Lawton, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
 Lawton City Hall (2010) | |
 Location in the state of Oklahoma | |
| Coordinates: 34°36′15″N 98°23′44″W / 34.60417°N 98.39556°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Comanche |
| Founded | August 6, 1901 |
| Named for | Henry Ware Lawton |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Stan Booker[1] |
| • City Manager | Michael Cleghorn[2] |
| Area | |
• City | 81.47 sq mi (211.00 km2) |
| • Land | 81.44 sq mi (210.92 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2) 0.04% |
| Elevation | 1,145 ft (349 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 90,381 |
| • Rank | US: 304th |
| • Density | 1,109.85/sq mi (428.52/km2) |
| • Urban | 87,464 (US: 336th)[4] |
| • Metro | 131,089 (US: 300th) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 73501–73503, 73505-73507 |
| Area code | 580 |
| FIPS code | 40-41850[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411638[6] |
| Website | City of Lawton |
Lawton is a city in and the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.[7] Located in western Oklahoma, approximately 87 mi (140 km) southwest of Oklahoma City,[8][9] it is the principal city of the Lawton, Oklahoma, metropolitan statistical area. According to the 2020 census, Lawton's population was 90,381, making it the sixth-largest city in the state, and the largest in Western Oklahoma.[10]
Developed on former reservation lands of the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache peoples, Lawton was incorporated in 1901. It was named after Major General Henry Ware Lawton, who served in the Civil War, where he earned the Medal of Honor, and was killed in action in the Philippine–American War. Lawton's landscape is typical of the Great Plains, with flat topography and gently rolling hills, while the area north of the city is marked by the Wichita Mountains.
The city's proximity to the Fort Sill Military Reservation, formerly the base of the Apache territory before statehood, gave Lawton economic and population stability throughout the 20th century.[11]
Although Lawton's economy is still largely dependent on Fort Sill, it has grown to encompass manufacturing, higher education, health care, and retail.[12] The city has a council-manager government; the city council members are elected from single-member districts and the mayor is elected at-large. They hire a professional city manager to direct daily operations.
Interstate 44 and three major United States highways serve the city, Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport connects Lawton by air, while Greyhound Lines and the Lawton Area Transit System provide intercity and local bus service respectively.
- ^ "Mayor Stan Booker's 2024 New Year Address". City of Lawton. January 10, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "City Manager". Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ "Urban and Rural: List of 2020 Census Urban Areas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ American Fact Finder. "Geographic Identifiers". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lawton, Oklahoma
- ^ "Places in Comanche County, OK". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ Savage, Cynthia. "Lawton". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Archived from the original on 18 May 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
- ^ "Lawton". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Archived from the original on 31 May 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Lawton city, Oklahoma". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "Major Employers". Lawton Ft. Sill Economic Development Team. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
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