Acme, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Acme, Oklahoma
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 Acme, Oklahoma
Location in Oklahoma
Acme, Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Grady |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1100162 |
Acme is what people call a ghost town in Grady County, Oklahoma, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where most or all people have left, and it's mostly empty now. Acme used to have a post office, which was open from April 8, 1913, until May 29, 1931. This former community is about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of a town called Rush Springs.
The Story of Acme
Acme started as a town because of a company called Acme Cement and Plaster Company. In 1911, this company built a factory and a power plant there. They mined a mineral called Gypsum from the ground nearby. Gypsum is used to make plaster and cement.
Building the Town
To help the factory, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad built a special short railway line. This line connected the main railway to the factory. At its busiest time, the factory had about 100 to 125 workers. They made enough product to fill six to eight train cars every day.
Challenges and Changes
After a while, the gypsum that was close to the factory ran out. So, the company built a smaller, narrow-gauge railroad. This new track went from the Acme factory to other gypsum beds. These new beds were near a river called the Little Washita River.
In 1927, a big flood happened. This flood covered the new gypsum beds with several feet of sand. Workers tried to keep mining, but it became too difficult and expensive.
The End of Acme
After 1930, the whole business stopped making money. The company decided to close everything down. The special railway line was also abandoned in 1930.
Today, there isn't much left of the old town of Acme. You might see a few houses and some concrete ruins from the factory. All the factory machines were moved away. Other buildings like the school, places where workers lived, and the general store were torn down.
Where is Acme?
Acme is located at an elevation of 1,286 feet (392 meters) above sea level.
