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Oklahoma Counties
There are seventy-seven counties in Oklahoma. Oklahoma originally had seven counties when it was first organized as the Oklahoma Territory. These counties were designated numerically, first through seventh. New counties added after this were designated by letters of the alphabet. The first seven counties were later renamed. The Oklahoma Constitutional Convention named all of the counties that were formed when Oklahoma entered statehood in 1907. Only two counties have been formed since thenMajor County, Oklahoma
Major County Education, Geography, and History
Major County is a county located in the northwestern part of the state of Oklahoma. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 7,527. Its
county seat is Fairview. The county was created in 1907.
Located in northwestern Oklahoma, Major County is bounded by Woods and Alfalfa counties in the north, Garfield County on the east, Kingfisher,
Blaine and Dewey on the south, and Woodward on the west, Major County has 957.87 square miles of land and water. It is drained by the North
Canadian and Cimarron rivers and the Eagle Chief, Griever, and Sand creeks.
Etymology - Origin of Major County Name
Named for John C. Major, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Major County History
Upon statehood in 1907, Major County was created from southern part of a territorial county. Fairview, which had been
settled following the Land Run of 1893, was designated the county seat and voters reaffirmed the choice on December 22, 1908. The county's
commissioners rented office space until a brick courthouse was constructed.A second courthouse, made of stone, was erected in 1928.
Named for John Charles Major, a representative to the state's 1906 Constitutional Convention, the area was originally settled by large numbers
of Kansas Mennonites.One county town, Meno, received its name from an early leader of the Mennonite movement.
Oklahoma History Center
Located in northwestern Oklahoma, Major County was established from the southern part of the territorial Woods County
at 1907 statehood. Bounded by Woods and Alfalfa counties on the north, Garfield County on the east, Kingfisher, Blaine
and Dewey on the south, and Woodward on the west, Major County has 957.87 square miles of land and water. It is drained
by the North Canadian and Cimarron rivers and the Eagle Chief, Griever, and Sand creeks. Major County was part of the
Cherokee Outlet and opened to non-Indian settlers on September 16, 1893. The eastern half of the county lies in the Red
Bed Plains (subregion of the Osage Plains) and the western half in the Gypsum Hills. Major County is home to two noted
geological formations: the Glass (Gloss) Mountains, an outcropping of buttes that is part of the Blaine Escarpment, a
large gypsum formation extending across much of western Oklahoma, and the Ames Structure, which is buried under 3,000
meters of sand and soil and is possibly the result of a meteorite impact. The county seat is Fairview, so named for its
beautiful view of the Glass Mountains to the west and the Cimarron River to the east. At the turn of the twenty-first
century other incorporated communities included Ames, Cleo Springs, Meno, and Ringwood....MAJOR
COUNTY
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 958 square miles (2,480 km2), of which 955 square miles
(2,470 km2) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2) (0.3%) is water.
Eagle Chief Creek, which empties into the Cimarron River near Cleo Springs, was known to the Cheyenne people as Maheonekamax.
There is a large gypsum formation extending across much of western Oklahoma, and the Ames Structure, which is buried under 3,000 meters of
sand and soil and is possibly the result of a meteorite impact.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Woods County (northwest)
- Alfalfa County (northeast)
- Garfield County (east)
- Kingfisher County (southeast)
- Blaine County (south)
- Dewey County (southwest)
- Woodward County (west)
Education
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