Marlow, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marlow, Oklahoma
City
Location of Marlow, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Stephens
Area
• Total	7.22 sq mi (18.70 km2)
• Land	7.05 sq mi (18.27 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.43 km2)
Elevation	1,276 ft (389 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,385
• Density	621.63/sq mi (240.02/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73055
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-46600
GNIS feature ID	2411038

Marlow is a city located in Stephens County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2020, about 4,385 people lived there. Marlow is found about 10 miles north of Duncan, Oklahoma, and 30 miles east of Lawton, Oklahoma.

Marlow's Early History

The area that became Marlow was first settled in 1880. Dr. Williamson Marlow and his wife, Martha Jane, moved there from Missouri. They settled near Wildhorse Creek. A book from 1892, Life of the Marlows, tells the story of the Marlow brothers. This book helped shape the city's early history.

The Marlow Brothers' Story

The Marlow family and their five sons became well-known in this area. They lived near the Chisholm Trail and Wildhorse Creek. Dr. Williamson Marlow was a doctor who helped settlers in Indian Territory. He also helped cowboys moving cattle along the Chisholm Trail.

His sons helped with farming and herding horses. They sold many horses to the U.S. Army at nearby Fort Sill. Dr. Marlow passed away in 1885.

In 1888, his five sons were accused of stealing horses. This charge was later found to be untrue. Four brothers—Charlie, Alfred, Boone, and Lewellyn—were arrested. They were taken to court in Graham, Texas.

George Marlow, another brother, brought the whole family to Graham to help. But he was also arrested. Boone Marlow managed to escape and returned to the Marlow area. The other four brothers were to be moved to a different jail.

People in Graham tried to harm the Marlow brothers. On January 19, 1889, the brothers were chained together for their trip. As they traveled, a hidden group attacked them. The guards joined the attackers. The brothers fought back, using guns they took from the guards.

In this fight, Lewellyn and Alfred were killed. George and Charlie were badly hurt. George used a knife to free himself and Charlie from their dead brothers. They escaped in a wagon. Three attackers were also killed, and others were hurt. Later, some of the attackers were found guilty for their part in the ambush.

Boone was later poisoned near Hell Creek, west of Marlow. His body was shot to try and get a reward. But his killers were also brought to justice. Alfred, Boone, and Lewellyn are buried in a cemetery near Graham, Texas.

George and Charlie Marlow survived the attack. They later moved to Colorado. There, they became respected citizens and even worked as law enforcement officers.

In 1891, a judge named A. P. McCormick spoke about the event. He said it was amazing that unarmed, chained prisoners fought off an attacking group. He felt their bravery should be remembered.

The American western movie The Sons of Katie Elder was inspired by the book Life of the Marlows.

Rules in the Jim Crow Era

After the Reconstruction era and into the mid-1900s, some towns had rules called Jim Crow laws. These rules limited where certain groups of people could live or be after dark. In Marlow, signs were put up that said, "Negro, don't let the sun go down on you here." This meant that Black people were not allowed to be in town after sunset.

Marlow's Location and Area

Marlow is in the northern part of Stephens County. It's about 29 miles east of Lawton. The city is located where U.S. Route 81 and Oklahoma State Highway 29 meet. Duncan, Oklahoma, which is the main city of Stephens County, is ten miles south of Marlow.

The city covers about 7.1 square miles (18.7 square kilometers) in total. Most of this area is land.

Marlow's Population

In 2010, Marlow had 4,662 people living there. There were 1,862 households, which are groups of people living together. About half of these households were married couples. Over a third of households had children under 18.

The population was spread out by age. About 25.8% of the people were under 18 years old. About 18.6% were 65 years or older. The average age in Marlow was 38.8 years.

Fun Things to Do in Marlow

Marlow offers several places for entertainment:

• Redbud Park is in the eastern part of town. It has a large playground called the Hideout. There's also a walking trail and a stage for concerts. You can also find the Outlaw Cave, where the Marlow brothers reportedly hid.
• The Life Center is a recreation center funded by a church. It has a basketball court, a walking track, and rooms you can rent.
• Miller Park is in the western part of town. It includes a public swimming pool, Miller Pond, and the Mile Trail.
• Main Street has various shops and restaurants to explore.

Schools in Marlow

Marlow is served by the Marlow Public School District. Marlow High School is located near the center of town. Marlow Elementary School and Marlow Middle School are also in the city.

Famous People from Marlow

Many notable people have come from Marlow:

• Terry Brown, a former NFL defensive back for the Minnesota Vikings.
• Ross Coyle, a gridiron football player.
• Joe Dial, a former world record holder in pole vaulting. He was inducted into the Pole Vault Hall of Fame in 2011.
• Cady Groves (1989–2020), a singer-songwriter.
• Sam Hinkie, a general manager for the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.
• Barry Hinson, a basketball head coach for Southern Illinois University.
• Sonny Liles, a football player.
• James C. Nance, a newspaper publisher and former Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
• Keith Patterson, a head football coach at Abilene Christian University.
• Eula Pearl Carter Scott (1915–2005), who became Oklahoma's youngest female aviator in 1929.
• Cecil Smith (1917–2009), a longtime critic and columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
• Paul Sparks, an actor.

See also

In Spanish: Marlow (Oklahoma) para niños