Atwood, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Atwood, Oklahoma
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Location of Atwood, Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Hughes |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2) |
| • Land | 0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 794 ft (242 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 85 |
| • Density | 282.39/sq mi (108.95/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
74827
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| Area code(s) | 580 |
| FIPS code | 40-03350 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411652 |
Atwood is a small town located in Hughes County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2020, the town had a population of 85 people. It is a quiet community in the central part of Oklahoma.
Contents
Discovering Atwood's Past
How Atwood Got Its Name
The town of Atwood is named after Chester C. Atwood. He was an early settler in the area that later became Hughes County, Oklahoma. Chester Atwood was a farmer who owned a lot of land. He was also elected as a commissioner for Hughes County.
Chester Atwood's Early Life
Chester Atwood was born in July 1862 in central Texas. His parents were from Tennessee and moved to Texas before the Civil War. In 1881, Chester left Texas. He moved to the Mushulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
He settled in western Tobucksy County. This was about 28 miles west of a general store owned by J.J. McAlester. Atwood married a young woman named Patsy Ann, who was from the Choctaw Nation. This marriage gave him rights to settle there. By 1885, he was farming 25 acres of land. This land is now part of eastern Hughes County. He was listed in the Choctaw Nation census that year.
Growth of the Community
The community near Atwood's farm started to grow. On January 23, 1897, a post office was opened. It was named "Newburg." Henry S. Halloway became the first postmaster.
In the early 1900s, a weekly newspaper called the Atwood Herald kept people informed. We don't know when this newspaper stopped being published.
By 1900, Chester Atwood owned even more land. His family included his wife, Patsy Ann (also called Mattie). They had several children: Ottie (born 1883), Arrie (born 1886), Bennie (born 1887), Allie (born 1889), Coleman (born 1891), Lizzie (born 1893), and Ambrozia (born 1895). Two more children were born after 1900 but passed away before they grew up.
From Newburg to Atwood
When Oklahoma became a state, county lines were changed. The part of Tobucksy County where Newburg was located became part of the new Hughes County, Oklahoma. On December 3, 1909, two years after Oklahoma became a state, the town of Newburg was renamed "Atwood." This honored Chester C. Atwood as an important pioneer in the community.
Chester Atwood served as an elected commissioner for Hughes County. His son, Coleman Atwood, worked as a local banker. Coleman later moved to Holdenville during the Great Depression. Chester C. Atwood passed away after 1930.
Railroad and Town Development
The Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway built a train line. It went from Muskogee to the Red River, but it did not go through Newburg. Because of this, some people from Newburg moved about one mile south. They wanted to be closer to the train system. In December 1909, they named their new settlement.
Atwood became a place where farmers could trade their goods. A grist mill was built in 1910. Soon after, a bank, a livery stable, a drug store, and five general stores opened. By 1913, the population of Atwood grew to 150 people.
In 1993, Atwood received a special grant of $75,000. This money helped them update their fire protection system. Atwood officially became an incorporated town in 1994. In 2012, the post office in Atwood was considered for possible closure by the United States Postal Service.
Atwood's Location and Weather
Where is Atwood Located?
Atwood is in the western-central part of Hughes County. Two main roads, State Highways 1 and 48, meet at the eastern edge of town. Highway 1 goes east about 5 miles to Calvin. Highway 48 goes north about 10 miles to Holdenville, which is the county seat. If you take both highways together, they lead southwest about 7 miles to Allen.
The United States Census Bureau says that Atwood covers about 0.7 square kilometers (0.3 square miles). All of this area is land.
Atwood's Climate
Atwood has a climate with warm summers and mild winters. The hottest month is usually July, and the coldest is January. The town gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Atwood, Oklahoma | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.7 (9.8) |
55.3 (12.9) |
64.6 (18.1) |
74 (23) |
80.4 (26.9) |
87.7 (30.9) |
93.7 (34.3) |
93.9 (34.4) |
85.6 (29.8) |
76 (24) |
63.1 (17.3) |
52.6 (11.4) |
73.1 (22.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.0 (−2.8) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
40.3 (4.6) |
50.2 (10.1) |
58.3 (14.6) |
65.9 (18.8) |
70.1 (21.2) |
69.0 (20.6) |
62.1 (16.7) |
51.2 (10.7) |
40.7 (4.8) |
30.9 (−0.6) |
49.8 (9.9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.4 (36) |
2.0 (51) |
3.3 (84) |
4.0 (100) |
5.4 (140) |
3.7 (94) |
2.8 (71) |
2.5 (64) |
4.1 (100) |
4.2 (110) |
3.0 (76) |
2.0 (51) |
38.3 (970) |
| Source: Weatherbase.com | |||||||||||||
People Living in Atwood
Population Changes Over Time
The number of people living in Atwood has changed over the years. Here's a look at the population from different census reports:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 439 | — | |
| 1980 | 461 | 5.0% | |
| 1990 | 369 | −20.0% | |
| 2000 | 113 | −69.4% | |
| 2010 | 74 | −34.5% | |
| 2020 | 85 | 14.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Atwood?
In 2010, there were 74 people living in Atwood. The town had about 253.8 people per square mile. There were 65 houses in the town.
Most people in Atwood were White (81.42%). Some were Native American (7.96%), Asian (0.88%), or from other races (4.42%). About 5.31% of the people were of two or more races. About 6.19% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
There were 47 households in Atwood. About 34% of these homes had children under 18 living there. More than half (55.3%) were married couples living together. About 6.4% had a female head of household with no husband present. About 29.8% of all households were individuals living alone. Of those, 14.9% were people aged 65 or older living by themselves. The average household had 2.40 people, and the average family had 3.00 people.
Age and Income in Atwood
The population in Atwood was spread out by age. About 31% were under 18 years old. About 8.8% were between 18 and 24. About 21.2% were between 25 and 44. Another 21.2% were between 45 and 64. Finally, 17.7% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 39 years.
The median income for a household in Atwood was $29,167. For families, the median income was $31,250. This means that half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less. The average income per person in the town was $14,040. About 13.3% of families and 20.4% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 46.7% of those under 18.
Education in Atwood
Students in Atwood attend different school districts. The northern part of Atwood is part of the Holdenville Public Schools district. The southern part of Atwood is in the Allen Public Schools district.
See also
In Spanish: Atwood (Oklahoma) para niños
