Medicine Park, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Medicine Park, Oklahoma
Town
Nickname(s):  "America's First Cobblestone Community"
Location of Medicine Park, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Comanche
Founded	July 4, 1908; 117 years ago (1908-07-04)
Area
• Total	2.26 sq mi (5.86 km2)
• Land	2.21 sq mi (5.73 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2)
Elevation	1,276 ft (389 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	411
• Density	185.89/sq mi (71.76/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73557
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-47350
GNIS feature ID	2412976

Medicine Park is a small town in Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located in the Wichita Mountains. The town is close to the entrance of the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge, which is about 60,000 acres (243 square kilometers) big.

Medicine Park is known for its unique history as a "cobblestone resort town." Many of its original buildings are made from special red granite cobblestones. These stones are found only in the Wichita Mountains. The town is also near the city of Lawton and Fort Sill. In 2020, about 411 people lived in Medicine Park.

History of Medicine Park

Medicine Park was started on July 4, 1908. A young lawyer named Elmer Thomas founded it. He later became a member of the Oklahoma State Senate and then a U.S. senator. He served in the Senate until 1951.

In 1906, Elmer Thomas saw a need for a fun place for people to visit. He also wanted a steady water supply for the nearby city of Lawton. This was five years after the Wichita Mountains National Forest was created.

When Medicine Park first opened, it was simple. There was a large Army tent with a wooden floor where hot meals were served. Two dams were built on Medicine Creek. These dams created Bath Lake, a swimming hole. There were also some campsites for visitors.

People from all over Oklahoma and North Texas came to Medicine Park. Soon, two inns were built: the Outside Inn and the Apache Inn. Famous bands, like Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys, played at the Dance Hall from 1929 through the late 1930s. Other popular bands also stopped in Medicine Park on their way to bigger cities like Oklahoma City, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

The nearby Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and Lake Lawtonka brought many visitors every weekend. Medicine Park became a popular spot for many different kinds of people. This included well-known politicians, business owners, soldiers from Fort Sill, families, and socialites. Even some famous figures like Will Rogers, Wiley Post, Frank Phillips, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Roy Rogers, and Dale Evans visited the town.

In 2018, the travel company Expedia named Medicine Park as the "fifth prettiest town in the U.S." Also, the Lake Lawtonka Trails, which are around Medicine Park, were rated as the best mountain bike trails in Oklahoma.

Key People from Medicine Park

Elmer Thomas was the person who founded Medicine Park. He had a long career in politics. He served in the Oklahoma State Senate from 1907 to 1920. Later, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1923 to 1927. He then became a United States Senator, serving from 1927 until 1951.

Geography of Medicine Park

Medicine Park covers a total area of about 1.7 square miles (4.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 1.7 square miles (4.4 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 square kilometers), is water.

Population and Demographics

In 2010, Medicine Park had 382 people living in 191 households. About 112 of these were families. The town had about 190 people per square mile (73 people per square kilometer).

Most of the people in Medicine Park were White (88.2%). There were also small percentages of African American, Native American, and Pacific Islander residents. About 6.0% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Medicine Park in 2010 was about 47.6 years old. About 14.1% of the population was under 18 years old. About 13.1% were 65 years or older.

Historic Buildings and Sites

Medicine Park has several places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important sites that are protected because of their history.

• The Medicine Park Hotel and Annex: This building is located on E. Lake Drive.
• Holy City of the Wichitas Historic District: This area is near Medicine Park. It is famous for having the longest-running passion play in North America, which started in 1926. The sets for this play are built from native granite stones.

Services and Utilities

• The Medicine Park Telephone Company provides phone and internet services, including DSL, to the town and nearby areas.
• Hilliary Communications also offers telephone, internet, and digital TV services.

Education in Medicine Park

The community of Medicine Park is split between two different school districts. Some students attend schools in the Elgin Public Schools district. Others attend schools in the Lawton Public Schools district. The main high school for the Elgin district is Elgin High School.

The Medicine Park School District was closed by the Oklahoma Department of Education in 1990. Its students were then divided between the Elgin and Lawton school districts.

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Medicine Park (Oklahoma) para niños