Midwest City, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Midwest City, Oklahoma
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City
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| Motto(s):
Where the Spirit Flies High
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Location in Oklahoma County and the state of Oklahoma.
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| Place | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Oklahoma |
| Incorporated | March 11, 1943 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council – Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 24.41 sq mi (63.23 km2) |
| • Land | 24.40 sq mi (63.19 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,221 ft (372 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 58,409 |
| • Density | 2,394.01/sq mi (924.33/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
73110, 73130, 73140
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| Area code | 405 |
| FIPS code | 40-48350 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411102 |
| Website | midwestcityok.org |
Midwest City is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. It's part of the larger Oklahoma City metropolitan area. In 2020, about 58,409 people lived here, making it the eighth biggest city in Oklahoma.
The city started because people heard an air field would be built nearby. It was named after the original name for Tinker Air Force Base, which was the Midwest Air Depot. Midwest City was hit by strong tornadoes in May 1999 and again on May 8, 2003.
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History of Midwest City
A man named W.P. "Bill" Atkinson bought land where Midwest City now stands. He heard that an air field was going to be built close by. The city officially became a city on March 11, 1943. It was named after the air field's first name, the Midwest Air Depot.
Later, the air field was renamed Tinker Air Force Base. This was done to honor Major General Clarence L. Tinker. He was the first American general to die in World War II.
Seward Mott, an expert in city planning, helped design Midwest City. His ideas were so good that the city became a model for how new communities could be built after the war. Midwest City also included an older community called Mishak. This community was made up of Czech and German immigrants.
In 1947, a veteran named Nicholas Harroz opened a grocery store. This store later grew into Crest Discount Foods. Today, it's one of the biggest discount grocery chains in the Oklahoma City area. As the city grew quickly, its citizens decided to have a council-city manager form of government. This helped them manage the city's fast growth.
Midwest City's main hospital opened on October 6, 1962. Voters also approved starting a junior college in 1968. This college, Oscar Rose Junior College, opened in 1970 and is now known as Rose State College. The Heritage Park Mall opened in 1978 and was a popular shopping spot for many years. The very first Sam's Club store opened in Midwest City on April 7, 1983.
In the early 1970s, a neighborhood called Glenwood Addition was bought by the county. This was done for safety reasons after some plane crashes happened near the Tinker Air Force Base runway. About 835 homes were moved, and an elementary school was closed. Today, this area is used by Tinker Air Force Base for storage and training.
Midwest City was hit hard by a powerful tornado on May 3, 1999. This tornado caused a lot of damage, especially northwest of Tinker Air Force Base. Many homes were destroyed, and three people died. Another strong tornado hit almost the same area four years later, on May 8, 2003.
City leaders worked to improve S.E. 29th Street in the early 2000s. This led to the creation of a new shopping area called Town Center Plaza. It faces Interstate 40 and Tinker Air Force Base. In 2003, the Reed Center was built. It's a large convention center with about 60,000 square feet of space.
Geography and Climate
Midwest City covers about 24.6 square miles, and all of it is land. The city is located in Oklahoma County and is known for its low hills. You can find two types of oak trees here: blackjack oak and post oak. Midwest City is also part of an ecological region called the Cross Timbers. It's also in the Frontier Country tourism region.
Weather in Midwest City
Midwest City has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.
| Climate data for Midwest City, Oklahoma | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 47 (8) |
53 (12) |
63 (17) |
71 (22) |
79 (26) |
87 (31) |
93 (34) |
92 (33) |
84 (29) |
73 (23) |
60 (16) |
50 (10) |
71 (22) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26 (−3) |
27 (−3) |
39 (4) |
48 (9) |
58 (14) |
66 (19) |
71 (22) |
70 (21) |
62 (17) |
51 (11) |
38 (3) |
29 (−2) |
49 (9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.28 (33) |
1.56 (40) |
2.90 (74) |
3.00 (76) |
5.44 (138) |
4.63 (118) |
2.94 (75) |
2.48 (63) |
3.98 (101) |
3.64 (92) |
2.11 (54) |
1.89 (48) |
35.85 (911) |
| Source: NOAA (extremes 1890–present) | |||||||||||||
People of Midwest City
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 10,166 | — | |
| 1960 | 36,058 | 254.7% | |
| 1970 | 48,114 | 33.4% | |
| 1980 | 49,559 | 3.0% | |
| 1990 | 52,267 | 5.5% | |
| 2000 | 54,088 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 54,371 | 0.5% | |
| 2020 | 58,409 | 7.4% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2010, there were 54,371 people living in Midwest City. There were 22,726 households and 14,293 families. The city had about 2,210 people per square mile.
About 64.6% of the people were White, 21.9% were African American, and 3.7% were Native American. About 1.7% were Asian, and 0.1% were Pacific Islander. About 1.5% were from other races, and 6.5% were from two or more races. People who identified as Hispanic or Latino made up 5.6% of the population.
About 31.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 46.2% were married couples. The average household had 2.42 people, and the average family had 2.97 people.
The median age in the city was 35.2 years. About 25.2% of the population was under 18. About 13.3% were 65 years or older.
The median income for a household was $44,578. For a family, it was $54,348. About 16.0% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 24.6% of those under 18.
Economy and Jobs
Midwest City's economy relies a lot on Tinker Air Force Base. This base is the biggest single employer in Oklahoma. Other major employers include the Midwest Regional Medical Center. There are also aerospace companies linked to the base.
The General Motors Oklahoma City Assembly plant was a big employer from 1979 until it closed in 2006. GM closed the plant to save money. Oklahoma County later bought the property and leased it to Tinker Air Force Base. Tinker renamed the facility the Tinker Aerospace Complex.
During World War II, the Midwest City Douglas Aircraft Company Plant built many planes. It made more than half of the 10,000 C-47 Skytrain cargo planes used by the U.S. Army. The plant cost $24 million and started making planes in March 1943. About 38,000 Oklahomans worked there, most of them women. The plant closed on August 17, 1945. It is now part of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.
Arts and Culture
Midwest City has fun things to do for everyone. It has an 18-hole municipal golf course and a smaller 9-hole course. There's also a swimming pool, a splash park, and several city parks.
Tinker Air Force Base hosts an annual event called the Star-Spangled Salute each summer. In 2023, the Juneteenth Midwest City Family Festival started. This festival celebrates the national Juneteenth holiday. Rose State College hosts Global Oklahoma every year on the first Saturday in October.
W. P. "Bill" Atkinson, who founded Midwest City, passed away in 1999. He left his 1955 mansion for the community to enjoy. Today, the Atkinson Heritage Center is owned by the Rose State College Foundation. You can take free tours of the 8,000-square-foot historic home by appointment. The house and a pony barn are also available to rent for events.
Education
Midwest City is served by several school districts. Most of the city is in the Mid-Del School District. This district includes Midwest City High School, Carl Albert High School, and several middle and elementary schools. The district also has a career training school called the Mid-Del Technology Center. Rose State College, a two-year community college, is also located in the city.
The first schools in the district were in temporary buildings. They included a high school and two elementary schools.
Other parts of Midwest City are in the Choctaw/Nicoma Park Schools, Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS), and Crutcho Public School districts. Schools in the OKCPS part include Willow Brook Elementary, Spencer Elementary, Rogers Intermediate, and Star Spencer Mid-High School.
Places to Visit
- Tinker Air Force Base
- Outdoor air museum, located on both sides of the I-40 freeway.
Notable People
- Nina Akamu, artist
- Royce D. Applegate, actor from TV shows like seaQuest DSV
- Ryan Budde, MLB catcher
- Mike Gundy, head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowboys football team
- Cale Gundy, assistant coach for the University of Oklahoma Sooners
- A. J. Hinch, manager of the Detroit Tigers baseball team
- Matt Kemp, former left fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Angela Lindvall, supermodel
- J. T. Realmuto (born 1991), a Major League Baseball player; catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Brian Tallet, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
See also
In Spanish: Midwest City (Oklahoma) para niños
