Anadarko, Oklahoma
Location of Anadarko, Oklahoma
Coordinates: 35°4′9″N 98°14′46″W / 35.06917, -98.24611
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Caddo
Area
- Total	7.2 sq mi (18.6 km²)
- Land	7.1 sq mi (18.4 km²)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
Elevation	1,181 ft (360 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	6,645
- Density	937.0/sq mi (361.8/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	73005
Area code(s)	405
FIPS code	40-02050[1]
GNIS feature ID	1089618[2]

Anadarko Townsite, Oklahoma Territory, August 8, 1901. Tent city in the cornfield.

Anadarko is a city in Caddo County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Caddo County^[3]. The town is the home of the Native American drum group Cozad Singers. It's also the birthplace of writer Jim Thompson, the Comanche-Kiowa artist Blackbear Bosin, and major league baseball pitcher Cal McLish.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 6,645 people, 2,387 households, and 1,656 families residing in the city. The population density was 937.0 people per square mile (361.9/km²). There were 2,767 housing units at an average density of 390.2/sq mi (150.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 41.37% White, 6.23% African American, 41.26% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.07% from other races, and 7.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.15% of the population.

There were 2,387 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the city the population was spread out with 32.6% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,035, and the median income for a family was $27,633. Males had a median income of $26,063 versus $17,666 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,062. About 23.3% of families and 28.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.8% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.

Native American significance

Anadarko, self-titled, "Indian Capital of the Nation," is home to the annual American Indian Exposition and is one of two places in Oklahoma where a Lenape tribe is headquartered, the other being Bartlesville.

Anadarko is named after the Nadaco, a Caddoan band now affiliated with the Caddo Nation. The term "nadako" means place of the bumblebees in the Caddo language. Incidentally, the Caddo are a federally recognized American Indian tribal entity for which Caddo County is named; Caddo County is part of the former reservation of the Caddo/Wichita/Western Delaware (aka Absentee Delaware), prior to allotment in the post-Dawes Allotment Era.

Indian City USA is located 2 1/2 miles southeast of Anadarko.

Culturally, Anadarko is unique among Oklahoma cities as Native Americans form a near-majority. Locals are often familiar with a few basic Indian words, such as "haw-nay," being Kiowa for "no." Wichita and Apache words are sometimes employed in casual conversation as well like "ninit, wee, hangy dawg, stink guy) . Indian motifs are commonly used for design, art, and other aspects of daily life.

Anadarko is also sometimes called Dodge, a reference to Dodge City, Kansas because of the town's rough reputation; additionally, the town may be called Darko, as an abbreviation.

Anadarko is the home of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office. The town is situated between the Wichita, Caddo, and Delaware reservations to the north, and the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache reservations to the south. These reservations, along with all but the Osage Reservation in northeastern Oklahoma, were dismantled by the allotment of tribal lands and the opening of the "excess" lands to settlement during the land runs.

Anadarko is home to Riverside Indian School, a boarding and day school for Native American students.

Constructions

Perry Broadcasting Tower, tallest construction of Oklahoma, at the frontier to Alfalfa, Oklahoma

References

1. ^ ^{a b} American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
3. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.