Roger Mills County, Oklahoma

History

Roger Mills County takes its name from Roger Q. Mills, an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and later senator from Texas. The town of Cheyenne in Roger Mills County is the location of the Battle of Washita River (also called Battle of the Washita; Washita Battlefield and the Washita Massacre), where George Armstrong Custer’s 7th U.S. Cavalry attacked Chief Black Kettle’s Cheyenne village on the Washita River on November 26, 1868.

The area covered by Roger Mills County had been part of the Cheyenne Arapaho reservation until after Oklahoma Territory was created and County E was formed. County E was renamed Day County. Day County was abolished and Roger Mills County was created at statehood on November 16, 1907. The county's western boundary with Texas was moved eastward 3800 ft when the Supreme Court ruled that the 100th Meridian was farther east than originally supposed.

During the 1970s, Roger Mills County and the surrounding area were the site of natural gas and oil development in the Panhandle-Hugoton Gas Field, the largest-volume gas field in the United States, and the world's largest known source of helium. Between 1973 and 1993, the field produced over 8 trillion cubic feet (230,000,000 m3) of natural gas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1146 sqmi, of which 5.3 sqmi (0.5%) are covered by water. The Canadian River forms the northern border of the county. The Washita River passes by Cheyenne and Strong City as it crosses the county from west to east. The historically significant Antelope Hills lie in the northeastern part of the county.

Major highways

• [[Image:US 283.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 283
• [[Image:Oklahoma State Highway 6.svg|25px]] State Highway 6
• [[Image:Oklahoma State Highway 30.svg|25px]] State Highway 30
• [[Image:Oklahoma State Highway 33.svg|25px]] State Highway 33
• [[Image:Oklahoma State Highway 34.svg|25px]] State Highway 34
• [[Image:Oklahoma State Highway 47.svg|25px]] State Highway 47
• [[Image:Oklahoma State Highway 47A.svg|25px]] State Highway 47A
• [[Image:Oklahoma State Highway 152.svg|25px]] State Highway 152

Adjacent counties

• Ellis County (north)
• Dewey County (northeast)
• Custer County (east)
• Beckham County (south)
• Wheeler County, Texas (southwest)
• Hemphill County, Texas (northwest)

National protected areas

• Antelope Hills
• Black Kettle National Grassland (part)
• Break O'Day Farm
• Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, the county had a population of 3,442. Of the residents, 24.9% were under the age of 18 and 20.2% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.5 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 85.6% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 3.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, 1.8% from some other race, and 8.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.4% of the population.

There were 1,397 households in the county, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,852 housing units, of which 24.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.2% were owner-occupied and 19.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 17.2%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 3,436 people, 1,428 households, and 988 families resided in the county. The population density was 1 /km2. The 1,749 housing units had an average density of 1 /km2.

The racial makeup of the county was 91.76% White, 0.29% African American, 5.47% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.52% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. About 2.65% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 1,428 households, 29.4% had children under 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were not families. About 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the age distribution was 23.8% under 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,078, and for a family was $35,921. Males had a median income of $22,224 versus $19,821 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,821. About 11.50% of families and 16.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those 65 or over.

Economy

The county economy has depended on agriculture, which has benefitted because it lies above the Ogallala Aquifer. Principal crops have included kaffir corn, broomcorn, wheat, cotton, corn, and alfalfa. Farms have been consolidating throughout the period since the Great Depression. In 1930, the 2,353 farms averaged 278.3 acres each. By 2000, the remaining 680 farms averaged 1,015.54 acres each.

Petroleum and natural gas production has become an important contributor since discovery of the Panhandle-Hugoton Field.

In 2010, Roger Mills County had a per capita income of $28,427 per resident compared to the United States per capita income of $27,334. The county had the highest per capita income of any in Oklahoma and was the only Oklahoma county in which the per capita income exceeded the national per capita income.

Politics

Roger Mills County is heavily Republican, like most of rural western Oklahoma. It has voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election since 1980, and in all but three elections since 1952. The county last voted for a Democrat in 1976 when it voted for Jimmy Carter. Roger Mills County, prior to the 1980s, had leaned Democratic, voting Democratic in 12 of 18 elections between 1908 and 1976. Since 1976, it has rapidly trended Republican.

Communities

Towns

• Cheyenne (county seat)
• Hammon (small part in Custer County)
• Reydon
• Strong City
• Sweetwater (partially in Beckham County)

Unincorporated communities

• Berlin
• Crawford
• Durham (also a census-designated place)
• Grimes
• Rankin
• Roll

Education

School districts include:

• Cheyenne Public Schools
• Elk City Public Schools
• Hammon Public Schools
• Leedey Public Schools
• Merritt Public Schools
• Reydon Public Schools
• Sayre Public Schools
• Sweetwater Public Schools

References

References

1. "Roger Mills County, Oklahoma". [[United States Census Bureau]].
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. "Oklahoma: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library.
4. Wilson, Linda D. [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=RO018 "Roger Mills County,'] ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 5, 2015.
5. [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/chronicles/v002/v002p075.html "Origin of County Names in Oklahoma." ''Chronicles of Oklahoma''.] Volume 2, Number 1. March 1924.
6. [https://www.nps.gov/waba/index.htm Washita Battlefield National Historic Site]. — [[National Park Service]].
7. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
10. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
11. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
12. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
15. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
16. "SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau.
17. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". U.S. Census Bureau.
18. (January 15, 2019). "Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County".
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
20. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Roger Mills County, OK". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].