Lincoln County, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lincoln County
U.S. county
Lincoln County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1891
Named for	Abraham Lincoln
Seat	Chandler
Largest city	Chandler
Area
• Total	966 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Land	952 sq mi (2,470 km2)
• Water	13 sq mi (30 km2)  1.4%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	33,458
• Density	35/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd

Lincoln County is a county located in the middle of eastern Oklahoma. In 2020, about 33,458 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Chandler. Lincoln County is also part of the larger Oklahoma City metropolitan area. In 2010, the very center of Oklahoma's population was found in Lincoln County, near the town of Sparks.

History of Lincoln County

Early Land and Tribes

The United States bought a huge area of land, called the Louisiana Purchase, from France in 1803. This land included what is now Lincoln County. Later, in 1825, the Osage tribe gave up their hunting lands in this area to the U.S. government.

The government then gave this land to the Creek and Seminole tribes. These tribes had been forced to move from their homes in the southeastern United States. After the Civil War in 1866, the Creek and Seminole tribes had to give up more land. This was because they had sided with the Confederacy during the war.

New Tribes and First Settlements

The federal government used this land to resettle other tribes. These included the Sac and Fox, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, and Ioway tribes. The first settlement in the area was the Sac and Fox agency, built in 1870. It was located on the eastern side of what is now Lincoln County.

Land Runs and County Naming

In 1890, the government made agreements with the tribes to divide their reservation lands. Most tribes agreed to this, except for the Kickapoo. The land was then given to individual tribal members. Any extra land was opened up for white settlers in the Land Run of 1891.

A special land run was held later that year just for the town of Chandler. Chandler had already been chosen as the county seat. Lincoln County was officially formed and called "County A" at first. In 1895, the Kickapoo tribe also agreed to divide their land. This land was then claimed by settlers during the Land Run of 1895.

The people living in "County A" voted to name it Lincoln County. They chose this name to honor President Abraham Lincoln.

Geography of Lincoln County

Midwinter in the cross timbers of western Lincoln County. Native blackjack and little bluestem.

Lincoln County covers about 966 square miles. Most of this (952 square miles) is land, and a small part (13 square miles) is water. The Deep Fork of the Canadian River flows through the county.

The eastern part of the county has areas known as the Cross Timbers and the Sandstone Hills. The western part is flatter and is called the Red Bed Plains.

Major Roads

• Interstate 44
• U.S. Highway 62
• U.S. Highway 177
• U.S. Highway 377
• State Highway 18
• State Highway 66
• State Highway 99
• State Highway 102

Neighboring Counties

• Payne County (north)
• Creek County (northeast)
• Okfuskee County (southeast)
• Pottawatomie County (south)
• Oklahoma County (southwest)
• Logan County (northwest)

Population of Lincoln County

This chart shows the age groups of people in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, based on information from the 2000 census.

In 2000, there were 32,080 people living in Lincoln County. This included 12,178 households and 9,121 families. The population density was about 34 people per square mile. By 2020, the population had grown to 33,458 people.

About 27.4% of the population was under 18 years old. Around 13.9% of the people were 65 years or older. The average age in the county was 38 years.

Economy of Lincoln County

For a long time, farming was the most important part of Lincoln County's economy. After white settlers arrived, cotton quickly became the main crop. In the early 1900s, Lincoln County was one of the top two cotton-producing counties in Oklahoma.

After the Great Depression, the economy started to change. Oil production became important, providing a lot of the county's tax money. Raising cattle and growing pecans also became big sources of income. By the early 2000s, the county's economy had many different parts. It was mostly based on professional services, small businesses, and other service industries.

Communities in Lincoln County

This 1905 map shows many old communities, post offices, and railroad stops in Lincoln County that no longer exist today.

Cities

• Chandler (County seat)
• Prague
• Stroud

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

• Arlington
• Jacktown
• Midlothian
• Parkland
• Payson
• Rossville
• Willzetta

Ghost Town

• Avery

Education in Lincoln County

K-12 School Districts

• Agra Public Schools
• Carney Public Schools
• Chandler Public Schools
• Cushing Public Schools
• Davenport Public Schools
• Harrah Public Schools
• Luther Public Schools
• McLoud Public Schools
• Meeker Public Schools
• Paden Public Schools
• Perkins-Tryon Public Schools
• Prague Public Schools
• Stroud Public Schools
• Wellston Public Schools

Elementary School Districts

• Oak Grove Public School
• White Rock Public School

Notable People from Lincoln County

• Roy Harris (1898 - 1979), a famous composer, was born near Chandler.
• Carl Hubbell (1903 - 1988), a major league baseball pitcher, lived in Meeker.
• James Brooks Ayers Robertson (1871 - 1938), who was the governor of Oklahoma from 1919 to 1923, lived and is buried in Chandler.
• Jim Thorpe (1888 - 1953), a famous American athlete, went to the Sac and Fox agency school in Lincoln County.
• Roy J. Turner (1894 - 1973), who was the governor of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1953, was born in Kendrick.

Historic Sites in Lincoln County

Many places in Lincoln County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites that are protected.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Lincoln (Oklahoma) para niños