1140:
42:
302:
Before the town's founding in 1898, there was a dispute over the right to name the town. The town's postmaster, and the owner of the first general store, and the town's first postmaster, believed it should be named
Whiteville. Local Deputy U.S. Marshall Herbert John Green motioned for the town be
624:
In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 29.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over,
307:
chief of local significance named Wakita (pronounced Wok-ih-taw). Green and other local settlers wanted to name the town in the chief's honor because of a protective spell cast by the chief's tribe to protect the area around the town, between
Crooked Creek and Pond Creek, from tornadoes for 100
729:. Some original buildings were demolished and never replaced, with some of the bricks from the demolished buildings used to construct Twister Park. The Twister Museum, dedicated to movie memorabilia from Twister, opened a few months before the movie was released and remains a town attraction.
620:
living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 37.6% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.
58:
592:
of 2010, there were 344 people, 165 households, and 102 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,275.4 inhabitants per square mile (492.4/km). There were 205 housing units at an average density of 622.5 per square mile (240.3/km). The racial makeup of the town was 96.67%
644:
Students in Wakita went to school at Wakita Public School K-12 through the 2010–2011 school year, after which the school closed due to low enrollment (30 students) and lack of necessary funding. Wakita High School merged with
724:
tornado. False fronts were built onto the existing store fronts for some shots and then were removed and replaced with rubble in the streets after the tornadic storm hit and the rest of the building was removed using
319:
is a
Cherokee word for water collected in a small depression, such as a buffalo wallow. The same source states that Charles N. Gould claimed it was probably a Creek word meaning "to cry" or "to lament".
628:
The median income for a household in the town was $ 30,096, and the median income for a family was $ 34,792. Males had a median income of $ 22,361 versus $ 21,500 for females. The
327:
was opened to non-Native
American settlement on September 16, 1893. A post office opened November 14, 1893. The population grew when the Hutchison and Southern Railroad (later the
999:
1073:
699:
using seismograph technology to search for oil. It was aired during the 1984 World Series. The voice over starts with, "Nothing much changes in Wakita, Oklahoma."
41:
1257:
344:
253:
347:, numerous tornadoes touched down in Grant County, causing significant damage near the Wakita area. However, the town itself was not destroyed.
328:
71:
1066:
891:
263:
746:
721:
717:
912:
662:
204:
1059:
598:
1051:
865:
602:
125:
331:) built a line through the area in 1897. At statehood in 1907, Wakita had 388 residents; by 1910, it had grown to 405.
308:
years. The name was also favored because of a battle that had occurred in the area under the leadership of this chief.
57:
869:
789:
363:
1262:
726:
291:
565:
550:
535:
520:
505:
490:
475:
460:
445:
430:
415:
400:
241:
103:
770:
1227:
616:
There were 165 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were
1083:
606:
279:
130:
832:
1234:
1214:
1174:
1159:
1129:
610:
340:(1996). In the film, the town is referred to by name, and the water tower bearing its name is shown.
214:
1209:
1199:
1164:
704:
594:
336:
47:
680:
666:
1184:
1124:
1105:
658:
646:
632:
for the town was $ 17,302. About 11.4% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the
629:
356:
1169:
957:
324:
1179:
1251:
246:
978:
633:
580:
1098:
713:
843:
709:
676:
670:
113:
86:
73:
771:
U.S. Geological Survey
Geographic Names Information System: Wakita, Oklahoma
195:
649:, although many Wakita students also attend Pond Creek-Hunter High School.
636:, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 22.2% of those age 65 or over.
933:
809:
617:
304:
283:
229:
118:
334:
Wakita was selected as a filming location for the
Hollywood blockbuster
1047:
696:
692:
589:
287:
366:, it has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km), all land.
221:
200:
844:"Information About the May 10, 2010 Tornado Outbreak in Oklahoma"
286:, United States, approximately 8 miles (13 km) south of the
1151:
1116:
1021:
32:
1055:
691:
Wakita was the setting of a 1984 television commercial about
1138:
892:"Vote June 14 to decide Wakita school annexation to Medford"
294:, a decrease of 9.5 percent (from 344) at the 2010 census.
1000:"Lingering storm: Revisit Wakita 20 years after 'Twister'"
720:
tornado that was part of a storm system later spawning an
785:
913:"After vote, Grant County school to merge with Medford"
1198:
1150:
1115:
262:
252:
240:
228:
211:
194:
186:
178:
173:
165:
157:
149:
141:
136:
124:
112:
102:
23:
702:Wakita was featured in the 1996 blockbuster film
1067:
823:
821:
819:
817:
355:Wakita is 12 miles (19 km) northwest of
8:
1002:. Jimmie Tramel, Tulsa World, April 18, 2016
829:Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
313:Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
846:. National Weather Service Norman, Oklahoma
1074:
1060:
1052:
866:"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990"
810:CensusViewer:"Wakita, Oklahoma Population"
613:of any race were 0.24% of the population.
373:
20:
359:, the county seat, on State Highway 11A.
1139:
738:
251:
227:
193:
172:
164:
135:
101:
66:
54:
38:
766:
764:
393:
290:border. Its population was 311 at the
831:. "Wakita." Retrieved March 20, 2013.
780:
778:
329:Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
261:
239:
210:
185:
177:
156:
148:
140:
123:
111:
7:
716:in which Wakita was destroyed by an
605:, and 0.71% from two or more races.
311:Citing historian George Shirk, the
161:0.00 sq mi (0.00 km)
153:0.31 sq mi (0.81 km)
145:0.31 sq mi (0.81 km)
1082:Municipalities and communities of
383:
14:
747:"ArcGIS REST Services Directory"
56:
40:
1258:Towns in Grant County, Oklahoma
190:1,000.00/sq mi (385.70/km)
18:Town in Oklahoma, United States
323:The town was founded when the
1:
749:. United States Census Bureau
679:, first female president of
62:Location of Wakita, Oklahoma
46:Wakita's water tower with a
1024:. Twister, The Movie MUSEUM
934:"CSA - Maps - Grant County"
870:United States Census Bureau
790:United States Census Bureau
364:United States Census Bureau
1279:
169:1,178 ft (359 m)
1223:
1136:
1096:
579:
564:
549:
534:
519:
504:
489:
474:
459:
444:
429:
414:
399:
392:
387:
382:
379:
67:
55:
39:
30:
625:there were 87.7 males.
1144:
1085:Grant County, Oklahoma
647:Medford Public Schools
1142:
1046:Wakita Twister Museum
786:"U.S. Census website"
581:U.S. Decennial Census
375:Historical population
213: • Summer (
87:36.88194°N 97.92389°W
1236:United States portal
187: • Density
872:. February 12, 2011
376:
92:36.88194; -97.92389
83: /
1145:
681:Cameron University
667:United States Army
374:
179: • Total
158: • Water
142: • Total
1263:Towns in Oklahoma
1245:
1244:
979:"11 twister park"
827:Wilson, Linda D.
663:brigadier general
659:Virgil A. Richard
630:per capita income
586:
585:
362:According to the
273:
272:
150: • Land
1270:
1237:
1230:
1143:Grant County map
1141:
1108:
1101:
1091:
1086:
1076:
1069:
1062:
1053:
1034:
1033:
1031:
1029:
1018:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:
996:
990:
989:
987:
985:
975:
969:
968:
966:
964:
954:
948:
947:
945:
943:
938:
930:
924:
923:
921:
919:
909:
903:
902:
900:
898:
888:
882:
881:
879:
877:
862:
856:
855:
853:
851:
840:
834:
825:
812:
807:
801:
800:
798:
796:
782:
773:
768:
759:
758:
756:
754:
743:
599:African American
395:
390:
385:
377:
218:
98:
97:
95:
94:
93:
88:
84:
81:
80:
79:
76:
60:
44:
25:Wakita, Oklahoma
21:
1278:
1277:
1273:
1272:
1271:
1269:
1268:
1267:
1248:
1247:
1246:
1241:
1235:
1229:Oklahoma portal
1228:
1219:
1201:
1194:
1146:
1134:
1111:
1106:
1099:
1092:
1089:
1084:
1080:
1043:
1038:
1037:
1027:
1025:
1020:
1019:
1015:
1005:
1003:
998:
997:
993:
983:
981:
977:
976:
972:
962:
960:
956:
955:
951:
941:
939:
936:
932:
931:
927:
917:
915:
911:
910:
906:
896:
894:
890:
889:
885:
875:
873:
864:
863:
859:
849:
847:
842:
841:
837:
826:
815:
808:
804:
794:
792:
784:
783:
776:
769:
762:
752:
750:
745:
744:
740:
735:
689:
687:Popular culture
655:
642:
618:married couples
603:Native American
388:
372:
353:
325:Cherokee Outlet
300:
236:
212:
91:
89:
85:
82:
77:
74:
72:
70:
69:
63:
51:
35:
26:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1276:
1274:
1266:
1265:
1260:
1250:
1249:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1239:
1232:
1224:
1221:
1220:
1218:
1217:
1212:
1206:
1204:
1200:Unincorporated
1196:
1195:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1156:
1154:
1148:
1147:
1137:
1135:
1133:
1132:
1127:
1121:
1119:
1113:
1112:
1097:
1094:
1093:
1081:
1079:
1078:
1071:
1064:
1056:
1050:
1049:
1042:
1041:External links
1039:
1036:
1035:
1013:
991:
970:
949:
925:
904:
883:
857:
835:
813:
802:
774:
760:
737:
736:
734:
731:
695:'s subsidiary
688:
685:
684:
683:
674:
654:
653:Notable people
651:
641:
638:
584:
583:
577:
576:
573:
571:
568:
562:
561:
558:
556:
553:
547:
546:
543:
541:
538:
532:
531:
528:
526:
523:
517:
516:
513:
511:
508:
502:
501:
498:
496:
493:
487:
486:
483:
481:
478:
472:
471:
468:
466:
463:
457:
456:
453:
451:
448:
442:
441:
438:
436:
433:
427:
426:
423:
421:
418:
412:
411:
408:
406:
403:
397:
396:
391:
386:
381:
371:
368:
352:
349:
303:named after a
299:
296:
271:
270:
267:
260:
259:
256:
250:
249:
244:
238:
237:
234:
232:
226:
225:
219:
209:
208:
198:
192:
191:
188:
184:
183:
180:
176:
175:
171:
170:
167:
163:
162:
159:
155:
154:
151:
147:
146:
143:
139:
138:
134:
133:
128:
122:
121:
116:
110:
109:
106:
100:
99:
65:
64:
61:
53:
52:
45:
37:
36:
31:
28:
27:
24:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1275:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1255:
1253:
1238:
1233:
1231:
1226:
1225:
1222:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1207:
1205:
1203:
1197:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1153:
1149:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1122:
1120:
1118:
1114:
1110:
1109:
1102:
1095:
1090:United States
1087:
1077:
1072:
1070:
1065:
1063:
1058:
1057:
1054:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1023:
1017:
1014:
1001:
995:
992:
980:
974:
971:
959:
953:
950:
935:
929:
926:
914:
908:
905:
893:
887:
884:
871:
867:
861:
858:
845:
839:
836:
833:
830:
824:
822:
820:
818:
814:
811:
806:
803:
791:
787:
781:
779:
775:
772:
767:
765:
761:
753:September 20,
748:
742:
739:
732:
730:
728:
723:
719:
715:
711:
707:
706:
700:
698:
694:
686:
682:
678:
675:
672:
668:
664:
660:
657:
656:
652:
650:
648:
639:
637:
635:
631:
626:
622:
619:
614:
612:
608:
604:
600:
596:
591:
582:
578:
574:
572:
569:
567:
563:
559:
557:
554:
552:
548:
544:
542:
539:
537:
533:
529:
527:
524:
522:
518:
514:
512:
509:
507:
503:
499:
497:
494:
492:
488:
484:
482:
479:
477:
473:
469:
467:
464:
462:
458:
454:
452:
449:
447:
443:
439:
437:
434:
432:
428:
424:
422:
419:
417:
413:
409:
407:
404:
402:
398:
378:
369:
367:
365:
360:
358:
350:
348:
346:
341:
339:
338:
332:
330:
326:
321:
318:
314:
309:
306:
297:
295:
293:
289:
285:
281:
278:is a town in
277:
268:
265:
257:
255:
248:
245:
243:
233:
231:
223:
220:
216:
206:
205:Central (CST)
202:
199:
197:
189:
181:
168:
160:
152:
144:
132:
129:
127:
120:
117:
115:
108:United States
107:
105:
96:
68:Coordinates:
59:
50:mounted on it
49:
48:tornado siren
43:
34:
29:
22:
16:
1189:
1104:
1026:. Retrieved
1016:
1004:. Retrieved
994:
984:November 18,
982:. Retrieved
973:
963:November 18,
961:. Retrieved
952:
942:November 19,
940:. Retrieved
928:
918:November 19,
916:. Retrieved
907:
897:November 19,
895:. Retrieved
886:
874:. Retrieved
860:
848:. Retrieved
838:
828:
805:
793:. Retrieved
751:. Retrieved
741:
703:
701:
690:
643:
634:poverty line
627:
623:
615:
587:
370:Demographics
361:
354:
345:May 10, 2010
342:
335:
333:
322:
316:
315:states that
312:
310:
301:
280:Grant County
275:
274:
15:
1202:communities
1100:County seat
795:January 31,
714:Bill Paxton
292:2020 census
90: /
1252:Categories
1215:Sand Creek
1175:Manchester
1160:Deer Creek
1130:Pond Creek
1028:August 17,
1022:"Homepage"
1006:August 17,
850:August 17,
733:References
710:Helen Hunt
677:Cindy Ross
671:gay rights
661:, retired
588:As of the
266:feature ID
174:Population
78:97°55′26″W
75:36°52′55″N
1210:Salt Fork
1165:Jefferson
876:April 23,
708:starring
640:Education
351:Geography
254:FIPS code
242:Area code
196:Time zone
166:Elevation
958:"Hummer"
673:activist
607:Hispanic
601:, 2.38%
597:, 0.24%
305:Cherokee
284:Oklahoma
258:40-77950
230:ZIP code
119:Oklahoma
1185:Renfrow
1125:Medford
1107:Medford
705:Twister
665:in the
357:Medford
337:Twister
298:History
269:2413439
104:Country
1190:Wakita
1170:Lamont
1117:Cities
697:Conoco
693:DuPont
611:Latino
590:census
560:−18.1%
530:−13.9%
425:−16.5%
380:Census
317:Wakita
288:Kansas
276:Wakita
126:County
1152:Towns
937:(PDF)
595:White
575:−9.6%
545:−7.3%
515:−3.5%
500:20.6%
470:−0.9%
455:40.1%
440:−6.2%
235:73771
224:(CDT)
222:UTC-5
201:UTC-6
131:Grant
114:State
1180:Nash
1030:2021
1008:2021
986:2013
965:2013
944:2013
920:2013
899:2013
878:2011
852:2013
797:2008
755:2022
712:and
669:and
566:2020
551:2010
536:2000
521:1990
506:1980
491:1970
485:2.7%
476:1960
461:1950
446:1940
431:1930
416:1920
401:1910
389:Note
384:Pop.
264:GNIS
137:Area
33:Town
727:CGI
609:or
570:311
555:344
540:420
525:453
510:526
495:545
480:452
465:440
450:444
435:317
420:338
405:405
343:On
247:580
215:DST
182:311
1254::
1103::
1088:,
868:.
816:^
788:.
777:^
763:^
722:F5
718:F4
394:%±
282:,
1075:e
1068:t
1061:v
1032:.
1010:.
988:.
967:.
946:.
922:.
901:.
880:.
854:.
799:.
757:.
410:—
217:)
207:)
203:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
