Davis

History

Davis is named after Samuel H. Davis, who moved to Washita in what was then Indian Territory in 1887. At the time of its founding, the community was located in Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation. Davis owned a dry goods store, which was south of the current town of Davis. Davis submitted a petition for a Santa Fe depot to be built near his store, and the petition was accepted. In 1890, he successfully petitioned for a post office to be built. The post office was supposed to be named after Nelson Chigley, a Chickasaw man who owned the land on which the town was to be built. Chigley was already an Indian Territory name, so it was named after Davis. The town was established on November 16, 1898. By 1900, Davis had 57 businesses, two banks, ten doctors, three dentists, and three lawyers. Cotton farming was a common occupation in Davis, which was in one of the best cotton producing sections in Oklahoma. By 2000, the population had grown to 2,610, and very few people worked as farmers. The education, health, and social services sectors of the economy have grown, with approximately one-quarter of the population working in these areas.

Geography

Davis is in central Murray County, north of Ardmore and south of Pauls Valley. It is west of Sulphur, the Murray county seat, and northwest of the Lake of the Arbuckles. The intersection of U.S. Route 77 and State Highway 7 is in the center of Davis. Interstate 35 passes west of the center of town. SH-7 east of Davis leads onto SH-7 Spur which, at the intersection with U.S. Route 177, feeds into the western end of the Chickasaw Turnpike. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Davis has a total area of , of which , or 0.22%, are water. The city limits include a large area within the Arbuckle Mountains south of the downtown area that includes Turner Falls Park. Another offshoot of the city limits extends west along SH-7 to include the I-35 interchange and the Treasure Valley Casino in Garvin County. The Washita River, a tributary of the Red River, passes a mile west of the city center.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• DAVIS ES
  Elementary · Davis · 373 students · 17:1 ratio
• DAVIS MS
  Middle · Davis · 264 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• DAVIS HS
  High · Davis · 234 students · 13.8:1 ratio