Soper, Oklahoma

Soper is a town in Choctaw County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 261 at the 2010 census.[5] The town was named for Pliny L. Soper, who was an attorney for the Arkansas and Choctaw Railway.[6]

Soper, Oklahoma
Town
Location of Soper, Oklahoma
Coordinates: 34°2′0″N 95°41′48″W
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Choctaw
Area [1]
• Total	0.27 sq mi (0.70 km^2)
• Land	0.27 sq mi (0.70 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	535 ft (163 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	261
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	253
• Density	937.04/sq mi (361.27/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74759
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-68500[3]
GNIS feature ID	1098199[4]

History

At the time of its founding, Soper was located in Kiamitia County, one of the constituent counties comprising the Apukshunnubbee District of the Choctaw Nation.[7]

Geography

Soper is located in west-central Choctaw County at 34°2′0″N 95°41′48″W (34.033385, -95.696573).[8] The town is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Hugo, the county seat, and approximately 10 miles (16 km) east of Boswell.

Soper has a volunteer fire department, local gas station and market, and several prominent families that have been in the area for many years.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Soper has a total area of 0.27 square miles (0.7 km²), all of it land.[5]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	233		—
1920	538		130.9%
1930	417		−22.5%
1940	481		15.3%
1950	337		−29.9%
1960	309		−8.3%
1970	322		4.2%
1980	465		44.4%
1990	305		−34.4%
2000	300		−1.6%
2010	261		−13.0%
Est. 2019	253	[2]	−3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 600 people, 432 households, and 74 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,191.8 people per square mile (463.3/km²). There were 159 housing units at an average density of 631.7 per square mile (245.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 74.33% White, 19.33% Native American, and 6.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.

There were 132 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18, 40.2% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were nonfamilies. Of all households 41.7% were made up of individuals, and 25.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size was 3.13.

In the town, the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $13,875, and the median income for a family was $18,333. Males had a median income of $16,875 versus $16,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $7,814. About 35.1% of families and 44.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.5% of those under the age of 18 and 50.8% of those 65 or over.

Education

Surrounding smaller communities in the area include Buckhorn, Bluff, Gay, Nelson, and Sugar Creek, most of which were small school districts, many of which still stand today, before they were closed and the students began using the Soper public school system.

The Soper High School baseball team has been in the state tournament many times, since debuting and placing runner-up in the fall of 1992, and finally winning the state championship in the spring of 2009.

Notable inhabitants

• Ray Wylie Hubbard, Texas country singer and songwriter
• Freckles Brown, born Warren Granger Brown, rodeo performer known for riding the "unrideable" bull Tornado in 1967, owned and lived on a ranch near Soper.[10]

• John Harrison, famous rodeo barrelman performer and grandson of the great Freckles Brown. Harrison was selected to be the 2013, 2015, 2016 & 2018 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Barrelman. In 2014, 2016, and 2017 he was awarded the Coors Man in the Can award. Three time Comedy Act of the Year, presented by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Soper town, Oklahoma". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
6. Alder, Altha. "Soper," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society, Accessed May 23, 2015.
7. Morris, John W. Historical Atlas of Oklahoma (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1986), plate 38.
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
10. Jackson Jr., Ron. "Eight Seconds In Rodeo History," NewsOK (online edition of The Oklahoman,) Accessed May 23, 2015. Harrisonentertainment.com. (2019). John Harrison Rodeo Clown | Soper, OK 74759. [online] Available at: http://www.harrisonentertainment.com [Accessed 18 Jun. 2019].