Chandler, Oklahoma
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Chandler is a city located in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,842. It is the county seat of Lincoln CountyTemplate:GR.
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History
Chandler, named for Judge George Chandler, was opened by a land run September 28, 1891. It had been planned for September 22 (the date of the Land Run of 1891) but the government had not surveyed the townsite by that date. The Chandler Post Office had opened September 21, the day before the planned run. When Lincoln County was organized, Chandler became the county seat. On May 30, 1897, a tornado blew away most of Chandler and killed a number of residents.
What is largely considered to be the "Last gunfight of the old west" occurred in Chandler when, in 1927 lawman Bill Tilghman was gunned down by Wiley Lynn.
Chandler is one of the many towns along the famous Route 66 and contains a number of attractions of interest to devotees of "The Mother Road". Among these attractions are a number of murals including the newly restored old cottage-style Phillips 66 gas station, P.J.'s Bar-b-que, and the last remaining painted barn adverting Meramec Caverns (west of town).
Route 66 brought a significant amount of commercial business to Chandler - due to travellers crossing the state and the country; however when the Interstate 44 turnpike was built, much of this business died out. Today, the community is kept alive primarily through agriculture and livestock.
Geography
Chandler is located at 35°42'33" North, 96°53'23" West (35.709287, -96.889647)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.1 km² (8.1 mi²). 18.9 km² (7.3 mi²) of it is land and 2.2 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 10.43% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 2,842 people, 1,146 households, and 747 families residing in the city. The population density is 150.3/km² (389.3/mi²). There are 1,290 housing units at an average density of 68.2/km² (176.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 79.77% White, 9.68% African American, 5.63% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 4.05% from two or more races. 1.79% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,146 households out of which 31.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% are married couples living together, 14.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% are non-families. 32.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.36 and the average family size is 2.98.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $26,833, and the median income for a family is $35,744. Males have a median income of $28,125 versus $19,397 for females. The per capita income for the city is $14,676. 16.7% of the population and 12.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.3% of those under the age of 18 and 15.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Chandler, Oklahoma official website (http://www.chandlerok.com/)
- Biography of George Chandler (http://www.rootsweb.com/~oklincol/geo_chandler.html)