Bernice

History

Bernice was founded in 1912, after Rose Mode and his partner, Charles Lee, bought of land in the Horse Creek Basin of northwestern Delaware County. The town was named for Mode's daughter, Bernice. A post office was established on February 12, 1913, and the town soon became a local agricultural center. By 1918, Bernice had an estimated population of nearly 400 people. Businesses included a bank, a milliner, a grain elevator, a sawmill, a hotel, a flour mill, and three general stores. The population declined after World War I and the Great Depression from 198 in 1920 to 162 in 1930, and 91 in 1940. After World War II, population growth rebounded to 318 in 1980. Construction of the Pensacola Dam put the original town in a flood plain, so the residents moved to high ground outside the proposed lake. At present, the town serves as a vacation spot for many residents of surrounding communities. Indian Hills Resort, the oldest recreational business in the town, was established in 1940. Bernice State Park, approximately one-half mile east of town, across the Neosho River, also attracts vacationers.

Geography

Bernice is located along the west bank of Horse Creek. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (38.62%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  463
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  400
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  387
• Great Blue/Cocoi Heron

  Ardea herodias Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  384
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  383
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  359
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  351
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  326

Largest nearby schools

• GROVE LOWER ES
  Elementary · Grove · 848 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• GROVE HS
  High · Grove · 782 students · 18.2:1 ratio
• GROVE UPPER ES
  Middle · Grove · 507 students · 16.4:1 ratio
• GROVE MS
  Middle · Grove · 391 students · 15.6:1 ratio
• CLEORA PUBLIC SCHOOL
  Elementary · Afton · 165 students · 11.8:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.82 — 2024-03-23
  9 km SE of Foyil, Oklahoma
• M 2.7 — 2018-12-10
  1 km ENE of Zeb, Oklahoma
• M 2.7 — 2016-01-14
  7 km W of Talala, Oklahoma
• M 2.6 — 2015-09-03
  6 km WSW of Vera, Oklahoma
• M 3 — 2014-10-01
  9 km SSW of Galesburg, Kansas
• M 2.6 — 2010-05-21
  2 km SW of Centerton, Arkansas