Altus, Oklahoma Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Altus, Oklahoma
City
Jackson County Courthouse in Altus
Motto(s): "City with a future to share"
Altus, Oklahoma Location in Oklahoma Show map of Oklahoma Altus, Oklahoma Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Jackson
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	18.41 sq mi (47.69 km²)
• Land	18.21 sq mi (47.17 km²)
• Water	0.20 sq mi (0.52 km²)
Elevation	1,365 ft (416 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	18,729
• Density	1,028.33/sq mi (397.03/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	73521-73523
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-01700
GNIS feature ID	2409689

Altus (pronounced AL-tuss) is a city in Oklahoma, United States. It is the main city, or county seat, of Jackson County. In 2020, about 18,729 people lived there.

Altus is famous for being home to Altus Air Force Base. This is a special training base for the United States Air Force. Pilots learn to fly large cargo planes like the C-17, KC-46, and KC-135 here. The city also has two colleges: Western Oklahoma State College and Southwest Technology Center.

History of Altus
Geography of Altus
- Climate in Altus
People of Altus (Demographics)
Transportation
Points of interest
Education
Notable people
Images for kids
See also

History of Altus

How Altus Began

The city we know as Altus started in 1886. It was first called "Frazer." About 50 people lived there. Frazer was a trading post along the Great Western Cattle Trail. This trail was used by cowboys driving cattle north. Cowboys often stopped to buy buttermilk from a man named John McClearan. Because of this, people sometimes called the town "Buttermilk Station." The first post office in Frazer opened on February 18, 1886.

Moving to Higher Ground

On June 4, 1891, a big flash flood almost destroyed Frazer. The people decided to move the town to higher ground. They moved about 2.5 miles (4 km) east of the old spot. A person named W. R. Baucum suggested a new name: "Altus." This is a Latin word that means "high." The name stuck, even though for a short time (from 1901 to 1904), the town was also known as "Leger."

Growth and Development

When Oklahoma became a state, Altus was named the county seat of Jackson County. This meant it was the main city for the county government. In 1908, an election was held to make this official. Altus won against another town called Olustee. The county courthouse was built in Altus in 1910.

The population of Altus doubled between 1907 (when Oklahoma became a state) and 1910. It even grew during the Great Depression in the 1930s. In the 1940s, a project to bring water for farming (irrigation) and World War II helped the town grow even more. The nearby airfield was used to train military pilots, which brought many people to Altus.

Railroads and Economy

In 1908, the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway built a train line through Altus. Another railway, the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway, also built a line around the same time. These railroads were very important. They helped the economy grow and made Altus a center for farming in the region. By 1930, Altus had many businesses related to cotton, like cotton gins and presses.

Geography of Altus

Altus is located in the northeastern part of Jackson County. It is in an area that used to be called Old Greer County. There was a disagreement over who owned this land, but the Supreme Court decided it belonged to Oklahoma Territory. The city is located between two parts of the Red River: the main channel and the North Fork.

The city of Altus covers a total area of about 18.57 square miles (48.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Climate in Altus

Altus has a climate that is mostly warm and humid, but it's also close to being very dry. Summers are usually very hot. Sometimes, heavy rain can happen, especially from storms that move inland from the Gulf of Mexico.

Autumns are short, with warm afternoons and cool mornings. Winters can change a lot. Sometimes, warm winds can make it feel hot even in winter. Other times, very cold air from Canada can bring temperatures below freezing. Snowfall is not very common. Most of the rain happens in the spring, when strong thunderstorms can bring a lot of rain in a short time.

People of Altus (Demographics)

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	4,821	—
1920	4,522	−6.2%
1930	8,439	86.6%
1940	8,593	1.8%
1950	9,735	13.3%
1960	21,225	118.0%
1970	23,302	9.8%
1980	23,101	−0.9%
1990	21,910	−5.2%
2000	21,447	−2.1%
2010	19,813	−7.6%
2020	18,729	−5.5%
Sources:

In 2010, there were about 19,813 people living in Altus. The city had about 8,890 homes.

Most people in Altus are White (about 72.6%). Other groups include African American (10.4%), Native American (1.5%), and Asian (1.4%). About 17.2% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.

Many homes (about 38.9%) had children under 18 living there. The average age of people in Altus was 32 years old. About 29.8% of the population was under 18, and another 29.8% was between 25 and 44 years old.

Transportation

Two main U.S. highways, U.S. Route 62 and U.S. Route 283, meet in the center of Altus. U.S. 62 goes east to Lawton and west to Childress, Texas. U.S. 283 goes north to Mangum and south to Vernon, Texas.

Altus also has a local airport called Altus/Quartz Mountain Regional Airport. For bigger flights, people can go to the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport, which is about 57 miles (92 km) east.

Train service for goods is provided by the Wichita, Tillman and Jackson Railway.

Points of interest

Lake Altus-Lugert, a lake about 18 miles (29 km) north of the city.
Great Plains State Park, a park located on Tom Steed Reservoir, about 30 miles (48 km) east-northeast.
Morgan Doll Museum
Altus Air Force Base

Education

Children in Altus go to public schools in Oklahoma School District number 18. There are nine schools in the Altus Public School District. These include five elementary schools, an intermediate school, a junior high school, a high school, and a learning center. In the 2011–2012 school year, about 3,851 students attended these schools.

For students who want to continue their education after high school, Western Oklahoma State College and Southwest Technology Center offer college and technical training programs.

Notable people

Robert N. Bellah, a person who studied religion.
Jake Colhouer, an American football player.
Mark Cotney, an NFL football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Herschal Crow, an Oklahoma state senator.
Brandon Dickerson, a director of music videos.
Eddie Fisher, a baseball pitcher.
Suzi Gardner, a guitarist for the band L7.
Kelly Garrison, an Olympic gymnast in 1988.
Jason Gildon, an NFL player and the all-time sack leader for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
David Green, the person who started Hobby Lobby stores.
Steve Marino, a professional golfer.
Moon Martin, a singer and musician.
Richard Lee McNair, a prisoner.
Thomas C. Oden, a religious writer and theologian.
Juan Pérez, a Major League Baseball player who played for the San Francisco Giants.
Samuel M. Sampler, a World War I hero who received the Medal of Honor.
Andrelton Simmons, a shortstop for the Los Angeles Angels baseball team.
John Sterling, an NFL football player.
Viva Wright, a person with a PhD in Canine Studies.
Rodney Yee, a yoga instructor.