Washita County, Oklahoma

In 1883, John Miles leased of Cheyenne and Arapaho land to seven cattlemen. However, arguments soon developed between the cattlemen and the tribesmen. In 1885, the Federal government terminated all of the leases and ordered the cattlemen to remove their stock. After the government declared the excess lands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian Reservation available for non-Indian settlement, the Cheyenne-Arapaho Opening was made available to homesteading on April 19, 1892, in the Land Run of 1892. An election in 1900 designated the town of Cordell as the county seat. It was favored by the majority because it was located in the center of the county. The election result was contested in court. The Oklahoma Territorial Supreme Court ruled in 1904 that the seat could not be moved without Federal authorization. The U. S. Congress moved the seat to Cordell in 1906. When the Oklahoma Constitution went into effect at statehood in 1907, it confirmed Cordell (by then relocated and renamed New Cordell) as the county seat. ==Geography==

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. The county lies in the Western Redbeds Plains sub-region of the Osage Plains. The Washita River drains most of the county, except that the southwest corner drains into the North Fork of the Red River Adjacent counties • Custer County - north • Caddo County - east • Kiowa County - south • Beckham County - west ==Demographics==

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 10,924. Of the residents, 26.1% were under the age of 18 and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.8 males. The racial makeup of the county was 83.9% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 3.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 2.7% from some other race, and 9.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 9.0% of the population. The racial makeup of the county was 95.8% white, 0.7% black or African American, 3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, less than 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Eight percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Ninety-six percent spoke only English and 3.3% spoke Spanish. There were 4,599 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5% had a male household with no wife present, and 30.7% were non-families. Individuals living alone accounted for 27.1% of households, and individuals 65 years of age or older living alone accounted for 13% of households. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $44,331, and the median income for a family was $56,619. Males had a median income of $42,149 versus $31,402 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,781. About 12% of families and 16% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over. ==Politics==

Prior to 1952, Washita County was dominated by the Democratic Party as part of the Solid South. However, it backed the national winner in every presidential election from 1928 to 1992 except for 1956 and 1960. It last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 1992. ==Communities==

Cities • Clinton (part) • New Cordell (county seat) Towns • Bessie • Burns Flat • Canute • Colony • Corn • Dill City • Foss • Rocky • Sentinel Unincorporated communities • Cloud Chief • Port ==Education==

School districts include: • Burns Flat-Dill City Schools • Canute Public Schools • Carnegie Public Schools • Clinton Public Schools • Cordell Public Schools • Elk City Public Schools • Hydro-Eakly Public Schools • Merritt Public Schools • Mountain View-Gotebo Schools • Sentinel Public Schools • Weatherford Public Schools ==See also==