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Canadian County, Oklahoma facts for kids

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"Canadian County" redirects here. For other uses, see Canadian County (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Canadian, Oklahoma.
Quick facts for kids
Canadian County
U.S. county
El Reno Carnegie Library
El Reno Carnegie Library
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Canadian County
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Map of the United States highlighting Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Oklahoma
Founded March, 1890
Named for Canadian River
Seat El Reno
Largest city Yukon
Area
 • Total 906 sq mi (2,350 km2)
 • Land 897 sq mi (2,320 km2)
 • Water 9.0 sq mi (23 km2)  1.0%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 154,405
 • Density 170.42/sq mi (65.80/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 3rd, 4th

Canadian County is a county in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. In 2020, about 154,405 people lived here. This makes it the fourth most populated county in Oklahoma.

The main town, or county seat, is El Reno. The county gets its name from the Canadian River. This river forms part of its southern border. The river might have been named after early French fur traders. They came from a place once called New France or Canada.

Canadian County is also part of the larger Oklahoma City area. This means it's connected to the big city's economy and culture.

History of Canadian County

Early Native American Settlements

In 1859, the United States government moved the Caddo Nation to this area. They came from a reservation in Texas. Showetat, the last Caddo chief, made his home here. He is seen as the first permanent resident of Canadian County. A town called Union City later grew near his camp.

The Wichita tribe also moved to this part of Indian Territory in 1861. Later, in 1869, the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes arrived. They were moved from Colorado. An agency was set up in 1870 to help them. It was first called the Cheyenne-Arapaho Agency.

Forming the County

Canadian County was officially created in 1889. It was known as County Four of Oklahoma Territory. This happened when the Oklahoma Organic Act was passed. The county was named after the Canadian River.

European-American settlers arrived after a big event called the Land Run of 1889. This run happened on April 22, 1889. More land was opened up in a second land run in 1892. In 1902, more land became available for settlement. El Reno was chosen as the county seat. It won over other towns like Reno City and Frisco.

Geography and Rivers

Land and Water

Canadian County covers about 906 square miles. Most of this, 897 square miles, is land. Only about 9 square miles, or 1%, is water. The county is mostly flat, with some rolling hills. It's part of the Red Bed Plains region. A small part in the northwest is in the Gypsum Hills.

Important Rivers

Two main rivers flow through the county. These are the North Canadian River and the Canadian River. Both rivers flow from the northwest to the southeast.

The North Canadian River enters the county in the northwest. It flows southeast for about 76 miles. Its elevation drops as it flows. Smaller streams like Sixmile Creek and Mustang Creek feed into it.

The Canadian River enters the western part of the county. It flows southeast for about 45 miles. It then forms the southern border of the county. Dry Creek and Boggy Creek are some of its smaller branches.

The Cimarron River does not flow through the county. However, some of its smaller streams drain the northeastern part. These include Kingfisher Creek and Cottonwood Creek.

Neighboring Counties

Canadian County shares borders with several other counties:

People and Population

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1890 7,158 —
1900 15,981 123.3%
1910 23,501 47.1%
1920 22,288 −5.2%
1930 28,115 26.1%
1940 27,329 −2.8%
1950 25,644 −6.2%
1960 24,727 −3.6%
1970 32,245 30.4%
1980 56,452 75.1%
1990 74,409 31.8%
2000 87,697 17.9%
2010 115,541 31.8%
2020 154,405 33.6%
2023 (est.) 175,829 52.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010
USA Canadian County, Oklahoma age pyramid
Age pyramid for Canadian County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data

Canadian County has been growing steadily. In 2000, there were about 87,697 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 154,405. This shows a big increase in people choosing to live here.

The county is also very diverse. In 2021, many different groups made up the population. This includes people who are non-Hispanic white, African American, Native American, Asian, and multiracial. About 11% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many families live in Canadian County. In 2000, about 40% of homes had children under 18. The average household had about 2.71 people. The average family had about 3.10 people.

Economy

Farming has been a very important part of the economy. It has supported the county since settlers first arrived in the late 1800s.

Transportation

Major Roads

Many important highways run through Canadian County. These roads help people travel and transport goods.

  • I-40
  • I-344
  • I-40 Bus.
  • US-81
  • US-270
  • US-281
  • SH-3
  • SH-4
  • SH-8
  • SH-37
  • SH-66
  • SH-92
  • SH-152

Airports

The county also has several airports:

  • Clarence E. Page Municipal Airport: This airport is open to the public. It is about 15 miles west of Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City owns this airport.
  • Sundance Airpark: This is another public airport. It is about 11 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. This airport is privately owned.
  • El Reno Regional Airport: This airport is located in El Reno.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Other Places

  • Cedar Lake (This is a census-designated place)

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially cities or towns:

  • Concho
  • Four Counties Corner (Used to be called Lockridge)
  • Scott (Part of this community is in Caddo County)

Education

Old Yukon Public Library, Yukon, OK
Old Yukon Public Library

Canadian County has many school districts. They serve students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

K-12 School Districts

  • Calumet Public Schools
  • Cashion Public Schools
  • Deer Creek Public Schools
  • El Reno Public Schools
  • Geary Public Schools
  • Hinton Public Schools
  • Lookeba-Sickles Public Schools
  • Minco Public Schools
  • Mustang Public Schools
  • Okarche Public Schools
  • Piedmont Public Schools
  • Union City Public Schools
  • Yukon Public Schools

Elementary School Districts

Some districts only serve elementary school students:

  • Banner Public School
  • Darlington Public School
  • Maple Public School
  • Riverside Public School

Historic Sites

Henry Lassen House
Henry Lassen House in El Reno

Many places in Canadian County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These sites are important for their history.

  • Avant's Cities Service Station, El Reno
  • Bridgeport Hill Service Station, Geary
  • Bridgeport Hill-Hydro Route 66 Segment, Hydro
  • Canadian County Jail, El Reno
  • Carnegie Library, El Reno
  • Czech Hall, Yukon
  • Darlington Agency Site, El Reno
  • El Reno High School, El Reno
  • El Reno Hotel, El Reno
  • El Reno Municipal Swimming Pool Bath House, El Reno
  • Fort Reno, El Reno
  • William I. and Magdalen M. Goff House, El Reno
  • Jackson Conoco Service Station, El Reno
  • Henry Lassen House, El Reno
  • McGranahan Portion of the Chisholm Trail Roadbed, Yukon vicinity
  • Meloy House, Mustang
  • Mennoville Mennonite Church, El Reno
  • Mulvey Mercantile, Yukon
  • Red Cross Canteen, El Reno
  • Richardson Building, Union City
  • Rock Island Depot, El Reno
  • Southern Hotel, El Reno
  • West Point Christian Church, Yukon
  • Yukon Public Library, Yukon

See also

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