Bromide, Oklahoma

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Bromide is a town in Oklahoma, United States. The population was 163 at the 2000 census.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Location of Bromide, Oklahoma

Bromide is located at 34°25′4″N, 96°29′40″W (34.417909, -96.494569)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.7 km² (0.7 mi²). None of the area is covered with water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 163 people, 63 households, and 43 families residing in the town. The population density was 93.9/km² (243.5/mi²). There were 80 housing units at an average density of 46.1/km² (119.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 71.17% White, 14.72% Native American, 5.52% from other races, and 8.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.91% of the population.

There were 63 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the town the population was spread out with 31.3% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 114.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,458, and the median income for a family was $23,333. Males had a median income of $21,563 versus $11,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,427. About 20.5% of families and 25.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.8% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.

[edit] Bromide: A Resort Town That Fizzled

The springs of the Bromide area were a gathering place for Indian tribes long before Bromide was established as a town, because of the "healing springs." This occurred long before the Chickasaws and Choctaws arrived. Stone artifacts left behind can affirm this. The healing springs were in the Chickasaw Nation, and even though the spring water had a somewhat salty taste, it contained no salt.

Bromide came into existence as Juanita from 1905 until 1906, then as Zenobia until 1907, and as Bromide since 1907, and was incorporated into both Johnston and Coal Counties, with the county line being in an east-west line through the northern end of the business district. The founders of Bromide wanted the town to be a resort town because of the mineral waters, as an industrial town because of the high-grade stone available for crushing, and as an agricultural town because of the fertility of the soil. Until 1930, all three objectives were achieved.

In 1914, the Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad laid a spur from its tracks 3 1/2 miles east of Bromide to the town and rock crusher. With this, Bromide grew rapidly. Businesses sprang up, including 3 general stores, a bank, 2 drug stores, 2 hardware stores, a meat market, 2 restaurants, a dry-goods store and a blacksmith shop. Stores were well stocked, fair prices were paid for all produce, and sometimes, the entertainment was free for all. Four large hotels, modern for the day, housed the visitors and regular guests from Texas and Oklahoma. An excursion train brought in many visitors from the two states, and bathhouses and swimming pools were built to accommodate the growing tourism industry. For the visitor, Bromide had everything, and even Will Rogers entertained in Bromide, deemed the greatest health resort in the Southwest. Besides the rock crusher, there was also a cotton gin, a cotton yard, a wagon maker, a sawmill, a bottler who shipped in Bromide waters, and a gristmill.

But for Bromide, the writing was on the wall.

By 1925, technological changes came about that brought the downfall of Bromide. The paving of the highways and the advent of the automobile spelled doom for the resort town, as people were now going to other places more distant from home. By 1930, it was over. The hotels closed. The excursion trains stopped coming. The bank closed. And the rock crusher stopped all activities. The railroad spur was abandoned in 1950, and the tracks were taken up.

Bromide today is an isolated hamlet served only by Oklahoma Highway 7A. The highway enters the town and follows the main streets of Bromide, and then ends at the other city limit and becomes a dirt road. The hotels are now gone, having been torn or burned down. The big springs are still flowing, but are now on private property, fenced from public use. And the cultivated fields are now pasture land. If you visit Bromide today, you may see shells of a few brick buildings to remind you of a more successful past.

[edit] External links

[http://bromideoklahoma.blogspot.com Site was built and maintained by a former resident whose family came to the area in 1900. Blog has historical data and interesting features about Bromide.

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