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Davis, Oklahoma
Location of Davis, Oklahoma
Location of Davis, Oklahoma
Country United States
State Oklahoma
Counties Murray
Area
 • Total 11.04 sq mi (28.59 km2)
 • Land 11.02 sq mi (28.54 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation
846 ft (258 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 2,683
 • Estimate 
(2019)
2,896
 • Density 262.82/sq mi (101.47/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
73030
Area code(s) 580
FIPS code 40-19450
GNIS feature ID 1091947
Website [1]
Turner falls ok
Turner Falls, in the Arbuckle Mountains near Davis

Davis is a city in Garvin and Murray counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 2,683 at the 2010 census.

History

Davis is named after Samuel H. Davis, who moved to Washita in what was then Indian Territory in 1887. Davis owned a dry goods store, which was four miles south of the current town of Davis. Davis submitted a petition for a Santa Fe depot to be built near his store, and the petition was accepted. In 1890, he also successfully petitioned for a post office to be built. The post office was supposed to be named after Nelson Chigley a Chickasaw Indian who owned the land on which the town was to be built. Chigley was already an Indian Territory name, so it was named after Davis. The town was established on November 16, 1898. It is located twenty-three miles north of Ardmore and twenty-three miles south of Pauls Valley.

By 1900, Davis had fifty-seven businesses, two banks, ten doctors, three dentists, and three lawyers. Cotton farming was a common occupation in Davis, which was in one of the best cotton producing sections in Oklahoma.

Later, when U.S. Interstate 35 was constructed, it was built 2 miles to the west of Davis.

By the year 2000 the population had grown to 2,610, and very few people worked as farmers. However, the education, health, and social services sectors of the economy had grown, with around a quarter of the population working in these areas.

Geography

Davis is located at 34°29′52″N 97°7′37″W / 34.49778°N 97.12694°W / 34.49778; -97.12694 (34.497858, -97.126933).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28.5 km²), all land. It is located near Lake Arbuckle.

Attractions

Davis is the home of Turner Falls Park which is the oldest park in Oklahoma. Turner Falls is located in the Arbuckle Mountains and is named after Mazeppa Turner. Mazepa Turner was born in Virginia who married a Chickasaw woman named Laura Johnson. Turner became a farmer in Murray County and he and his wife settled in a cabin along Honey Creek. Turner discovered the waterfall in the park therefore giving it the name Turner Falls. In 1919 Turner Falls came under the ownership of Davis. Davis purchased three-hundred and seventy acres for the park from the Turner family for an estimated seventeen thousand dollars. Davis operated the park until 1950 and then leased the park out until the late 1970s. Turner Falls is in the heart of the Arbuckle Mountains, and is home to a seventy-seven foot waterfall, which is the largest in Oklahoma. Turner Falls is now a fifteen-hundred acre water resort that offers many things like swimming, cave exploration, miles of hiking trails, picnic areas, and overnight camping. Also another attraction in the Turner Falls Park is the Collings Castle. The castle was built in the 1930s and became the home of Ellsworth Collings. Ellsworth Collings was an author and also the dean of education of the University of Oklahoma for twenty years. The castle covers about an acre of land that included a main house with three rooms.

Davis is also home to Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center and Youth Camp. The B. B. McKinney Chapel in Falls Creek is named in honor of Baylus Benjamin McKinney, the Louisiana native and Christian singer and composer of 149 gospel hymns.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 1,346
1910 1,416 5.2%
1920 1,609 13.6%
1930 1,705 6.0%
1940 1,698 −0.4%
1950 1,928 13.5%
1960 2,203 14.3%
1970 2,223 0.9%
1980 2,782 25.1%
1990 2,543 −8.6%
2000 2,610 2.6%
2010 2,683 2.8%
2019 (est.) 2,896 7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,683 people, 1,042 households, and 723 families residing in the city. The population density was 237.1 people per square mile (91.5/km2). There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of 109.2 per square mile (42.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.34% White, 4.56% African American, 10.65% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 3.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03% of the population.

There were 1,042 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,958, and the median income for a family was $37,100. Males had a median income of $27,266 versus $16,667 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,604. About 13.0% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Davis (Oklahoma) para niños

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