Kaw City is a city in eastern Kay County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 325 as of the 2020 United States census. Kaw City was named for the Kanza Indians, called the Kaw by locals.

History

In 1902, the original Kaw City was founded, prior to Oklahoma statehood, as a farming community in the fertile oxbow bend of the Arkansas River. Kaw City was across the river from the Kaw Indian reservation and the Kaw Agency. By statehood in 1907, it had 486 inhabitants. Although the original town site is now inundated by the waters of Kaw Lake, the old town was quite a busy place.

It became a booming oil town in 1919, when 'black gold' was discovered in nearby Kay County and the present Osage Nation reservation. The population jumped from 627 in 1920 to 1,001 in 1930. Many buildings in Kaw City, including the old Santa Fe Railroad Depot which is now the Kaw City Museum, were moved to the town's present location, on high ground near the lake. The Santa Fe Railroad Depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The depot is one of only two listed structures that have been moved from their original locations elsewhere in Oklahoma, the other being Will Rogers Homestead near Claremore, which was also moved to make way for a lake.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (51.26%) is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Kaw City had a population of 325. The median age was 55.5 years, 16.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 32.0% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 105.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 106.9 males age 18 and over.

0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 149 households in Kaw City, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.0% were married-couple households, 21.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 19.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Percent

|-

| White || 75.4%

|-

| Black or African American || 0%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 8.0%

|-

| Asian || 0%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0%

|-

| Some other race || 0.3%

|-

| Two or more races || 16.3%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 1.8%

|}

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 372 people, 159 households, and 109 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 210 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 77.96% White, 0.27% African American, 20.16% Native American, 0.54% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.23% of the population.

The Kanza Museum and Education Resource Center showcases tribal art and historical artifacts of the Kaw Nation.

As to outdoor art, the Consultant of the SouthWind Statue is on the north side of SH-11, on the west side of Kaw Tribal headquarters; the Deer Jumping Fence Sculpture is on the south side of SH-11, near City Hall.

The First United Methodist Church is known for its large stained glass windows, oil paintings, and a Kilgren Pipe Organ.

References

  • Official Kaw Nation Website
  • Kaw Chamber of Commerce Website
  • Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory