Dustin, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dustin, Oklahoma
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Location of Dustin, Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Hughes |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.70 sq mi (1.81 km2) |
| • Land | 0.65 sq mi (1.67 km2) |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.14 km2) |
| Elevation | 705 ft (215 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 327 |
| • Density | 505.41/sq mi (195.25/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
74839
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| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-22200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412452 |
Dustin is a small town in Hughes County, Oklahoma, in the United States. In 2020, about 327 people lived there.
Contents
Dustin's Story
How Dustin Began
Dustin started as a community called Watsonville in the late 1800s. A post office opened there on April 18, 1898, officially naming it Watsonville. This first spot was about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the North Canadian River. This area was then known as the Creek Nation in Indian Territory.
Name Changes and Railroads
The post office moved about 2 miles (3.2 km) north on June 27, 1902. Its name changed to Spokogee, but Marion J. Butler stayed as the postmaster. In 1903, the Fort Smith and Western Railroad built a train line through the area. Because of this, the town and post office changed their name to Dustin on May 9, 1904.
Another railroad, the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway (MO&G), built a line through Dustin in 1905.
Growing as a Town
Dustin quickly became a busy place for trading and farming. Early businesses included two banks, two drug stores, and three doctors. There were also two hardware stores. A school was built early on, but it burned down. It was quickly replaced, and two male teachers were hired.
The MO&G railroad even had a special building called a roundhouse to fix its trains. By 1910, Dustin had grown a lot. It had four barbershops, a third drug store, and a fourth doctor. There was also a third bank, two hotels, and two cotton gins. The town also had an ice plant and a wagon factory. Several newspapers, like the Dustin Dispatch, kept everyone informed.
Water Supply and Population
In 1912, Dustin got its first water system. In the 1930s, the town built Lake Dustin. This lake was fed by springs and held a lot of water. In 2003, Dustin started building a new water system.
The town's population grew to 579 people in 1910. It reached its highest number ever, 713 people, in 1920.
Where is Dustin?
Dustin is in the northeastern part of Hughes County. Oklahoma State Highway 9 goes right through the middle of town. This highway leads east to the Indian Nation Turnpike. It goes west to Wetumka.
Another road, Oklahoma State Highway 84, starts in Dustin. It goes north and west to Weleetka. A stream called Fish Creek flows through the southeast part of town. It then runs northeast towards the North Canadian River.
The United States Census Bureau says Dustin covers about 0.70 square miles (1.81 km2) of land. Only a very small part, about 0.05 square miles (0.14 km2), is water.
Who Lives in Dustin?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 579 | — | |
| 1920 | 713 | 23.1% | |
| 1930 | 537 | −24.7% | |
| 1940 | 652 | 21.4% | |
| 1950 | 524 | −19.6% | |
| 1960 | 457 | −12.8% | |
| 1970 | 502 | 9.8% | |
| 1980 | 498 | −0.8% | |
| 1990 | 429 | −13.9% | |
| 2000 | 452 | 5.4% | |
| 2010 | 395 | −12.6% | |
| 2020 | 327 | −17.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 452 people living in Dustin. There were 164 households, which are groups of people living together. Most of these were families.
The people living in Dustin came from different backgrounds. About 53.76% were White. About 34.29% were Native American. A small number were African American or from other groups.
About 31.1% of households had children under 18. Many households were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.76 people.
The age of people in Dustin varied. About 28.1% were under 18 years old. About 16.2% were 65 years or older. The average age was 38 years old.
Schools
Dustin is part of the Graham-Dustin Public Schools school district.
Famous People
- Phyllis Fife, Sharon Fife Mouss, Sandy Fife Wilson, and Jimmie Carole Fife Stewart are teachers and artists. They were born near Dustin.
See also
In Spanish: Dustin (Oklahoma) para niños
