Gowen, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gowen, Oklahoma
Census-designated place
Gowen, Oklahoma Location in Oklahoma Show map of Oklahoma Gowen, Oklahoma Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Latimer
Area
• Total	3.54 sq mi (9.17 km2)
• Land	3.53 sq mi (9.15 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	722 ft (220 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	244
• Density	69.10/sq mi (26.68/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74545
Area code(s)	918 & 539
GNIS feature ID	1093278
FIPS code	40-30500

Gowen is a small community in Latimer County, Oklahoma, in the United States. It's known as a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area defined by the government for counting people. Gowen is located about 10 miles (16 km) west-southwest of Wilburton, close to U.S. Route 270.

Gowen has its own post office with the ZIP code 74545. The post office first opened a long time ago, on January 13, 1894. The community was named after a lawyer named Francis I. Gowen. When Gowen was first established, it was part of the Choctaw Nation's Moshulatubbee District.

About Gowen

Gowen is a special kind of community. It is an "unincorporated community," meaning it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's managed by the county. It's also a "census-designated place" (CDP). The U.S. Census Bureau creates CDPs to collect information about people living in areas that aren't officially cities or towns.

Where is Gowen Located?

Gowen is found in the southeastern part of Oklahoma. It's in Latimer County. The community is situated south of U.S. Route 270. It is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west-southwest of a larger town called Wilburton.

How Gowen Got Its Name

The community of Gowen was named after a lawyer. His name was Francis I. Gowen. This is how many places get their names, often from important people or local features.

Gowen's Early History

When Gowen was first settled, it was not part of the state of Oklahoma as we know it today. Instead, it was located within the Choctaw Nation. Specifically, it was in the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation. This shows the rich history of Native American nations in this area.

People of Gowen

The number of people living in Gowen is counted by the government. This count helps us understand how communities are growing or changing.

Population Numbers

According to the 2020 Census, the population of Gowen was 244 people. The Census Bureau officially defined Gowen as a census-designated place in 2015. In 2010, the population within the same area was also 244 people. At that time, there were 118 housing units in Gowen.