Joy, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joy
|
|
|---|---|
 Joy
Location in Oklahoma
Joy
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Murray |
| Elevation | 843 ft (257 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1094267 |
Joy is a small community located in Murray County, Oklahoma, United States. It's an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. You can find Joy north of Davis and south of Wynnewood, right along US Route 77.
Contents
What's in a Name? The Story of Joy
The community of Joy got its name from a nearby place called Joy School. This school itself has an interesting history!
How Joy School Got Its Name
In 1922, three smaller schools – Carr Flats, Talley, and Wheeler – decided to join together. To celebrate this new beginning, they held a contest for students to choose a new name for their combined school. The name "Joy" was picked, and later, the community around it also adopted this cheerful name.
Tornadoes and Their Impact
Like many parts of Oklahoma, Joy has experienced powerful storms. Tornadoes are strong, spinning columns of air that can cause a lot of damage.
2010 Tornado Event
On May 19, 2010, an EF1 tornado hit the Joy area. An EF1 tornado is considered a "weak" tornado, but it can still cause significant damage. This storm damaged houses, small buildings, trees, and even power poles in the community.
2016 Tornado Event
Another tornado struck Joy on May 9, 2016. This one was an EF2 tornado, which is stronger than an EF1. It caused much more widespread damage. About 80% of the land in Joy was affected. Houses were damaged, many trees were knocked down, and even some roads in the area were harmed by the storm.
