Sentinel, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sentinel, Oklahoma
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Location of Sentinel, Oklahoma
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oklahoma |
| County | Washita |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.62 sq mi (1.61 km2) |
| • Land | 0.62 sq mi (1.61 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,663 ft (507 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 763 |
| • Density | 1,226.69/sq mi (473.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
73664
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| Area code(s) | 580 |
| FIPS code | 40-66400 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2413271 |
Sentinel is a small town located in Washita County, which is in the state of Oklahoma in the United States. In 2020, about 763 people lived there. This was a decrease from 901 people counted in the 2010 census. Other towns close to Sentinel include Rocky, Cordell, Canute, and Burnsflat.
Contents
History of Sentinel
Sentinel is found in the southwestern part of Washita County. It sits where two main roads, State Highway 44 and State Highway 55, meet. The town's main activity has always been agriculture, which means farming.
Early Days and the Post Office
In 1892, land in the region was opened up for people who were not Native American. This was part of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Opening. In 1898, a man named R. B. Gore started a small general store in the area. He asked for a post office to be set up there. On March 6, 1899, the Post Office Department approved his request. They named the place Sentinel, Oklahoma Territory. The name came from a local newspaper called the Herald-Sentinel. Gore's first store was about one mile east of where the town is now.
A New Town Site
In 1901, a railroad company called the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway (which later became part of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway) started buying land. They planned to build a railroad and create new towns along the way. The Orient Townsite Company chose the current spot for Sentinel. A person named L. N. Whitmer gave them eighty acres of land. They named this new town "Barton" and officially recorded its layout on September 23, 1901.
The new residents asked R. B. Gore to move his store and post office to this new location. This caused some confusion because the town was called "Barton" but the post office was still "Sentinel."
Becoming Sentinel
In 1904, Will Hornbeck started a newspaper in the town called the Sentinel News-Boy. He wanted to fix the name problem. So, he started a petition to officially make the town's name Sentinel. In 1906, the people living there voted and approved this idea. In August 1907, the town officially became Sentinel. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Sentinel had 351 residents.
Growth and Changes
By 1908, the railroad tracks were built through the town. In 1910, the population grew to 857 people. By 1930, it reached 1,269. In 1911, Sentinel had two banks, a newspaper, electricity, telephone service, and many other businesses. These included grocery stores, hotels, and general stores.
In 1935, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was set up just west of Sentinel. This was a government program that provided jobs during the Great Depression. The town's population stayed above one thousand until 1970, when it dropped to 984. In 1967, the Rocky school joined with the Sentinel School District. Since 1961, the local chamber of commerce has hosted a big annual July Fourth celebration. In 2000, the population was 859.
Geography and Location
According to the United States Census Bureau, Sentinel covers an area of about 0.6 square miles (1.6 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Sentinel is located in the western part of Washita County. It is found right where Highway 44 and Highway 55 cross each other.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 857 | — | |
| 1920 | 723 | −15.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,269 | 75.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,088 | −14.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,131 | 4.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,154 | 2.0% | |
| 1970 | 984 | −14.7% | |
| 1980 | 1,016 | 3.3% | |
| 1990 | 960 | −5.5% | |
| 2000 | 859 | −10.5% | |
| 2010 | 901 | 4.9% | |
| 2020 | 763 | −15.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 859 people living in Sentinel. These people lived in 346 households, and 256 of those were families. The town had about 1,399 people per square mile.
About 33% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (60%) were married couples living together. About 11% had a female head of household with no husband present.
The people in Sentinel were spread out by age. About 26.5% were under 18 years old. About 19% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 39 years.
The average income for a household in Sentinel was about $29,265 per year in 2000. For families, the average income was about $34,531. About 17.8% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 31.6% of those under 18 and 5.5% of those 65 or older.
Schools in Sentinel
The Sentinel School District covers a large area, more than 200 square miles (518 square kilometers). The current school buildings were built in the 1960s. Sentinel is known as a class 'A' school. Students from Sentinel, Port, Rocky, and Carter all attend Sentinel Public Schools.
Sentinel Public School is also part of the Western Technology Center District. This center provides special training for adults and high school students in different jobs and skills.
See also
- In Spanish: Sentinel (Oklahoma) para niños
