Turpin, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Turpin, Oklahoma
Census-designated place
Location in Beaver County and state of Oklahoma.
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Beaver
Area
• Total	1.00 sq mi (2.59 km2)
• Land	1.00 sq mi (2.59 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	2,753 ft (839 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	442
• Density	442.44/sq mi (170.77/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73950
FIPS code	40-75200
GNIS feature ID	2629938

Turpin is a small, friendly community in Beaver County, Oklahoma, in the United States. It's not a big city, but a special kind of place called a census-designated place. This means it's a community that the government counts for population, even though it doesn't have its own city government. Turpin got its own post office on April 8, 1925. In 2020, about 442 people lived there.

Turpin's History and Name

Turpin was named after a man named Carl Julian Turpin. He was born in Maryland in 1871 and later passed away in Oklahoma City in 1942.

Carl Turpin and the Railroad

Carl J. Turpin was a very important person for the Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad (BM&E). He was the general manager, which means he was in charge of running the whole railroad. His career in railroads started way back in 1888.

In 1918, two farmers from Kansas, Jacob Achenbach and Ira B. Blackstock, needed Carl's help. Farmers in Beaver County wanted a railroad built through the Oklahoma Panhandle. This would help them ship their wheat crops to markets far away. Achenbach and Blackstock knew how to build the tracks, but they needed someone experienced to manage the railroad. That's where Carl Turpin came in!

Carl Turpin was known for being very organized and following the rules. He worked for the railroad without a salary from 1918 to 1926. Instead, he received shares in the company.

The Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad

At its busiest, the BM&E railroad stretched from Beaver, Oklahoma through Turpin and Eva, Oklahoma. It then continued to connect with the Santa Fe Railroad in Keyes, Oklahoma. The BM&E also connected with other railroads in places like Forgan and Hooker.

In 1931, the BM&E railroad was sold to another company called the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. Carl Turpin once joked about wanting to find a job that paid $50 a month and gave agents a free house! The railroad line was eventually closed down in 1972.

Life in Turpin Today

Turpin is a small community, but it has a big heart, especially when it comes to its school.

Turpin School District

The community of Turpin mostly centers around its independent school district. The school has many buildings and teaches students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. Students come from nearby farms and housing areas like Little Ponderosa and Pheasant Run. This means that even though Turpin is smaller than nearby towns like Beaver, Forgan, Hooker, and Tyrone, its school has a lot of students.

The school is the biggest employer in Turpin. It's also the main place for community activities. Turpin really comes alive during the school year. Students play football and basketball in the fall, and track, softball, and baseball in the spring. Turpin High School is well-known for its success in sports, winning championships in football, track, and golf.

Famous People from Turpin

Some notable people who went to Turpin High School include:

• Lynn Scott, a former defensive back for the Dallas Cowboys football team.
• Sarah Lynch, an award-winning teacher.
• James Stoddard, a well-known author.

There's even a podcast called "Gone Ramblin" started by two Turpin alumni. It talks about what life is like in the Oklahoma Panhandle.

Turpin Grain Elevator

The Turpin Grain Elevator was once located right on the BM&E railroad line. Today, this historic building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Beaver County, Oklahoma. This means it's an important landmark that is protected for its history.

Turpin's Population

The population of a place tells us how many people live there. According to the 2020 census, 442 people lived in Turpin. This number helps us understand how the community is growing or changing over time.

See also

In Spanish: Turpin (Oklahoma) para niños