Editing Waurika, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Waurika, Oklahoma
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = "On The Trail, By The Lake"
<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = File:Jefferson county courthouse.jpg
| image_caption            = Jefferson County Courthouse in Waurika {{circa}} 2014
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| pushpin_map              = Oklahoma#USA
| pushpin_label            = Waurika
| pushpin_mapsize          = 250
| pushpin_label_position   = 
| pushpin_map_caption      = 
| image_map                = 
| mapsize                  = 
| map_caption              = 
<!-- 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        = [[Jefferson County, Oklahoma|Jefferson]]
<!-- 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           = 30.90
| area_land_km2            = 30.87
| area_water_km2           = 0.03
| area_total_sq_mi         = 11.93
| area_land_sq_mi          = 11.92
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 1837
| population_density_km2   = 59.50
| population_density_sq_mi = 154.11
<!-- 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             = 879
| coordinates              = {{coord|34|10|12|N|98|0|5|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 73573
| area_code                = [[Area code 580|580]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 40-79250<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              = 2412195<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412195}}</ref>
| website                  = 
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
}}

'''Waurika''' is the [[county seat]] of [[Jefferson County, Oklahoma|Jefferson 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>  The population was 1,837 as of the [[2020 United States census]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Waurika%20city,%20Oklahoma |title=Waurika (city), Oklahoma|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 16, 2024}}</ref>

An article from 1985 in ''[[The Oklahoman]]'' claimed that Waurika promoted itself as "The Parakeet Capital of the World," while giving no explanation for using this slogan.<ref>[http://newsok.com/article/2124990 Etter, Jim. "Catchy Slogans Strive to Put Towns on Map." ''The Oklahoman''. October 20, 1985.] Accessed November 3, 2016.</ref>  The Waurika Chamber of Commerce website in 2020 echoed that the town was "once a parakeet paradise," but currently seems to be promoting the motto ''On The [[Chisholm Trail|Trail]], By The Lake'', complete with a logo of a cowboy [[Bronc riding|bronc-riding]] a fish.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://waurikachamber.com/ |title=Waurika, Oklahoma|publisher= Waurika Chamber of Commerce|access-date=November 16, 2020}}</ref>

==City name==
The name is the anglicized version of the [[Comanche language|Comanche]] compound ''woarɨhka'' ("worm eater") from ''woa'' ("worm") + ''tɨhka'' ("eat") and presumably refers to early European settlers whose plowing humorously resembled digging for worms.<ref>William Bright. 2013. ''Native American Placenames of the Southwest'' (Univ. of Oklahoma Press)</ref>  Without indicating the source of their opinions, the City of Waurika and the Oklahoma Historical Society say the name means "clear (or pure) water" in some unidentified "American Indian language".<ref name=City>{{cite web|url= https://www.waurika.gov/visitors/residents/index.php |title=History|publisher=City of Waurika|access-date=November 16, 2020}}</ref><ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/>  This is an example of the widespread occurrence of fanciful [[false etymology|false etymologies]] of Native American place names, especially when the original Native language meaning is simple, insulting, vulgar, or unknown.<ref>William Bright. 2004.  ''Native American Placenames of the United States'' (Univ. of Oklahoma Press)</ref>

==History==
[[File:First Presbyterian Church Waurika.jpg|right|thumb|Former First Presbyterian Church transformed into a city office building. Listed on the US [[National Register of Historic Places]].]]
Waurika was settled after the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache Reservation was opened to non-Indians on August 6, 1901. The first white settler was James McGraw, who [[Homestead Acts|homesteaded]] on the present town site after moving from [[Burlington, Iowa]].<ref name="EOHC-Waurika">[http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=WA048 Sheridan B. Drowatzky, "Waurika," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''], 2009. Accessed March 27, 2015.</ref> The first sale of town lots was held on June 18, 1902. Nearly three thousand people attended the sale.<ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/>

Waurika was incorporated in May 1903. On May 8 of that year, C.A. McBrian was sworn in as the town's first mayor.<ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/>  At the time of its founding, Waurika was located in [[Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation]].<ref>Charles Goins, ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2006), plate 105.</ref>

The [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway]] came to Waurika in January 1902 after the railroad superintendent "designated the town as a flag station."<ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/> Waurika was formerly the northern terminus for the [[Wichita Falls and Oklahoma Railway]], one of the 20th century properties of [[Frank Kell]] and [[Joseph A. Kemp]] of [[Wichita Falls, Texas]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/eqwue|title=H. Allen Anderson, "Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad"|publisher=tshaonline.org|access-date=April 19, 2013}}</ref> where the [[Kell House Museum]] is located today.

{{US Census population
|1910= 2928
|1920= 3204
|1930= 2368
|1940= 2458
|1950= 2327
|1960= 1933
|1970= 1833
|1980= 2369
|1990= 2088
|2000= 2158
|2010= 2064
|2020= 1837
|footnote=<ref name="CensusView">{{cite web|url=http://censusviewer.com/city/OK/Waurika|access-date=February 18, 2016|title=Census Viewer: Waurika, Oklahoma Population|publisher=Moonshadow Mobile, Inc.}}</ref><ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/>
}}

==Geography==
Waurika is located in northwestern Jefferson County. [[U.S. Route 70 in Oklahoma|U.S. Route 70]] passes through the southern side of the city, leading east {{convert|49|mi}} to [[Ardmore, Oklahoma|Ardmore]] and west {{convert|27|mi}} to [[Randlett, Oklahoma|Randlett]]. [[U.S. Route 81 in Oklahoma|U.S. Route 81]] crosses US 70 in the southeastern corner of Waurika, leading north {{Convert|26|mi}} to [[Duncan, Oklahoma|Duncan]] and south {{convert|24|mi}} to [[Ringgold, Texas|Ringgold]]. [[Oklahoma State Highway 5]] (Waurika's Main Street) leads northwest {{Convert|19|mi}} to [[Temple, Oklahoma|Temple]]. Waurika is approximately {{convert|109|mi}} southwest of [[Oklahoma City]].<ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Waurika has a total area of {{convert|32.4|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.03|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.08%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4079250| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Waurika city, Oklahoma| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=October 17, 2018| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213105153/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4079250| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> The city center lies on the east side of the valley of Beaver Creek, a south-flowing tributary of the [[Red River of the South|Red River]].

[[Waurika Lake]] is {{convert|6|mi|0}} northwest of the city center.<ref>Google Maps</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box   <!-- Infobox begins -->
| single line = Y
| location    = Waurika, Oklahoma (1991–2020)
<!-- Average high temperatures -->
| Jan high F  =55.1
| Feb high F  =59.7
| Mar high F  =69.1
| Apr high F  =76.5
| May high F  =83.4
| Jun high F  =91.2
| Jul high F  =97.0
| Aug high F  =96.3
| Sep high F  =88.1
| Oct high F  =77.4
| Nov high F  =64.8
| Dec high F  =55.9
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean F  =43.1
| Feb mean F  =47.2
| Mar mean F  =56.0
| Apr mean F  =63.8
| May mean F  =72.1
| Jun mean F  =80.1
| Jul mean F  =84.9
| Aug mean F  =84.2
| Sep mean F  =76.4
| Oct mean F  =65.2
| Nov mean F  =53.3
| Dec mean F  =44.4
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low F  =31.1
| Feb low F  =34.8
| Mar low F  =42.9
| Apr low F  =51.2
| May low F  =60.7
| Jun low F  =69.1
| Jul low F  =72.8
| Aug low F  =72.1
| Sep low F  =64.7
| Oct low F  =52.9
| Nov low F  =41.8
| Dec low F  =32.9
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
| precipitation colour    =  green
| Jan precipitation inch  =1.56
| Feb precipitation inch  =1.77
| Mar precipitation inch  =2.50
| Apr precipitation inch  =3.10
| May precipitation inch  =4.32
| Jun precipitation inch  =3.87
| Jul precipitation inch  =2.34
| Aug precipitation inch  =2.96
| Sep precipitation inch  =3.11
| Oct precipitation inch  =2.93
| Nov precipitation inch  =2.09
| Dec precipitation inch  =1.65
<!-- Snowfall -->
| Jan snow inch  =0.7
| Feb snow inch  =0.4
| Mar snow inch  =0.1
| Apr snow inch  =0.0
| May snow inch  =0.0
| Jun snow inch  =0.0
| Jul snow inch  =0.0
| Aug snow inch  =0.0
| Sep snow inch  =0.0
| Oct snow inch  =0.0
| Nov snow inch  =0.5
| Dec snow inch  =0.2
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
| source = NOAA<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/#dataset=normals-monthly&timeframe=30&station=USC00349395 |title=NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access |publisher=NOAA |access-date=2025-04-03 }}</ref>
}}<!-- Infobox ends -->

==Economy==
Waurika's economy has largely been based on cattle raising, agriculture and petroleum production since the founding of the city.<ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/>

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,988 people, 741 households, and 500 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|168.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 929 housing units at an average density of {{convert|78.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 85.41% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.81% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 4.28% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 3.37% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.10% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.36% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.67% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 8.00% of the population.

There were 741 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,800, and the median income for a family was $31,594. Males had a median income of $24,844 versus $16,286 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $13,496. About 6.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
Waurika has a home rule charter form of government.<ref name="EOHC-Waurika"/>

==Notable people==
* [[Bennie G. Adkins]], United States Army [[Medal of Honor]] recipient born in Waurika
* [[Irene Champlin]], actress born in Waurika
* [[Gary Chapman (musician)|Gary Chapman]], singer and songwriter born in Waurika
* [[Ed Davis (criminal)|Ed Davis]], [[Great Depression in the United States|Depression]]-era criminal born in Waurika
* [[Chris Kidd]], Oklahoma state senator (2016–2024)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.duncanbanner.com/news/chris-kidd-wins-republican-nomination-for-state-senate-district-seat/article_a71301d2-69a2-11e6-ba67-bb2cc76b0ccc.html |title=Chris Kidd wins Republican nomination for State Senate District 31 seat |publisher=Duncanbanner.com |date=2016-08-23 |accessdate=2019-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/biographies/kidd_bio.aspx |title=Senator Chris Kidd - District 31 |publisher=Oksenate.gov |date= |accessdate=2019-05-05}}</ref>
* [[James W. McCord Jr.]], CIA officer implicated in the [[Watergate scandal]] born in Waurika

==Places==
The town's Rock Island Passenger Depot was rehabilitated starting in 1987, and in 2002 was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Oklahoma]].<ref name=City/>  Also NHRP-listed are the [[First Presbyterian Church (Waurika, Oklahoma)|First Presbyterian Church]],<ref name=City/> the Jefferson County Courthouse,<ref name=Jefferson>{{cite web|url=  https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=JE001 |title=Jefferson County|publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society|access-date=November 16, 2020}}</ref> and the [[State Highway 79 Bridge at the Red River]] leading to [[Byers, Texas]], which has since been demolished.<ref name=Jefferson/>  There was a [[Chisholm Trail Historical Museum]] in Waurika, now closed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yelp.com/biz/chisholm-trail-historical-museum-waurika |title= Chisholm Trail Historical Museum|publisher=Yelp|access-date=November 16, 2020}}</ref>

Waurika Lake, completed in 1980, is 11 miles long, contains 192,000 acre feet of water at its normal elevation of 951 feet, has a surface area of 10,000 acres, and features 80 miles of shoreline.<ref name=City/>

==Notable events==
{{main|Murder of Heather Rich}}
The 1996 [[murder of Heather Rich]] brought brief notoriety to Waurika. Rich, a 16-year-old [[Tenth grade#United States|sophomore]] at the local high school, was murdered by two classmates and an acquaintance in a case that attracted national media coverage.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Jefferson County, Oklahoma}}
{{Oklahoma county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:1902 establishments in Oklahoma Territory]]
[[Category:Cities in Jefferson County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:County seats in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1902]]