Corn

History

The word itself is a German word translated in English as 'grain'. Several sources confirm that the town settled by German immigrants received its name because its first post office was located in (or near) a corn field. The town of Corn, or Korn—as it was spelled at that time—was originally settled by German-speaking Russian Mennonites. These Mennonite homesteaders brought with them a particular variety of winter wheat known as "Turkey Red", which grew particularly well in the western Oklahoma soil. In 1894, Peter Bergman donated part of his land to establish a place of worship. A rough Mennonite church was then built; a dugout with a low sloping roof and sides made of sod. Church benches were made from local Cottonwood trees. Between 1893 and 1920, a total of eight Mennonite churches were established within an eight-mile radius of the town. Not only did the town Americanize its name from Korn to Corn during this time, but the nearby Cordell Christian College closed and a German-language newspaper, the , ceased operation after threats from the Knights of Liberty. A private Christian academy, under the name , was established by the Mennonite Brethren Church as a Bible and language school in 1902. Now known as Corn Bible Academy, it has continuously educated students into the 21st century As of 2016, it was serving grades 7–12. The dissolution was approved and the nearby Cordell schools annexed the Washita Heights district.

Geography

Corn is located 13 miles northeast of Cordell in west-central Oklahoma. The U.S. Census Bureau, reports that the town has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity