Wakita, Oklahoma
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| Wakita, Oklahoma | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Grant |
| Area | |
| - Total | 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²) |
| - Land | 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 1,178 ft (359 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 420 |
| - Density | 1,275.4/sq mi (492.4/km²) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 73771 |
| Area code(s) | 580 |
| FIPS code | 40-77950[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1099292[2] |
Wakita is a town in Grant County, Oklahoma, United States, founded in 1898. The population was 420 at the 2000 census. It was featured in the 1996 blockbuster movie Twister starring Helen Hunt in which Wakita was destroyed by an F4 tornado. False fronts where built onto the existing store fronts for some shots and then were removed and replaced it with rubble in the streets after the tornado hit and the rest of the building was removed using CGI. Some buildings where demolished, but nothing was put in to replace them.
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[edit] Geography
Wakita is located at (36.881781, -97.923757)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²), all of it land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 420 people, 165 households, and 102 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,275.4 people per square mile (491.4/km²). There were 205 housing units at an average density of 622.5/sq mi (239.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.67% White, 0.24% African American, 2.38% Native American, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24% of the population.
There were 165 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 29.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 85.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $30,096, and the median income for a family was $34,792. Males had a median income of $22,361 versus $21,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,302. About 11.4% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 22.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Famous Residents
Brigadier General Virgil Almos Richard, U.S. Army (Retired) (b. September 4, 1937- ) grew up in rural Wakita, Oklahoma. Gen. Richard graduated as Valedictorian in 1955 from Gore Consolidated High School, and went on to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting in 1959 from Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK). He received a Master's Degree in Managerial Economics from George Washington University (Washington, DC), and was a graduate of the Army War College (Carlisle, PA).
Gen. Richard served two tours in Viet Nam, including being among the last staff to leave under dangerous conditions in the fall of Saigon in 1975. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1991 after 32 years of distinguished service, including service as the Commander of the Army Finance Center at Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN, and after providing executive support during the First Gulf War. After retirement, Gen. Richard was later appointed Municipal Court Judge of Harker Heights, TX for four years.
Gen. Richard currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Servicemember's Legal Defense Network (www.sldn.org), an organization dedicated to repealing the "Don't Ask-Don't Tell" law that discriminates against gay and lesbian members of the armed forces as well as those who may be accused of being gay or lesbian. Gen. Richard also serves as the treasurer of several non-profit organizations dedicated to child abuse prevention and that provide scholarships to young men and women overcoming adverse conditions.
Gen. Richard has three sons and five grandchildren, and he currently resides in Austin, TX with his partner, David W. Potter.
[edit] Attractions
[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
- Wakita, Oklahoma is at coordinates Coordinates:
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