Fort Cobb

History

Fort Cobb was established as a U.S. Army frontier post in Indian Territory on October 1, 1859, east of the present location of the town. The fort was named after Secretary of the Treasury Howell Cobb, a friend of the founding officer, Major William Emory. The post was later occupied by both Southern and Northern forces during the Civil War, the Union taking control of the fort as part of the 1862 Tonkawa massacre. Later, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer's command was encamped at Fort Cobb from December 18, 1868, to January 6, 1869. Shortly after that, on March 12, 1869, the fort was abandoned in favor of a location to the south near the Wichita Mountains, and renamed Fort Sill. The town of Fort Cobb was founded in 1899, and simply named Cobb, which was renamed Fort Cobb in 1902 to honor the defunct military post. At statehood in 1907, the town had 467 residents. The number had fallen to 382 at the 1910 census, but grew to 546 in 1920. The largest number of residents was 827 in 1930, but the population soon began a decline because of the Great Depression and World War II. In 1940 it was 699, falling to 665 in 1950. It rebounded to 687 in 1960, 722 in 1970 and 760 in 1980. There was another drop to 663 in 1990, followed by a rise to 663 in 1990 and 667 in 2000, before declining again to 634 in 2010 and 518 in 2020.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• CARNEGIE ES
  Elementary · Carnegie · 278 students · 18.5:1 ratio
• CARNEGIE HS
  High · Carnegie · 141 students · 12.8:1 ratio
• FORT COBB-BROXTON LOWER ES
  Elementary · Fort Cobb · 138 students · 15.3:1 ratio
• CARNEGIE MS
  Middle · Carnegie · 131 students · 21.8:1 ratio
• FORT COBB-BROXTON HS
  High · Fort Cobb · 77 students · 11:1 ratio
• FORT COBB-BROXTON MS
  Middle · Fort Cobb · 61 students · 7.6:1 ratio