Clayton, Oklahoma
| Clayton, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 Location of Clayton, Oklahoma |
|
| Coordinates: 34°35′16″N 95°21′25″W / 34.58778°N 95.35694°WCoordinates: 34°35′16″N 95°21′25″W / 34.58778°N 95.35694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Pushmataha |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.7 sq mi (4.4 km2) |
| • Land | 1.7 sq mi (4.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 607 ft (185 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,012 |
| • Density | 424.0/sq mi (163.7/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 74536 |
| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-14900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1091403 |
Clayton is a town in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,012 at the 2010 census.
Clayton was formerly known as Dexter. A United States Post Office was established at Dexter, Indian Territory on March 31, 1894 and was named for Dexter Chapman, early-day resident.
Dexter was located in Wade County, Choctaw Nation.
The official name of the post office name changed to Clayton, Indian Territory on April 5, 1907. Its name is thought to have been derived from Clayton, Missouri. It is also possible the town renamed itself after William H.H. Clayton, judge of the U.S. Court for the Central District of Indian Territory. Judge Clayton was prominent in the role to gain Oklahoma’s statehood.
Clayton is the largest town or community in northern Pushmataha County. It is the region’s largest trading center due to its relative distance from the county seat of Antlers—36 miles.
Flagpole Mountain retains a fire tower. Built of metal and several stories tall, it was once part of a network of towers, all manned, from which a fire watch was maintained. It is the only tower remaining in Pushmataha County, although it is no longer operational. Views from the tower offer a panorama stretching for many miles in any direction.
Clayton, as regional trading center, remains economically healthy, with a locally based economy. It is currently home to a public school, several churches, and numerous businesses and homes.
During recent years the Clayton High School Auditorium (Oklahoma) has become recognized as an architecturally and historically significant building, and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The building was found to be a very unusual example of Works Progress Administration architecture—one of only two known single-use auditoriums constructed by the WPA.
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Wikipedia