Chandler () is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States. and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. The population was 2,858 at the time of the 2020 census. Chandler is located northeast of Oklahoma City on SH-66 and I-44, and north of Shawnee on SH-18.

History

Chandler was named after Judge George Chandler, also Assistant Secretary of the Interior. The site of Chandler was opened by a land run on September 28, 1891. The town had been planned to be opened on September 22 (the date of the Land Run of 1891), but the site survey had not been completed. The Chandler Post Office had opened on September 21, the day before the planned run. When Oklahoma Territory County A (Lincoln County) was organized, Chandler became the county seat. On March 30, 1897, a tornado destroyed most of the fledgling town and killed 14 residents.

In 1891, the county government operated from an office building until a courthouse was built. The courthouse was destroyed by the tornado of 1897, and a two-story frame building was erected as a temporary courthouse on the present site. The building was removed in 1907 to make way for a stone courthouse. This third courthouse burned down on December 23, 1967, and the current courthouse was constructed in its place.

On July 31, 1894, Cherokee Bill and the gang he was riding with stole $500 from the Lincoln County Bank in Chandler, Oklahoma. The railroads enabled Chandler to move its agricultural products, as well as bricks made by the Chandler Brick Company, to markets. For 42 years, the camp hosted campers from around the world for a bootcamp-like baseball camp during the summer. The camp closed in 2000 due to the death of Tom Belcher (not to be confused with fellow baseball player Tim Belcher). In 2011, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Chandler has a total area of , of which is land and (10.43%) is water.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Chandler had a population of 2,858. The median age was 40.4 years, 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18, and 19.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.4 males age 18 and over.

There were 1,195 households in Chandler, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.1% were married-couple households, 20.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census

! Race !! Percent

|-

| White || 72.3%

|-

| Black or African American || 6.8%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 7.1%

|-

| Asian || 0.5%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0.1%

|-

| Some other race || 1.3%

|-

| Two or more races || 12.0%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 3.2%

|}

2010 census

As of the 2010 census

Notable people

  • Thomas G. Andrews city and county attorney also Associate Judge of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
  • Wade Ellis (19091989), mathematician and professor
  • Sam P. Gilstrap (1907–1989), U.S. Ambassador to Malawi
  • Jon Gray, baseball player
  • Roy Harris, (18981979), composer, born in Chandler The Chandler High School Alumni Association describes itself as "the oldest and most active" in the state.

Chandler High School Lions State Championships:

  • 2016 Fast Pitch Softball State Champs
  • 2016 Slow Pitch Softball State Champs
  • 2015 Slow Pitch Softball State Champs
  • 2005 Baseball State Champs
  • 2005 Football State Champs
  • 1998 Baseball State Champs
  • 1998 Pom State Champs
  • 1997 Baseball State Champs
  • 1997 Boys Basketball State Champs
  • 1984 Football State Champs
  • 1972 Boys Basketball State Champs
  • 1933 Girls Basketball State Champs

National Register of Historic Places

thumb|Former Phillips 66 Gas Station at 701 S. Manvel

  • Boston Store
  • Chandler Armory
  • Chandler Baseball Camp
  • Chandler Bookstore
  • Chandler High School
  • Clapp-Cunningham Building
  • Conklin House
  • Crane Motor Company Building
  • First Presbyterian Church of Chandler
  • Johnson House
  • Mascho Building and Public Privy (Murphy Building)
  • National Guard Statistical Building
  • Oleson-Crane Building
  • St. Cloud Hotel
  • St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
  • Wolcott Building
  • Midlothian School
  • Seaba's Filling Station
  • Spring Dell School
  • Marshall William M. Tilghman Homestead

References

  • Biography of George Chandler
  • Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Chandler
  • Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory