Editing Spencer, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Spencer, Oklahoma
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map        = Oklahoma County Oklahoma Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Spencer highlighted.svg
|map_caption       = Location in [[Oklahoma County, Oklahoma|Oklahoma 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        = [[Oklahoma County, Oklahoma|Oklahoma]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = City of Spencer Oklahoma is a statutory council/city manager form of government with appointed mayor and vice mayor. 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = City Manager 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = Tonni Canaday/Councilwoman Ward1 2003-200
|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           = 13.94
|area_land_km2            = 13.94
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 5.38
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.38
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 3978
|population_density_km2   = 285.42
|population_density_sq_mi = 739.27
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        =

<!-- 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             = 1168
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|30|28|N|97|22|14|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 73084
|area_code                = [[Area code 405|405]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-69200<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              = 2411952<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411952}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.cityofspencerok.gov/}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Spencer''' is a city in [[Oklahoma County, Oklahoma]], United States, and a part of the  [[Oklahoma City metropolitan area]]. Its population was 3,978 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], a 1.7% increase from 2010.

Established in 1903, the City of Spencer is a historic community located just east of the [[North Canadian River]].<ref name="City of Spencer">[http://www.cityofspencer.us/ City of Spencer]. (accessed January 20, 2010)</ref> Spencer is about 10 miles from downtown [[Oklahoma City]] and borders the cities of [[Nicoma Park, Oklahoma|Nicoma Park]] to the east and [[Midwest City, Oklahoma|Midwest City]] to the south.

Contributing to the cultural fabric of Spencer are the Spencer Chamber of Commerce, the Facebook page-Whats going on in Spencer Oklahoma, Spencer Senior Center, Spencer Parks Board, and the Spencer Historical Society.<ref name="City of Spencer"/>

==History==
The region where Spencer was developed was opened to settlement in the Land Run of 1889.<ref name="Spencer">Everett, Dianna. [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/S/SP009.html Spencer], ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. (accessed January 20, 2010)</ref> Louis F. and Henry W. Kramer, businessmen originally from Spencer County, Indiana, first arrived in Guthrie in 1889 and then moved to Oklahoma City.<ref name="Spencer"/>

Originally an agricultural area, Spencer grew after World War II with the nearby General Motors Assembly Plant and Tinker Air Force Base offering employment.<ref name="Spencer"/>

On January 20, 1982, seven children were killed by the explosion of a water heater in the cafeteria of the city's Star Elementary School.<ref>{{cite web |title=6 KILLED IN OKLAHOMA SCHOOL EXPLOSION |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1982/01/20/179228.html?pageNumber=14 |website=NY Times Machine |publisher=New York Times Company |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=7th Victim in School Blast |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1982/01/29/155205.html?pageNumber=32 |website=NY Times Machine |publisher=New York Times Company}}</ref>

CPT [[Riley L. Pitts]], the first Black commissioned officer to receive the [[Medal of Honor]], is buried in Spencer's Hillcrest Memory Gardens. Captain Pitts was a graduate of Wichita University (now [[Wichita State University]].)

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|5.3|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 1189
|1970= 3714
|1980= 4064
|1990= 3972
|2000= 3746
|2010= 3912
|2020= 3978
|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, 2017}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Spencer city, Oklahoma – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Spencer city, Oklahoma|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4069200&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Spencer city, Oklahoma|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4069200&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|1,170
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,045
|29.91%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |26.27%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|2,191
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,029
|56.01%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |51.01%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|113
|style='background: #ffffe6; |114
|2.89%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.87%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|20
|style='background: #ffffe6; |23
|0.51%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.58%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5
|0.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.13%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|9
|style='background: #ffffe6; |24
|0.23%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.60%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or multiracial]] (NH)
|242
|style='background: #ffffe6; |295
|6.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.42%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|166
|style='background: #ffffe6; |443
|4.24%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.14%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''3,912'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''3,978'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000,  3,746 people, 1,420 households, and 1,002 families were residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|701.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 1,567 housing units had an average density of {{convert|293.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 39.94% White, 51.82% African American, 2.83% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 4.51% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.32% of the population.

Of the 1,420 households, 29.4% had children under 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were not families. About 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city, the age distribution was 28.8% under 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,116, and for a family was $37,470. Males had a median income of $30,199 versus $21,153 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $18,242. About 15.0% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 33.3% of those under 18 and 11.2% of those 65 or over.

==Education==
Public education is provided by the [[Oklahoma City Public Schools]].<ref name=CensusSDmap2020>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40109_oklahoma/DC20SD_C40109.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oklahoma County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-01-28}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st40_ok/place/p4069200_spencer/DC20BLK_P4069200.pdf Detail map of Spencer]</ref> Zoned schools include Willow Brook Elementary School (prekindergarten-grade 1),<!--https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&Zip=73141&Miles=20&DistrictType=1&DistrictType=2&DistrictType=3&DistrictType=4&DistrictType=5&DistrictType=6&DistrictType=7&NumOfStudentsRange=more&NumOfSchoolsRange=more&ID=402277001207--> Spencer Elementary School (grades 2-4)<!--https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&Zip=73084&Miles=5&ID=402277001189-->, and Rogers Intermediate School (grades 5-6)<!--https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&Miles=10&Zip=73066&ID=402277029860-->.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.okcps.org/cms/lib/OK01913268/Centricity/domain/115/attendance%20maps/ALL_Elementary%2020190422.pdf|title=ALL_Elementary%2020190422.pdf|publisher=[[Oklahoma City Public Schools]]|access-date=2024-01-28}}</ref> The zoned secondary school is [[Star Spencer Mid-High School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.okcps.org/cms/lib/OK01913268/Centricity/domain/115/attendance%20maps/ALL_Middle%2020190422.pdf|title=ALL_Middle%2020190422.pdf|publisher=[[Oklahoma City Public Schools]]|access-date=2024-01-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.okcps.org/cms/lib/OK01913268/Centricity/domain/115/attendance%20maps/ALL_High%2020190422.pdf|title=ALL_High%2020190422.pdf|publisher=[[Oklahoma City Public Schools]]|access-date=2024-01-28}}</ref>

===Dunjee School===
Dundjee School, an all-Black school was built in 1934, and opened as a segregated school in 1935, serving black students in Spencer.<ref>[https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-oklahoman/20120104/281921654904299 The Oklahoman. "Blaze destroys Dunjee school site near Spencer" by Matt Patterson. January 4, 2012.]</ref> The school is named after Black Oklahoma City civil rights leader [[Roscoe Dunjee]]. The school served first- through 12th-grade students, and according to Dr. Donnie Nero, the school was nurturing and enriching, but also tough. "Those teachers those educators made sure that we focused on being the best that we possibly could be so there wasn't a lot of time for foolishness or time to waste," said Nero.<ref name="koco.com">[https://www.koco.com/article/spencer-school-dunjee/40332958 KOCO. "Former school in Spencer serves as backbone of community" by Jason Hackett. June 18, 2022.]</ref> The school featured some of the best and brightest Black teachers, such as civil rights leader [[Clara Luper]], and the Rev. W.B. Parker, pastor of nearby St. James Baptist Church.<ref name="oklahoman.com">[https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1996/05/20/dunjee-important-to-area/62354669007/ The Oklahoman "Dunjee Important To Area" by Carla Hinton. May 20, 1996]</ref> Dunjee School closed in 1972, devastating the community of Spencer.

<blockquote>The residents of the Dunjee area had long suffered at the hand of segregation in Oklahoma. Before 1963, it was part of the Choctaw school system. After years of substandard support from the City of Choctaw, they fought to be integrated into the Oklahoma City school system and won. However, in 1972, the school board closed all Dunjee schools and began bussing as part of the mandated laws of desegregation. The community was stunned.<ref>[https://abandonedok.com/dunjee-school/ Abandoned Oklahoma. "Dunjee School" by Michael Schwartz. retrieved December 5, 2022.]</ref></blockquote>

Because of desegregation, Dunjee closed in 1972, a move that in many eyes damaged the Spencer community. When the school's doors shut for good, "it devastated this community," said Theotis Payne.<ref name="oklahoman.com"/> In 2012, a fire causing $250,000 in damage made the school uninhabitable.<ref name="koco.com"/>

==City embezzlement scandal==
In 2013, the City of Spencer came under fire after several officials affiliated with the city were accused of embezzling funds; this was perpetrated by three previous employees of the city. An estimated $6,200 in funds were missing from the payroll system, and the three employees were shortly charged with embezzlement.<ref>{{cite news|title=Three charged with embezzling money from City of Spencer|url=http://okcfox.com/archive/three-charged-with-embezzling-money-from-city-of-spencer|agency=Fox 25|publisher=Jordann Lucero}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.cityofspencerok.gov/ City of Spencer official website]

{{Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area}}
{{Oklahoma County, Oklahoma}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Oklahoma City metropolitan area]]