Fairfax, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fairfax, Oklahoma
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Location of Fairfax, Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Osage |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.77 sq mi (1.99 km2) |
| • Land | 0.77 sq mi (1.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 886 ft (270 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,136 |
| • Density | 1,483.03/sq mi (572.80/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
74637
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| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-24850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412610 |
Fairfax is a town in Osage County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located within the Osage Nation reservation, which covers the same area as the county. In 2020, about 1,136 people lived there. Fairfax is famous for being the home of two talented ballerinas, Maria Tallchief and Marjorie Tallchief.
Contents
History of Fairfax
Fairfax began when the Santa Fe Railway decided to build its tracks through the Salt Creek valley. This route bypassed an older village called Gray Horse. Many local business owners, including Lew A. Wismeyer, moved their buildings from Gray Horse to the new railway spot.
They leased 40 acres of land for the new town. The railroad wanted to name the depot "Coda," but Wismeyer convinced them to call it Fairfax. He named it after a hotel he had stayed at in Washington, D.C. The Osage tribe owned the land for the town until 1905. At that time, the land was sold, and the money went to the tribe. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Fairfax had 470 residents.
Fairfax was also the location of many sad events in the 1920s. These events are known as the Osage Indian Murders. They happened after a lot of oil was found on the Osage Nation Reservation. Many Osage people died under suspicious circumstances during this time.
Fairfax Geography
Fairfax is located about 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Pawhuska. It is also about 32 miles (51 km) southeast of Ponca City.
The town covers a total area of about 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2). All of this area is land.
Fairfax Climate
| Climate data for Fairfax, Oklahoma | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.6 (8.1) |
52.4 (11.3) |
62.9 (17.2) |
73.8 (23.2) |
80.8 (27.1) |
88.4 (31.3) |
94.4 (34.7) |
93.6 (34.2) |
85.2 (29.6) |
75.3 (24.1) |
61.2 (16.2) |
49.6 (9.8) |
72.0 (22.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22.6 (−5.2) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
37.1 (2.8) |
47.9 (8.8) |
56.7 (13.7) |
65.3 (18.5) |
69.3 (20.7) |
67.5 (19.7) |
60.2 (15.7) |
47.8 (8.8) |
36.9 (2.7) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
47.1 (8.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.2 (30) |
1.6 (41) |
3.1 (79) |
3.2 (81) |
4.8 (120) |
4.2 (110) |
2.9 (74) |
3.3 (84) |
4.7 (120) |
2.9 (74) |
2.5 (64) |
1.6 (41) |
35.8 (910) |
| Source 1: weather.com | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weatherbase.com | |||||||||||||
Fairfax Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 819 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,342 | 63.9% | |
| 1930 | 2,134 | 59.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,327 | 9.0% | |
| 1950 | 2,017 | −13.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,076 | 2.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,889 | −9.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,949 | 3.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,749 | −10.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,555 | −11.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,380 | −11.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,136 | −17.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 1,555 people living in Fairfax. These people lived in 657 households. About 30% of these households had children under 18. Many households were married couples living together.
The average household had 2.31 people. The average family had 2.92 people. The town's population was spread out across different age groups. About 27.6% were under 18 years old. About 21.8% were 65 years or older. The average age in Fairfax was 40 years.
Fairfax Economy
The town's economy has mostly depended on farming and oil production. The population of Fairfax grew to its highest point in 1940, with 2,327 people. However, as oil production slowed down and farming became more mechanized, the population started to decrease. By 2010, the population was 1,380.
Education in Fairfax
Students in Fairfax attend schools that are part of Woodland Public Schools. This school district was created in 1990. It combined the Fairfax school district with the Ralston district.
Notable People from Fairfax
- Maria Tallchief, a famous professional ballerina
- Marjorie Tallchief, also a famous professional ballerina
- Larry Coker, a high school and college football coach
See also
In Spanish: Fairfax (Oklahoma) para niños
