Guymon, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guymon, Oklahoma
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Texas County Courthouse (2012)
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Location within Texas County and Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Texas |
| Incorporated | 1901 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.76 sq mi (20.09 km2) |
| • Land | 7.74 sq mi (20.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,124 ft (952 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,965 |
| • Density | 1,676.15/sq mi (647.20/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
73942
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| Area code | 580 |
| FIPS code | 40-31750 |
| GNIS ID | 1093452 |
Guymon (/ˈɡaɪmən/ GHY-mən) is a city in the Oklahoma Panhandle in the United States. It is the main city and county seat of Texas County. In 2020, about 12,965 people lived there. This was a 13.3% increase from 2010. Guymon is the largest city in the Oklahoma Panhandle. It has more than half of Texas County's population.
The city's economy mainly relies on cattle farms, large pork farms, and natural gas production. Recently, wind energy has also become important. Guymon was the only city in Oklahoma in 2010 and 2020 where most of the people were Hispanic.
Contents
History of Guymon
In the 1890s, a man named Edward T. "E.T." Guymon bought land near the Beaver River. This area grew quickly after the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway built a train line through it in 1901.
The community was first called Sanford by the U.S. Post Office. But a month later, it was renamed Guymon. This was to avoid confusion with another town called Stratford, Texas. Guymon became an official city in 1901.
Many businesses moved to Guymon from a nearby town called Hardesty. This helped Guymon grow. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Guymon had 839 residents. It was also chosen as the county seat for the new Texas County.
By 1910, Guymon's population grew to 1,342 people. The town had banks, hotels, doctors, and many shops. Farming became very important to Guymon's economy. By 1930, the population reached 2,181.
The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl in the 1930s were tough times for Guymon. People remember "Black Sunday" in 1935 as a terrible dust storm. However, the discovery of the nearby Hugoton Gas Field created many new jobs. This helped Guymon's population grow to 2,290 by 1940.
The Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo started in 1933. It celebrates the spirit of the early settlers. In 2014, this rodeo was added to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. It is a very popular event with many contestants and large prize money.
Guymon's Location and Climate
Guymon is located on the High Plains in the middle of the Oklahoma Panhandle. It is about 122 miles (196 km) north of Amarillo, Texas. The city sits at an elevation of 3,124 feet (952 m).
The city covers about 7.3 square miles (18.9 km2) of land. Only a very small part is covered by water. Nearby, you can find the Optima National Wildlife Refuge and Optima Lake. These areas are great for seeing nature.
Weather in Guymon
| Climate data for Guymon, Oklahoma | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
84 (29) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
108 (42) |
108 (42) |
107 (42) |
108 (42) |
106 (41) |
98 (37) |
86 (30) |
86 (30) |
108 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 48 (9) |
52 (11) |
58 (14) |
69 (21) |
78 (26) |
89 (32) |
93 (34) |
92 (33) |
85 (29) |
74 (23) |
59 (15) |
51 (11) |
71 (22) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 21 (−6) |
25 (−4) |
29 (−2) |
41 (5) |
50 (10) |
61 (16) |
65 (18) |
65 (18) |
56 (13) |
44 (7) |
30 (−1) |
24 (−4) |
43 (6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) |
−11 (−24) |
−7 (−22) |
17 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
41 (5) |
48 (9) |
46 (8) |
31 (−1) |
24 (−4) |
4 (−16) |
0 (−18) |
−19 (−28) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.5 (13) |
0.9 (23) |
0.8 (20) |
1.7 (43) |
3.1 (79) |
2.5 (64) |
3.5 (89) |
2.8 (71) |
1.9 (48) |
1.8 (46) |
0.8 (20) |
0.6 (15) |
20.9 (530) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.2 (8.1) |
3.9 (9.9) |
3.3 (8.4) |
1 (2.5) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
1.3 (3.3) |
3.5 (8.9) |
16.5 (42) |
| Source 1: weather.com | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weatherbase.com | |||||||||||||
People in Guymon
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 1,342 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,507 | 12.3% | |
| 1930 | 2,181 | 44.7% | |
| 1940 | 2,290 | 5.0% | |
| 1950 | 4,718 | 106.0% | |
| 1960 | 5,768 | 22.3% | |
| 1970 | 7,674 | 33.0% | |
| 1980 | 8,492 | 10.7% | |
| 1990 | 7,803 | −8.1% | |
| 2000 | 10,472 | 34.2% | |
| 2010 | 11,442 | 9.3% | |
| 2020 | 12,965 | 13.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, Guymon had 12,965 people living in 3,453 homes. The city's population density was about 1,662 people per square mile (642 per km2).
Most of the people in Guymon are Hispanic (58.1%). About 29.3% are non-Hispanic White, 3.6% are Black, and 5.6% are Asian. About 4.7% are of two or more races.
The average home in Guymon had 3.28 people. In 2010, about 39.8% of homes had children under 18. About 59.0% were married couples.
About 31.3% of the population was under 18 years old. About 7.6% were 65 or older. In 2020, 45.2% of the people in Guymon were female.
The average income for a home in Guymon was $53,164. The average income per person was $19,455. About 24.6% of the people lived below the poverty line. This number went up from 14.3% in 2010.
In 2010, Guymon had the fourth largest Hispanic population in Oklahoma. It had the highest percentage of Hispanic residents of any city or town in the state (52%). By 2022, this percentage grew to 57%. Guymon is a good example of how new people moving in can help small towns grow. Many small towns in Oklahoma and other states have been losing people for years.
Guymon's Economy
Guymon is a center for the local economy. This includes:
- Growing wheat
- Raising livestock (like cattle and pigs)
- Hog and dairy farming
- Manufacturing (making things)
- Producing oil and natural gas
A U.S. soil conservation station is also nearby. Local factories make farming tools, pressure tanks, and animal feeds. The town of Goodwell, Oklahoma, home of Oklahoma Panhandle State University, is about 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Guymon.
When the Hugoton-Panhandle Gas Field opened, many new businesses started. These included carbon black plants, a company that made farming equipment, and a power plant. The Guymon Municipal Hospital opened in 1949.
The biggest employer in Guymon is the Seaboard pork processing plant. It processes about 18,000 hogs every day. Its 2,300 employees make up about 20% of the city's population. Hitch Ranch, which has cattle feedlots, is the second-largest employer.
The jobs created by these industries, especially Seaboard, have brought many Hispanic people and new immigrants to the U.S. to Guymon. This is why Guymon's population is growing, while many other small towns in Oklahoma are shrinking.
Since 2011, there has been a big increase in wind power in the Guymon area. Wind farms now produce electricity for the region.
Education in Guymon
Students in Guymon go to schools in the Guymon School District. The school system started in 1902–1903. The first high school building was built in 1917. During the Great Depression, Guymon schools closed for a year because there wasn't enough money.
The school district opened a new high school in 1954, and then another new one in 1974.
Guymon has:
- Eight elementary schools
- One junior high school
- One high school (the team mascot is the Tiger)
- High school
- Guymon High School
- Middle school
- Guymon Junior High School
- Elementary schools
- Academy
- Academy "C"
- Carrier
- Homer Long
- Northeast
- North Park
- Prairie
More than 80% of high school students can get reduced-price school lunches. This often shows that many families in the area have lower incomes. About 30% of adults in Guymon do not have a high school diploma. The city has one of the lowest education levels in the state. Guymon High School's test scores are lower than the state average in several areas.
| Subject | State Average | Guymon HS |
|---|---|---|
| HS graduation rate | 84% | 67% |
| English language arts | 79% | 65% |
| Math exam | 74% | 47% |
Media in Guymon
Guymon has one newspaper and four radio stations.
- Guymon Herald: This newspaper has been printed since 1891. It is the only daily newspaper for the entire Oklahoma Panhandle.
- KKBS 92.7 FM: Plays Rock music.
- KBIJ 99.5 FM: Plays Regional Mexican music.
- KGYN 1210 AM: Offers News and Sports Talk.
- K215CV 90.9 FM: Plays Christian Contemporary music (Air1).
Fun Things to Do in Guymon
- Golden Mesa Casino: Located 2.5 miles (4 km) west on US Hwy 54.
- Sunset Hills Golf Course: An 18-hole golf course open to members and guests.
- Sunset Lake and Thompson Park: A 32-acre lake where you can fish all year. It also has paddle boats, a miniature train, ducks to feed, playgrounds, and picnic areas.
- No Mans Land Rifle and Pistol Club: A shooting range for handguns and small rifles. It is open to club members during daylight hours.
- Optima National Wildlife Refuge: A great place nearby to watch birds and other wildlife.
- Optima Wildlife Management Area: Run by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, this area offers hunting opportunities.
Getting Around Guymon
Several major roads go through Guymon, including US-54, US-64, US-412, SH-3, and SH-136.
The Guymon Municipal Airport is a public airport owned by the city. It is located about 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) west of downtown Guymon.
If you need to fly on a commercial airline, the Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport in Kansas is about 41 miles (66 km) northeast of Guymon.
Train service for moving goods is available from the Union Pacific Railroad.
Famous People from Guymon
- Jeremy Sochan (born 2003): A basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs. He was born in Guymon but moved to England as a baby.
- Michael D. Brown (born 1954): A former director of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). He was born in Guymon.
- Claudia Bryar (1918–2011): A film and television actress who was born in Guymon.
- F. Hiner Dale (1881–1968): A judge and founder of a law firm in Guymon.
- Gordon Grice (born 1965): An award-winning nature writer who was born in Guymon.
- Ross Rizley (1892–1969): A former U.S. Representative who is buried in Guymon.
- Sammi Smith (1943–2005): A country music star, born Jewel Faye Smith.
See also
In Spanish: Guymon (Oklahoma) para niños
