Lawton

Lawton is a city in and the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the sixth-largest city in the state, and the largest in Western Oklahoma. Lawton was founded by European Americans on 6 August 1901. It was named after Major General Henry Ware Lawton, who served in the Civil War, where he earned the Medal of Honor, and was killed in action in the PhilippineAmerican War. The city's proximity to the Fort Sill Military Reservation, formerly the base of the Apache territory before statehood, gave Lawton economic and population stability throughout the 20th century. Notable residents of the city include many musical and literary artists, as well as several professional athletes. It has a council-manager government; the city council members are elected from single-member districts and the mayor is elected at-large.Interstate 44 and three major United States highways serve the city, while Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport connects Lawton by air. In 1803, the French sold this territory as Louisiana Purchase to the US, under President Thomas Jefferson. The area of present-day Oklahoma was long settled by ancient cultures of prehistoric American Indians, including the Clovis, 11500 BCE; Folsom, 10600 BCE; and Plainview, 10000 BCE cultures. The valleys of the Arkansas River and Red River were the center of Caddoan Mississippian culture, which began to develop about 800 CE. In the 16th century, Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado visited in 1541, beginning European contact.

History

Fort Sill was established in 1869 after the American Civil War and commanded by Major General Philip Sheridan. The town was named for Major General Henry W. Lawton, a quartermaster at Fort Sill, who had taken part in the pursuit and capture of Comanche chief Geronimo. The city was opened to settlement through an auction of town lots beginning on 6 August 1901, which was completed 60 days later. By 25 September 1901, the Rock Island Railroad expanded to Lawton and was soon joined by the Frisco Line. The availability of water from Lake Lawton during World War I was a catalyst for the War Department to establish a major cantonment named Camp Doniphan. In late 1950s, Lawton's population increased from 18055 to 34,757 from 1940 to 1950. By the 1960s, it had reached 61,697 from 40,757 in the late 1940s and 1950s. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, large parcels of land were purchased and Lawton became a large city. The area of present-day Oklahoma was long settled by ancient cultures of prehistoric American Indians, including the Clovis, 11500 BCE; Folsom, 10600 BCE; and Plainview, 10000 BCE cultures. In 1830, under President Andrew Jackson, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which removed American Indian tribes from the Southeast and relocated them to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Under other legislation, the United States through the Dawes Commission allotted communal lands as plots to individual households of tribal members.

Geography

Lawton is the fifth-largest city in Oklahoma, located at 34°3616N 98°2345W (34.604444 N, 98.395833 W). The city has a total area of 75.1 sq mi (195 km²), all land. Lawton lies in an area typical of the Great Plains, with prairie, few trees, and flat topography with gently rolling hills. The region north of the city consists of the Wichita Mountains, including Mount Scott and Mount Pinchot, the area's highest peaks. The city receives about 31.6 inches (800 mm) of precipitation and less than 3 in (80mm) of snow annually. The average mean temperature for southwest Oklahoma is 61.9 °F (16.6 °C) Lawton is located squarely in the area known as Tornado Alley and is prone to severe weather from late April through early June. Most notably, an F4 tornado in 1957, and an F3 tornado in 1979 struck the southern region of the City. The summers can be mildly hot; Lawton averages 21 days with temperatures 100 °F or above. The winters are typically mild, though periods of extreme cold can occur. The area consists mostly of Permian Post Oak Conglomerate limestone on the northern sections of theCity. The Wichita Mountains consist primarily of Wichita Granite Group from the Cambrian period. To the northwest, the Wichita Mountain consists primarily ofichita Granites from the Mesozoic period.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, 96,867 people, 34,901 households, and 22,508 families resided in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 60.3% White, 21.4% African American, 4.7% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.3%. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 12.6%. The average household size was 2.48, and the average family size was 3.08. The median income for a household in theCity was $41,566, and for a family was $50,507. The per capita income for the City was $20,655. About 33.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those age 65 or over. The city's population was distributed as 24.9 per cent under the age of 18, 15.3 per cent from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3 percent from 45 to 64, and 9.4 per cent who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males. The population density was 1,195.4 people per square mile (461.5/km²). The 39,409 housing units averaged 486.3. per squaremile (187.8/ km²) The median age was 29 years. For each 100 females there were 108.1 males.

Economy and workforce

Lawton MSA ranks fourth in Oklahoma with a gross domestic product of $4.2 billion produced in 2008. Fort Sill is the largest employer in Lawton, with more than 5,000 full-time employees. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is Lawton's largest private-sector employer with 2,400 employees. Lawton has developed two major industrial parks. The Blue Canyon Wind Farm, consisting of four development phases generating about 423.45 megawatts of electrical power, is about 27 miles north-northwest of town. In 2010, the city of Lawton was engaged in the Downtown Revitalization Project. Its goal is to redesign the areas between Elmer Thomas Park at the north through Central Mall to the south to be more visually appealing and pedestrian-friendly to encourage business growth in the area. The city had 35,374 employed civilians as of the 2010 Census, and 49.1% were female. The government sector included 4,713 (13.3%) federal workers, 2,545 (7.2%) state government workers, and 2,160 (6.1%) local government workers. The nonprofit sector had 2,571 (7,3%) private nonprofit wage and salary workers. In addition to the city had 1,634 (4.6%) self-employed workers and unpaid family workers. It is located near the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport, which is located in the southwest region of town, while the second is located close to the airport.

Arts and culture

Lawton has three public museums. The Prince of Peace Easter passion play continues to be one of the longest-running Easter passion plays in the nation. The Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center focuses on exhibits and art relating to the Comanche culture. In late September, The International Festival is held in the city to showcase the many different cultures, arts, and music of the community. The old Fort Sill Museum is located on the military base of the same name, and includes the old post guardhouse, chapel, and barracks. It also features several artillery pieces, and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. The museum also hosts traveling American Indian exhibitions from the Smithsonian Institution, Michigan State University Museum, and Chicago's Field Museum. The Museum of the Great Plains is dedicated to natural history and early settlement of theGreat Plains, particularly by European Americans. Outdoor exhibits include a replica of the Red River Trading Post, the original Blue Beaver schoolhouse, and Elgin Train Depot with a Frisco locomotive. In May, Lawton Arts for All, Inc hosts the Arts For All Festival. The festival includes several judged art competitions, as well as live entertainment. It is typically held at Shepler Park in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. It was the basis for the 1949 movie ThePrince of Peace. The passion play was also featured in a documentary called Jesus Town, USA, which focuses on a new actor portraying the role of Jesus after the former actor of 8 years retired from the role.

Sports

Lawton is home to Cameron University, an NCAA Division II school in the Lone Star Conference. Cameron remains competitive in 10 varsity sports, including men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball. Lawton was the former home to the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, a basketball team. The team moved in 2007 from Oklahoma City to Lawton, where they won two Continental Basketball Association championships and a Premier Basketball League championship. In 2011, the Cavalry ceased operations in their second year in the PBL.

Parks and recreation

Lawton operates 80 parks and recreation areas in varying sizes. The city is near three major lakes, Lake Lawtonka, Lake Ellsworth, and Elmer Thomas Lake. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge includes a visitor center, several camping areas, hiking trails, and many lakes for the public to explore. The Lawton branch of the YMCA offers a wide variety of recreational programs to members, and the Lawton Country Club maintains an 18 hole, par 71 golf course. Recreation can also be found in many amateur leagues, including adult softball, youth baseball, soccer,softball, and volleyball. The City of Lawton is home to the Oklahoma State Museum, which is located in downtown Lawton. It is also the home of the University of Oklahoma, where students can study the history of the state and the state's history. Lawton has a population of around 2,000 people, and is located on the edge of the Wichita Mountains, which are managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to preserve the natural fauna of southwest Oklahoma. It also has a number of smaller lakes, such as Lake Lawonka, where boating, swimming, camping, and fishing are permitted. The town is also home to several small golf courses, including Lawton Golf Club, which has an 18-hole par 71 course and a par 71 par 3 golf course, as well as several smaller golf courses. It has a large amount of undeveloped land, which can be easily accessed by hiking trails and trails.

Historic structures

The National Register of Historic Places lists 15 places in Lawton, including (but not limited to) the Mattie Beal House, the Carnegie Library, the First Christian Church, and the First Presbyterian Church of Lawton. As noted, old Fort Sill has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, the highest classification. An additional structures or sites in and aroundFort Sill are listed on the NRHP. The Lawton Public Library is located in the city's downtown area. It is open to the public and offers free Wi-Fi. The Carnegie Library is also open to public use and has a library. The Meers Mining Camp is located near Lawton and is used for mining and other purposes. The First Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal Church, South is located at the center of the city and is also on theNRHP list of places to visit. The National Park Service operates a ranger station in the Lawton area, which has been closed to visitors since the 1990s. It was the first ranger station to be built in the state. It has been the site of several other ranger stations, including one that is still in use today. The town has a number of historic buildings, including the Carnegie library, the Mahoney-Clark House, and a former mining camp. The city also has a smallpox hospital, which was closed in the 1950s and 1960s, and is now a museum. The Town's first post office opened in the early 1900s; it is still open today.

Government

Lawton uses the councilmanager model of municipal government. The city's primary authority resides in the city council, which approves ordinances, resolutions, and contracts. The mayor, who is elected at-large every three years, presides and sets the agenda of the City Council. The administrative day-to-day operation of the city is headed by the City Manager. Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, and houses county offices and courts. At the federal level, Lawton lies in Oklahoma's 4th congressional district, represented by Tom Cole. In the state senate, Lawon is in District 31 (Chris Kidd) and 32 (John Michael Montgomery). In the House, District 62 (Daniel Pae), 63 (Trey Caldwell), and 64 (Rande Worthen) cover the city. As of January 2022, the mayor of Lawton was Stan Booker. The city manager was Michael Cleghorn. Three elected commissioners serving four-year terms manage the county government. Lawton's mayor is Stan Booker, and the city manager is MichaelCleghorn, who has been in his position since 2007. The City Council is made up of eight members, each elected for a three-year term. The president of the Oklahoma State Senate is John Michael Montgomery, who was elected in 2010. The governor is Mary Fallin, who took office in 2011 and served until 2013. The state House of Representatives has three districts: 62, 63, and 64.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma = 43.5. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 44. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Lawton = 5.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 90,381 individuals with a median age of 30.3 age the population dropped by -0.65% in Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,109.85 residents per square mile of area (428.52/km²). There are average 2.53 people per household in the 32,520 households with an average household income of $41,964 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 5.90% of the available work force and has dropped -1.42% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 31.26%. The number of physicians in Lawton per 100,000 population = 213.2.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Lawton = 30.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 3.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 64. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 247. 96 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 26.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 26, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma which are owned by the occupant = 47.82%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 38 years with median home cost = $89,890 and home appreciation of 3.35%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $7.07 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $3,991 per student. There are 17.4 students for each teacher in the school, 296 students for each Librarian and 328 students for each Counselor. 5.88% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 13.46% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.22% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).