Chickasha

History

Chickasha was founded by Hobart Johnstone Whitley, a land developer, banker, farmer and Rock Island Railroad executive. At the time of its founding, Chickasha was located in Pontotoc County, Chickasaw Nation. The founding took place in 1892 when the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway (Rock Island) built a track through Indian Territory. A post office was established in June 1892. One of the earliest industrial plants to come to Chickasha was the Chickasha Cotton Oil Company, which was established in 1899. The town incorporated in 1902. From 1910 to 1927, the town was served by the Chickasha Street Railway, the town's own electric trolley system. In 1908, the Oklahoma Industrial Institute and College for Girls was established in Chickasha. A local rancher named J. B. Sparks donated land for the school in memory of his daughter, Nellie. The girl was a Chickasaw descendant, and the land had been part of her allotment. The Nellie Sparks Dormitory commemorated her. The school was renamed as the Oklahoma College for Women in 1916. It became coeducational in 1965, and was renamed the Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts. It was renamed again in 1975 as the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The Wilson and Bonfis Flying School opened in October 1941 to train cadets of the U.S. Army Air Force. Over eight thousand cadets completed training there during World War II. After the war, the facility became the Chickasha Municipal Airport. Also during the war, the army built and used Borden General Hospital. This site now contains Grady Memorial Hospital, Five Oaks Medical Group, Southern Plains Medical Center and Borden Park. A prisoner of war camp established in 1944 is now the site of the Grady County Fairgrounds.

Geography

Chickasha is located west of the center of Grady County and is southwest of Oklahoma City, According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.22%, is water. The Washita River flows through the northern end of the city, then turns south and forms part of the city's eastern border.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  278
• Red-tailed Hawk

  Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  253
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  227
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  196
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  181
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  168
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  167
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  160

Most recent

• M 2.57 — 2026-09-14
  6 km E of Calumet, Oklahoma
• M 3.29 — 2026-09-04
  2 km SSW of Dibble, Oklahoma
• M 2.56 — 2026-06-13
  6 km ENE of Edmond, Oklahoma
• M 2.72 — 2026-05-15
  4 km SE of Ratliff City, Oklahoma
• M 2.61 — 2026-03-23
  8 km ENE of Calumet, Oklahoma
• M 2.91 — 2026-03-22
  5 km SE of Ratliff City, Oklahoma