Seiling, Oklahoma

Seiling, Oklahoma
City
Downtown Seiling
Nickname(s):  Crossroads of Northwest Oklahoma[1]
Location of Seiling, Oklahoma
Coordinates: 36°08′56″N 98°55′30″W / 36.149°N 98.925°W / 36.149; -98.925Coordinates: 36°08′56″N 98°55′30″W / 36.149°N 98.925°W / 36.149; -98.925
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Dewey
Area [2]
• Total	1.02 sq mi (2.64 km2)
• Land	1.02 sq mi (2.64 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,749 ft (533 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	860
• Estimate  (2019)[5]	855
• Density	839.06/sq mi (324.11/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73663
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-66250[3]
GNIS feature ID	1097902[4]

Seiling is a city in Dewey County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 860 at the 2010 census. The town was named in 1899 for Louis Seiling, a local store owner who had acquired a homestead in the Cheyenne-Arapaho land run of April 1892. The Hobson Town and Improvement Company established a town called Hobson, but the name was changed to Seiling in January 1899. It incorporated in 1909. Seiling is now the largest city in Dewey County.^[6] Their girls basketball team has also won the Oklahoma State Championship four times in a row (2016-2019). ^[7]

History[]

Seiling developed as a local agricultural center and became the largest town in Dewey County despite the fact that the nearest railroad depot was in Canton, more than 25 miles (40 km) away . Moreover, there were no bridges across either of the Canadian rivers until 1906. A horse racing track was built in 1903.^[6]

Geography[]

Seiling is located at

36°8′55″N 98°55′30″W / 36.14861°N 98.92500°W / 36.14861; -98.92500 (36.148579, -98.925123).^[8] It is immediately south of the North Canadian River and 7 miles (11 km) north of the Canadian River, 10 miles (16 km) from Taloga, the county seat.^[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all land.

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	352		—
1920	323		−8.2%
1930	568		75.9%
1940	629		10.7%
1950	700		11.3%
1960	910		30.0%
1970	1,033		13.5%
1980	1,103		6.8%
1990	1,031		−6.5%
2000	875		−15.1%
2010	860		−1.7%
2019 (est.)	855	[5]	−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

As of the 2010 census, there were 860 people, 325 households, and 216 families residing in the city.^[10] The population density was 1,000 people per square mile (400/km²). There were 402 housing units at an average density of 488.6 per square mile (786.3/km²). Residents self-identified as 95.1% white, 12.7% Native American, 4.9% of mixed heritage, 1.6% Asian, and 0.1% African American.^[10] Hispanic or Latino Americans made up 3.7% of the population.^[10]

There were 325 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families.^[10] Individuals living alone accounted for 31.1% of households.^[10] The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.24.^[10] The median age was 37.9 years.^[10]

The median income for a household in the city was $45,650, and the median income for a family was $58,466.^[11] Males who were employed full-time had a median income of $43,333. Females who were employed full-time had a median income of $32,500.^[11] The per capita income for the city was $24,410.^[11] Below the poverty line were 9.7% of people, 10.3% of families, 13% of those under 18 and 11.6% of those over 64.^[11]

Economy[]

The local economy has been based on agriculture since the land was opened to non-Indian settlement. The major crops initially were broomcorn and cotton. Seiling soon had a cotton gin and a feed mill. Wheat and rye became important crops before World War I. In 1918, the Seiling Milling Company opened a flour mill and marketed "White Rose Special" flour until it closed in 1952.^[6]

Transportation[]

Seiling is on US-60, US-270, US-281, SH-3, and SH-51, some of which run concurrently through the town.^[12] US-183 is immediately to the west.^[12] Thus the town bills itself as the “Crossroads of Northwest Oklahoma.”^[1]

Seiling Airport (FAA Identifier: 1S4) is immediately adjacent to Seiling on the northwest.^[13]

Parks and recreation[]

Seiling City Park is in the town, located on Seiling Creek.^[14]

The 9-hole Seiling Golf Course was built in 1980.^[15]

The Seiling Swimming Pool is open to the general public, and for special event rental.^[16]

Canton Lake is to the east.^[12]

Little Sahara State Park is about a half-hour to the north.^[17]

Notable people[]

• Gary England, meteorologist for KWTV-News 9
• Carrie Nation, Prohibition advocate
• Tom L. Ward, oil and gas businessman
• Jordy Mercer, Major League Baseball Player

References[]