Colony, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colony, Oklahoma
Town
Location of Colony, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Washita
Area
• Total	0.92 sq mi (2.39 km2)
• Land	0.92 sq mi (2.39 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,460 ft (450 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	112
• Density	121.48/sq mi (46.92/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73021
Area code(s)	405
FIPS code	40-16400
GNIS feature ID	2413229

Colony is a small town in the state of Oklahoma, located in the northeastern part of Washita County. In 2020, about 112 people lived there. The town got its name from the Seger Colony, which was started in 1886. This colony taught modern farming skills to the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes who lived nearby. Colony is about 16 miles (26 km) east and 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Cordell.

A Look Back: History of Colony

The story of Colony began with a man named John Homer Seger. He was from Ohio and had served in the Civil War. In 1872, John Seger was hired to build homes and other buildings for a school for Native American children. This school was at the Darlington Agency.

Starting the Seger Colony

Later, Seger started a special community, or "colony," for Native Americans. He worked with the Arapaho people, and later, some Cheyenne joined them. By the next year, more than 500 people lived in Seger's colony. He began teaching them how to farm using modern methods. He also taught them how to make bricks. By 1892, the people in the colony had built an industrial arts school. The Native Americans made the bricks and cut the stone for all the buildings.

From Colony to Town

Before the big Land Run of 1892, a store opened near the school. It was run by William De Lestinier. After the land run, a group of settlers, led by Zack King, started a town site. This new site was about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of the school. They got a post office and named the town Seger. De Lestinier moved his store to this new location.

In 1895, a church group called the Dutch Reformed Church started a mission at the colony. Then, in 1896, a new post office opened, and it was named Colony. That's how the town got its current name.

The town of Colony continued to grow. By 1911, it had an estimated population of 300 people. The Dutch Reformed mission closed in 1912. The Seger Indian school, which was so important to the colony's beginnings, closed in 1932.

In 1900, students brand cattle at the Seger Colony

Where is Colony? Geography

Colony is located in Seger Township, which is in Washita County, Oklahoma. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town covers a total area of about 0.9 square miles (2.3 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no water.

Who Lives Here? Demographics

In 2000, there were 147 people living in Colony. These people made up 64 households and 49 families. The town had about 79 housing units.

Most of the people in Colony were White (about 80%). About 10% were Native American. A small number of people were from other backgrounds or had mixed heritage. About 5% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 28% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (about 72%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.30 people, and the average family had 2.62 people.

The population's age was spread out. About 21% were under 18 years old. About 28% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 48 years.

Famous People from Colony

• Yvonne Kauger: She grew up in Colony and went to high school there. She later became a Justice on the Oklahoma State Supreme Court.
• Dale Mitchell: He was a professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder for the Cleveland Indians and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was chosen as an All-Star two times in Major League Baseball.

See also

In Spanish: Colony (Oklahoma) para niños