Newcastle, Oklahoma
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| Newcastle, Oklahoma | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | McClain |
| Area | |
| - Total | 52.9 sq mi (137.1 km²) |
| - Land | 49.8 sq mi (128.9 km²) |
| - Water | 3.2 sq mi (8.2 km²) |
| Elevation | 1,194 ft (364 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 5,434 |
| - Density | 109.2/sq mi (42.2/km²) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 73065 |
| Area code(s) | 405 |
| FIPS code | 40-51150[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1095853[2] |
Newcastle is the largest city in McClain County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. The population was 5,434 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] Geography
Newcastle is located at (35.145082, -97.360022)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.9 square miles (137.1 km²), of which, 49.8 square miles (128.9 km²) of it is land and 3.2 square miles (8.2 km²) of it (6.01%) is water.
Newcastle is considered to be part of a rapidly growing area of northern McClain and Grady Counties known as the "Tri-City Area" with Tuttle and Blanchard.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 5,434 people, 1,977 households, and 1,650 families residing in the city. The population density was 109.2 people per square mile (42.2/km²). There were 2,071 housing units at an average density of 41.6/sq mi (16.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.62% White, 0.18% African American, 5.26% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 3.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.48% of the population.
There were 1,977 households out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,903, and the median income for a family was $59,509. Males had a median income of $36,909 versus $22,240 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,532. About 3.8% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under the age of 18 and 6.1% of those 65 and older.
[edit] History
The main street in Newcastle, Oklahoma used to be called the Ozark Trail, running from Rogers, Arkansas (Ozarks) to around Roswell, New Mexico. Much of the road was incorporated into what became US 62, which passes through the city over the same path. The Ozark Trail bridge over the South Canadian River between Newcastle and Oklahoma City was the first federal highway project built in Oklahoma, in 1925. It was a steel thru-truss bridge with timber flooring and carried traffic on the Ozark Trail, which was later designated as US 62. Until the mid-twenties, there was a major river ford at May Avenue that was used whenever the water wasn't too deep. Farmers from Newcastle forded the river with their horses and wagons and traveled up May Avenue on their way to the Oklahoma City Farmer's Market by Western and Reno. Today, the old Newcastle Bridge sits unused alongside the Interstate 44 bridge.
The city limits of Newcastle encompassed just a few square miles until around 1960, when Oklahoma City began annexing huge chunks of land across the river. Newcastle expanded, as did Tuttle and Blanchard, to prevent the city from trying to move across the stream. The population grew very little until the mid-1970s, when Oklahoma City began expanding past SW 74th Street, populating near the I-44 corridor. In the mid 1960s, there were maybe six or eight houses between the river NW 10th Street. Carr Acres was the first planned neighborhood, built around 1970. When Pettys built their IGA supermarket north of town in the early 70s, there were no street lights on the highway between there and downtown.
They called the two-room school Pleasant Hill Elementary. The folks in the other one-room school, however, called it Ignorant Hills Elementary.[citation needed] Either way, when you drive old Highway 130 and pass it, you'll see one of the original buildings in Newcastle. About the same time folks in Newcastle took the hand-me-down name, they started building schools for their children, four one-room schools and an ultra-modern two-room school.
[edit] Schools
The school mascot is "The Racers" and the school colors are blue and white. The mascot of the Racer was chosen by prominent Newcastle alum Jimmy Gurley as a homage to his days drag racing down Newcastle's Main Street with his buddies. Newcastle High School won the 3A Football State Championship in 1992. Newcastle built a new middle school in 2007, and is planning to build a new high school by 2011.
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Newcastle Chamber of Commerce
- Newcastle Public Schools
- Newcastle Pacer - local paper
- Newcastle Public Library
- Newcastle, Oklahoma is at coordinates Coordinates:
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