Editing Medford, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Medford, Oklahoma
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Grant County, OK County Courthouse.jpg
| image_caption            = [[Grant County Courthouse (Medford, Oklahoma)|Grant County Courthouse]] (2017)
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = OKMap-doton-Medford.PNG
| map_caption              = Location of Medford within [[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        = [[Grant County, Oklahoma|Grant]]

<!-- 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_total_km2           = 2.80
| area_land_km2            = 2.80
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi         = 1.08
| area_land_sq_mi          = 1.08
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_total         = 932
| population_footnotes     = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 863.76
| population_density_km2   = 333.40

<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = −6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = −5
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3"/>
| elevation_ft             = 1089
| coordinates              = {{Coord|36|48|12|N|97|44|17|W|region:US-OK_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code              = 73759
| area_code                = [[Area code 580|580]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 40-47300<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2411068<ref name="GR3">{{GNIS|2411068}}</ref>
| website                  = 
}}

'''Medford''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Grant County, Oklahoma|Grant County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>  As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], the city population was 996.<ref name="Census2010">{{cite web|title=2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=April 30, 2012 }}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==History==
''The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' states only that the town name was for [[Medford, Massachusetts]], which it says was the home town of a railroad official.<ref name="EOHC-Medford">{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Wilson|first1=Linda D|title=Medford|url=http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=ME003|encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture|publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society|access-date=16 February 2016}}</ref>

Before the opening of the [[Cherokee Outlet]] to non-Indian settlement on September 16, 1893, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (later the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad]]) built a line from southern Kansas that passed through the future Medford townsite in a north–south direction.  A post office was established October 31, 1893. The townsfolk voted to incorporate on March 10, 1894. In 1897 the Gulf Railroad (later the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]]) built a line that passed through Medford from northwest to southeast.<ref name="EOHC-Medford"/> Located in a wheat-growing region, Medford served as an agricultural trade center with a flour mill and several grain elevators. By 1909 the local economy supported three banks and three weekly newspapers.

Voters in Grant County chose Medford as the county seat by an election on May 27, 1908. A courthouse was dedicated  July 4, 1910. A fire destroyed five blocks of businesses and residences on June 25, 1911.<ref name="EOHC-Medford"/>

On July 9, 2022 at about 2:30 PM an explosion and fire in the [[ONEOK]] plant one mile south of the city caused an evacuation of a two mile radius around the plant.<ref>{{cite web|last1=KOCO Staff|title=ONEOK officials release statement after plant explosion in Medford|url= https://www.koco.com/amp/article/oklahoma-medford-oneok-statement-plant-explosion/40565399|publisher=KOCO News|access-date=10 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="EnidNews">{{cite news |last1=McKendrick |first1=Kelci |title=ONEOK natural gas plant being 'closely monitored' following explosion, fire |url=https://www.enidnews.com/news/oneok-natural-gas-plant-being-closely-monitored-following-explosion-fire/article_7ee927f8-0169-11ed-af14-fb258cad2cb9.html |access-date=13 July 2022 |publisher=Enid News and Eagle |date=11 July 2022}}</ref> On July 11, the evacuation zone was decreased to one mile around the plant.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mosley |first1=Meghan |title=Medford residents return home after evacuations following gas plant explosion |url=https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-medford-residents-return-home-explosion/40579863 |access-date=12 July 2022 |publisher=KOCO 5 News ABC |date=11 July 2022}}</ref>

==Geography==
Medford is situated at the intersection of [[U.S. Route 81 in Oklahoma|U.S. Highway 81]] (Chisholm Trail Highway) and [[Oklahoma State Highway 11|State Highway 11]].<ref name="EOHC-Medford"/> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.1|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 551
|1910= 1110
|1920= 1050
|1930= 1084
|1940= 1121
|1950= 1350
|1960= 1223
|1970= 1304
|1980= 1419
|1990= 1172
|2000= 1172
|2010= 996
|2020= 932
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,172 people, 480 households, and 304 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,099.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 591 housing units at an average density of {{convert|554.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.82% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.17% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.30% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.09% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.02% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.60% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.96% of the population.

There were 480 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. Of all households, 35.0% were made up of individuals, and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,708, and the median income for a family was $38,571. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $18,667 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,848. About 10.4% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
Medford has a council-manager form of government.<ref name="EOHC-Medford"/>

==Education==
The school district is [[Medford Public Schools (Oklahoma)|Medford Public Schools]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40053_grant/DC20SD_C40053.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Grant County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-11-04}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40053_grant/DC20SD_C40053_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[James Kilian]], professional [[American football|football]] player
* [[Dennis Reimer]], U.S. Army general and former Army Chief of Staff
* [[Apollo Soucek]] (1897–1955), test pilot and vice admiral in the U.S. Navy<ref name="EOHC-Medford"/>
* Travis Unwin (aka [[Evo Terra]]), American [[podcaster]], author, radio broadcaster, and businessman.

==See also==
{{Portal|Oklahoma}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Grant County, Oklahoma]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Grant County, Oklahoma}}
{{Oklahoma county seats}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Grant County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Cities in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:County seats in Oklahoma]]