Mangum is a city in and the county seat of Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,762 as of the 2020 United States census. Mangum was originally part of Old Greer County in the Texas panhandle. The community was named for A. S. Mangum, who owned the land on which the town was founded in 1882. It became part of the Oklahoma Territory in 1896, and thus part of the state of Oklahoma on November 16, 1907.

History

Beginning in 1876, the nearby Great Western Cattle Trail was used to drive cattle north from Texas to market. The community of Mangum began in 1882 when Henry Clay Sweet established it on land granted to A. S. Mangum by the state of Texas. The Mangum post office was established April 15, 1886. This part of Texas (old Greer County) was given to Oklahoma in 1896.

Other early businesses in or around Mangum included the Oklahoma Granite Company, which opened in 1904, the Mangum Star newspaper, first published in 1887, and the Mangum Brick Plant, established in 1903 by D. J. Doyle. The newspaper still publishes in the 21st century. The brick plant, now owned by Jed Winters, also still operates and has greatly expanded production. It burnt out on Friday, December 13, 2019 after a power outage, as it was not attached to any special electrical supply.

Mangum is the setting for the 2008 movie Beer for My Horses, starring Toby Keith and Rodney Carrington.

On May 20, 2019, Western Mangum was hit hard by a destructive EF2 tornado during a tornado outbreak that impacted central Oklahoma. When the tornado entered Mangum, the tornado damaged the roof of an apartment building before dissipating.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic Mangum made national news when a local church was instrumental in spreading COVID-19 throughout the town, resulting in several fatalities. The Mayor at the time, Mary Jane Scott, put the town on lockdown following direction from state governor Kevin Stitt. After the lockdown was lifted and many states reopened, the safety measures in place in Mangum were also removed.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Lake Altus-Lugert is to the east-northeast. Mangum is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, strongly suggesting that the coldest night of each year averages between 0 °F (-18 °C) and 5 °F (-15 °C).

On February 11, 2017, Mangum reached a high of 99.41 °F (37.45 °C). This is the Oklahoma state record high for meteorological winter (December through February). What's even more remarkable is that this occurred just three days before snow fell on Mangum.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Mangum had a population of 2,762. The median age was 40.0 years. 25.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.1 males age 18 and over.

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

There were 1,127 households in Mangum, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.2% were married-couple households, 19.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Percent

|-

| White || 79.6%

|-

| Black or African American || 4.6%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 2.0%

|-

| Asian || 0.1%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0%

|-

| Some other race || 4.5%

|-

| Two or more races || 9.2%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 15.9%

|}

2000 census

As of the 2000 census The hospital was built by Dr. Fowler Border [https://oklahomahof.com/member-archives/b/border-fowler-1932] before Oklahoma reached statehood.

The Margaret Carder Library, founded in 1922, contains 14,318 volumes and circulates 11,794 items per year.

The annual Mangum Rattlesnake Derby, typically in April, features not only a rattlesnake hunt, but also a festival and large flea market.

Historical Sites

Locations in Mangum listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Greer County, Oklahoma include:

  • Downtown Mangum Historic District
  • Greer County Courthouse
  • Hotel Franklin
  • Mangum Armory
  • Mangum Community Building

Government

thumb|Post office

Mangum is governed by a city commission and a City Manager.

  • Mayor - Mary Jane Scott
  • Finance Commissioner - Ron Gay
  • Police and Fire Commissioner - Marsha Griswold
  • Public Highways Commissioner -Travis Reese
  • Utility Commissioner - Ronnie Webb are the Trustees of the Mangum Utility Authority and the Trustees of the Mangum Hospital Authority.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways

Mangum is served by U.S. Route 283, as well as Oklahoma State Highway 34. Oklahoma State Highway 9 connects just north of town. No scheduled passenger airlines serve this airport.

Commercial air service is available at Lawton–Fort Sill Regional Airport about 81 miles east-southeast, or the larger Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, about 139 miles to the west-northwest.

Rail

There is no passenger rail service to or from Mangum.

Notable people

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  • Margaret Avery, actress and singer
  • G. A. Brown, judge
  • James P. Garrett, justice of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals.
  • Clyde Hendrick, dean of Texas Tech University graduate school.
  • Braden Looper, professional baseball player
  • Gale McArthur, college basketball player
  • Gary McSpadden, pastor and award-winning Gospel Music Hall of Fame singer and producer
  • Blake Ragsdale Van Leer, president of Georgia Institute of Technology

Notes

References

  • Greer County Chamber of Commerce