Waynoka, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waynoka, Oklahoma
City
Location of Waynoka, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Woods
Area
• Total	1.00 sq mi (2.60 km2)
• Land	1.00 sq mi (2.60 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,493 ft (455 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	708
• Density	705.18/sq mi (272.37/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73860
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-79350
GNIS feature ID	1099446

Waynoka is a city in Woods County, Oklahoma, United States. You can find it on U.S. Highway 281 and State Highway 14. It's about 70 miles west of Enid. In 2020, about 708 people lived there.

Waynoka's History: A Railroad Town

Waynoka started in 1887 in what was then called Indian Territory. This happened when the Southern Kansas Railroad built a train line through the area. This railroad was part of the larger Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway system.

Early Days and Growth

A post office opened in Waynoka on April 10, 1888. It was the very first post office in the Cherokee Outlet. The town's economy grew thanks to the railroad and the large ranches nearby. When the Cherokee Outlet opened for new settlers in 1893, Waynoka became a main trading spot for farming goods.

Waynoka as a Transportation Hub

The Santa Fe Railway made Waynoka a big railroad center. They built Oklahoma's largest rail yard here. About a thousand workers were employed, including machinists and engineers. The rail yard operated all day, every day.

Ice for Trains and More

One of the country's largest ice plants was built in Waynoka. This plant supplied ice for special refrigerator cars. These cars carried fresh food on Santa Fe's main line from Chicago to Los Angeles. The railroad also built a roundhouse, repair shops, a reading room, a depot, and a Harvey House. A Harvey House was a type of restaurant and hotel often found at train stations.

Changes in Railroad Operations

The railroad later moved its main repair work from Waynoka. However, train crews continued to change shifts there until 1986. Around the year 2000, between 50 and 100 trains still passed through Waynoka daily. This was on Oklahoma's fastest and busiest train line.

Buffalo and Northwestern Railroad

Waynoka was also the starting point for the Buffalo and Northwestern Railroad. This 52-mile line connected Waynoka to Buffalo, Oklahoma. The line was finished in 1920 and bought by Santa Fe that same year. However, Santa Fe stopped using this line in 1982.

Waynoka's Airport History

In 1929, Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) built Oklahoma's first airport for cross-country flights in Waynoka. This company was a early version of TWA. The famous pilot Charles Lindbergh chose the airport's location himself. It was about five miles northeast of town.

Flying Across the Country

TAT offered passengers a way to travel from coast to coast in 48 hours. Waynoka was a very important stop on this new route. For this service, TAT used its own Ford Trimotor airplanes. They also used Pullman sleeper cars from the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Santa Fe Railroad. Passengers would switch from the TAT plane to the Santa Fe train in Waynoka if they were going west. If they were going east, they would switch from the train to the plane.

Famous Visitors and Route Changes

Both Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart were officers in TAT. They were often seen in Waynoka. TAT lost a lot of money in its first 18 months. In October 1930, it joined with Western Air Express to become Transcontinental and Western Airlines. This new airline created a different route that went through Kansas City and Tulsa. This meant that flights no longer stopped in Waynoka.

Modern Transportation in Waynoka

Today, Waynoka is still connected by US Route 281. The current Waynoka Municipal Airport (FAA Identifier: 1K5) is one mile southeast of town. It has a paved runway that is 3,532 feet long and 60 feet wide.

Geography and Natural Features

Waynoka covers about 1.0 square mile of land. It has no water area.

Little Sahara State Park

Little Sahara State Park is a special place located about 4 miles south of Waynoka. This park has over 1,600 acres of sand dunes. These dunes are great for riding ATVs and other off-road vehicles. The sand dunes range in height from 25 to 75 feet.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 993 people living in Waynoka. There were 453 households and 252 families. The city had about 1,034 people per square mile.

Diversity in Waynoka

Most people in Waynoka were White (92.65%). There were also African American (2.32%), Native American (1.51%), and other races. About 5.14% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Households and Age Groups

About 22.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (44.6%) were married couples living together. About 42.6% of all households were individuals living alone. Many of these (24.3%) were people aged 65 or older.

The average age in Waynoka was 43 years old. About 22.6% of the population was under 18. About 25.5% were 65 years or older.

Notable Places and Events

Waynoka is home to the Cimarron River Stampede. This is a rodeo that has been held every year since 1936. It takes place on the second weekend of August.

Historic Buildings

The original passenger and freight train stations built by the Santa Fe Railway are still standing. The Waynoka Santa Fe Depot and Harvey House is a very important building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Woods County, Oklahoma. This means it is a historically important site.

Other buildings in Waynoka that are listed as historic places include:

• The First Congregational Church at 1887 E. Cecil St.
• The Waynoka Telephone Exchange Building at 200 S. Main St.

See also

In Spanish: Waynoka (Oklahoma) para niños