamed for her.<ref>[https://newsok.com/article/5517456/jane-jayroe-oklahoma-native-reflects-on-her-miss-america-win McNutt, Kathryn. "Jane Jayroe: Oklahoma native reflects on her Miss America win." ''The Oklahoman''. September 11, 2016.] Accessed July 13, 2018.</ref>
*[[Jimmy Webb]], songwriter and musician, moved to Laverne and attended Laverne Public Schools for his junior year. After Laverne, he moved to [[California]] to start his career.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelok.com/music-trail/artists/jimmy-webb|title=Oklahoma Music Trail: Jimmy Webb {{!}} TravelOK.com - Oklahoma's Official Travel & Tourism Site|website=www.travelok.com|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref> According to numerous articles about Jimmy Webb he claims Laverne as his hometown in Oklahoma.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=LA027|title=Laverne {{!}} The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture|website=www.okhistory.org|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oklahomahof.com/member-archives/w/webb-jimmy-1999|title=Webb, Jimmy {{!}} 1999|website=oklahomahof.com|language=en|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/L/LA027.html]

{{Harper County, Oklahoma}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Harper County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Towns in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1911]]