Major County, Oklahoma
| Major County, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
 Location in the U.S. state of Oklahoma |
|
 Oklahoma's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | 1907 |
| Seat | Fairview |
| Largest city | Fairview |
| Area | |
| • Total | 958 sq mi (2,481 km2) |
| • Land | 955 sq mi (2,473 km2) |
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (8 km2), 0.3% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2013) | 7,683 |
| • Density | 7.9/sq mi (3/km²) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
Major County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 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.
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, Menno Simons.
The county experienced "Black Sunday" dust storms on April 14, 1935.
According to the U.S. 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.
The town of Ringwood is a well known producer of watermelons in the region and holds a Watermelon Festival annually.
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