Brinkman, Oklahoma
| Brinkman | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
  Brinkman | |
| Coordinates: 35°0′36″N 99°31′0″W / 35.01000°N 99.51667°WCoordinates: 35°0′36″N 99°31′0″W / 35.01000°N 99.51667°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Greer |
| Elevation | 1,693 ft (516 m) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1090501 |
Brinkman is an unincorporated community in Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. It lies at the western end of State Highway 34B, nine miles north of Mangum and one mile west of U.S. Route 283.
History
Brinkman was platted in 1910 when the rails of the Wichita Falls and Northwest Railroad were extended northward from Altus. Brinkman was named after a resident John Brinkman, a business associate of railroad builders Joseph A. Kemp and Frank Kell, who paid the expenses of platting. The site was surrounded by good agricultural lands, and the prospects for the community as an agricultural center were bright. The first settlers sought to attract others by building a good school system as well as needed commercial activities. A post office opened up on June 17, 1910. A twelve-thousand-dollar bond issue was approved for the building of a school. A full high school program was developed as well. By 1925 the school had over 450 students and ten teachers.
Brinkman had its period of greatest importance in the mid-1920s. It was a marketing center for both wheat and cotton, there being two large elevators and four cotton gins. In addition to the stores, cafes, and barber shops, the town had a bank, three doctors, a hotel, a telephone system, and a water system. Natural gas for fuel was brought to the community in 1927.
In late 1927 the bank consolidated with one in Mangum and moved to that city. In 1927 the Dust Bowl period started, and it lasted for about five years, resulting in the consolidation of farms and the migration of people from the area. During the summer of 1929 fire destroyed the north half of the business district, which included several grocery stores and cafes, a barber shop, the Odd Fellows Hall, and the bank building. Since the Great Depression was just starting, most businesses were not rebuilt.
Later, State Highway 34 bypassed the town one mile east of it. Since the mid-1930s decline has been continuous. Most facilities have been removed. Many others have been abandoned.
The school closed in 1957.[1] On December 30, 1965 the post office closed. The school building had been removed and the school district consolidated into a still larger unit. In 1972 the railroad that started the town was abandoned, and in 1974 the tracks were taken up. With the end of this activity Brinkman ceased to exist. By 1980 there were only a few residents left here. Today, all that remains there are a few old buildings and a very small population. Brinkman is now considered a ghost town.
A community historical marker was erected in 2012.[1]
Geography
Brinkman is located an elevation of 1,693 feet (516 m).[2]
References
External links
| ||||||||||||||||||||
