Purcell is a city in and the county seat of McClain County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,651, a 13% increase from 2010.
Founded in 1887, Purcell was a railroad town named after Edward B. Purcell, who was an official with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ("AT&SF").
Purcell is often called the "Quarterhorse Capital of the World" and its official motto is "Heart of Oklahoma." The city has registered trademarks on both titles.
History
Purcell was at the north end of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, owned by the AT&SF. Today, Amtrak serves the town with the Heartland Flyer at the station near the old AT&SF depot.
Purcell was the only town on the border of the Unassigned Lands, and began attracting hopeful settlers even before the Land Rush of 1889. Town lots went on sale April 5, 1887, and a post office was established 16 days later. The Purcell Register, the town's oldest newspaper, was established in 1887, and continued operating into the 21st Century. Residents elected the town's first mayor, James Taylor Bradley, on August 13, 1895. The town was incorporated on October 3, 1898.
Located on the Canadian River, it was called the "Queen City of the Chickasaw Nation." In 1895, one of the five district courts of the Chickasaw Nation was located in Purcell, with the first session opening November 18, 1895. The court house escaped destruction the next day, when a fire destroyed most of the buildings in the business district.
Construction of the Oklahoma Central Railroad ("OCR"), which would connect the Lehigh coal mines with Chickasha, reached Purcell in March 1907. The OCR located its main yards, barns and most of its equipment in Purcell. Although the OCR went bankrupt in the following year, its assets were acquired by the AT&SF.
Geography
Purcell is within the Great Plains region, located at 35°1′3″N 97°22′10″W (35.017465, -97.369537). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km2), of which 10.1 square miles (26.1 km2) is land and 0.46 square miles (1.2 km2), or 4.33%, is water.
Purcell is located along the I-35 Corridor in the central part of the state, on a bluff overlooking the Canadian River valley within the Interior Plains region. It is 13 miles (21 km) south of Norman. The view from atop Purcell's Red Hill offers a scenic glimpse at both the South Canadian River and the University of Oklahoma campus in neighboring Norman.
The central core of Purcell is located at the intersection of US-77 and OK-74/OK-39. Access to I-35 is at the north and south ends of the town.
Prior to the construction of I-35, this route of US-77 was the heavily traveled road from Oklahoma City to Dallas.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,571 people, 2,120 households, and 1,500 families residing in the city. The population density was 560.1 inhabitants per square mile (216.3/km2). There were 2,789 housing units at an average density of 233.3 per square mile (90.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.60% White, 2.21% African American, 6.53% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 4.51% from other races, and 4.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.09% of the population.
There were 2,120 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,283, and the median income for a family was $36,128. Males had a median income of $25,494 versus $18,919 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,261. About 12.5% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Purcell is a member of the Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce, and is at the center of a micropolitan trade area which includes the communities of Goldsby, Lexington, Washington, and Wayne. Several small businesses and banks are located in Purcell, including a Walmart Supercenter. Purcell has historically served as an agribusiness area and a center for Oklahoma's equestrian industry. Purcell is the site of the first planned double-wide trailer park with underground utilities, paved roads, greenbelts and other amenities, according to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The largest area employer is Oklahoma Department of Corrections at 2 nearby prison facilities Joseph Harp Correctional Center and Lexington Assessment and Reception Center, with other area employers including Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, Purcell Public Schools, and The City of Purcell (which operates electric, water and sewer service).
Arts and culture
Local Historic landmarks
Purcell's downtown business district and its many historic buildings underwent major improvements and revitalization at a cost of over $1 million in the 1990s via the "U.S. Main Street" program. The improvements included new sidewalks, Victorian lamp posts, storefront restorations, and landscape islands in the downtown area.
Purcell has four sites that are NRHP-listed:
- Hotel Love A three-story Victorian brick building that currently houses an antique store, a bed and breakfast inn, and retail offices/storefronts.
- McClain County Courthouse. An original turn-of-the-century three-story brick building. It underwent a $2 million restoration in 1995.
- US 77 James C. Nance Memorial Bridge, at Canadian River, connecting Purcell to Lexington.
- United States Post Office Purcell, located at 228 W Main St.
Historic site of Federal Courthouse for Indian Territory
The site of the now demolished U.S. Federal Courthouse for Indian Territory, at the east end of Main Street, is landmark site of the former court of jurisdiction for Indian Territory. Prior to demolition, it was renovated into a car dealer showroom, later used as a fitness center and finally a retail floral shop before it became structurally unsound and demolished. The territorial courthouse was established under the Nonintercourse Act.
Beginning with the Dawes Act of 1887, Congress passed several laws designed to divide and allocate land between members of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole tribes in the Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma). As part of this scheme, subsequent legislation authorized a “Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,” commonly known as the Dawes Commission, to determine the citizenship of Native Americans claiming membership in these tribes. Unsuccessful applicants were entitled to appeal to the United States District Court for Indian Territory which was located on the east end of Main Street in Purcell OK.
Parks and recreation
Facilities include:
- Brent Bruehl Memorial Golf Course
- Purcell Multipurpose Center, featuring an indoor gym
- Purcell City Lake
- Sharp Memorial Park, featuring a playground and splashpad
- McCurdy Park
- Santa Fe Plaza, featuring a Santa Fe Caboose
Government
Purcell has a Council-Manager Charter form of government. The city council consists of five elected members who serve three-year terms, with one or two members facing election annually. The mayor and a vice mayor are selected by the council members to preside over its meetings. The city's council members also serve as trustees for the Purcell Public Works Authority (PPWA) which manages city services such as water, wastewater, electric, and solid waste collection, in addition to the Purcell Municipal Hospital and the city golf course. The city council/PPWA members appoint the City Manager.
The mayor is Graham Fishburn.
Education
Education is administered by Purcell Public Schools. Schools include:
- Purcell High School
- Purcell Jr High School
- Purcell Intermediate School
- Purcell Elementary School
Infrastructure
Transportation
Purcell's Amtrak train station features daily rail service via the Heartland Flyer.
Purcell Municipal-Steven E. Shephard Field has a paved runway, and was renamed in 2005 to honor a Purcell High School alumnus who became a U.S. pilot and died in the Iraq War.
Highways include: Interstate 35 U.S. Highway 77 State Highway 39 State Highway 74. State Highway 77C in downtown Purcell.
The James C. Nance Memorial Bridge, originally built circa 1938, connects Purcell and Lexington across the Canadian River via U.S. Route 77.
Health care
Purcell Municipal Hospital (PMH) a 50-bed acute care facility and emergency room, owned by the City of Purcell. The hospital ended surgery services in 2018. A new PMH hospital facility began construction in 2020.
Notable people
- Earl Bartlett, professional football player
- Lisa Johnson Billy, member of Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Eric Buterbaugh, American florist and perfumer
- Wallace Fox, film director
- Lester Lane, gold medal winner in the 1960 Olympics
- Tom Lester, actor and former school teacher in Purcell, best known for TV role as farmhand Eb Dawson on Green Acres
- F. C. Love, president of the Kerr-McGee oil company
- Bill McClard, professional football player
- James C. Nance, newspaper publisher and politician
- Parker Millsap, alt-country and blues musician
- William T. Pheiffer, Representative from New York in 77th Congress, and ambassador to the Dominican Republic
- Joe Simpson, professional baseball player
- Bert Seabourn, American artist and painter
- Kevin Ray Underwood, murderer
- Charles W. Wantland, coach
- Neil B. Ward, meteorologist and storm chaser
- David W. Whitlock, 15th president of Oklahoma Baptist University
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Cleveland County, Oklahoma
- National Register of Historic Places listings in McClain County, Oklahoma
- BC Clark Jewelers
References
External links
- Official website
