McClain County, Oklahoma

80 topographic sheets and 14 fire insurance atlases across 3 places.

Research this county

From the record

6 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Oklahoma within the United States

McClain County within Oklahoma

What the record shows

3 places in this county were surveyed for fire insurance: Purcell, Blanchard, Byars, between 1894 and 1940.
14 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
228 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
6 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 4 buildings and 2 structures.
The Geographic Names Information System records 15 populated places in this county; 15 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Property	Type	Listed	Reference
Harris Palace Store	building	2019	100004399
Hotel Love	building	1995	95001407
McClain County Courthouse	building	1984	84003347
US Highway 77 Bridge at Canadian River	structure	2003	03000882
US Highway 77 Bridge at Canadian River	structure	2003	03000882
United States Post Office Purcell	building	2018	100002056

Photographs from libraries nationwide

1 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 1 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.

The Canadian, Purcell, Oklahoma, Boston Public Library - undated — The Canadian, Purcell, Oklahoma. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

48 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 2,271 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 48 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1954-06-25, scale 1:17000 — 1954-06-25, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1957-03-01, scale 1:17000 — 1957-03-01, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-01-29, scale 1:18000 — 1962-01-29, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-04-12, scale 1:18000 — 1963-04-12, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-04-09, scale 1:18000 — 1964-04-09, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-02-03, scale 1:18000 — 1965-02-03, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-09-29, scale 1:5340 — 1969-09-29, scale 1:5340. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-09-29, scale 1:5357 — 1969-09-29, scale 1:5357. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-11-03, scale 1:29804 — 1972-11-03, scale 1:29804. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-11-03, scale 1:30628 — 1972-11-03, scale 1:30628. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-11-03, scale 1:30610 — 1972-11-03, scale 1:30610. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-11-03, scale 1:28852 — 1972-11-03, scale 1:28852. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-01-01, scale 1:40000 — 1975-01-01, scale 1:40000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1984-02-01, scale 1:22000 — 1984-02-01, scale 1:22000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-20, scale 1:21600 — 2003-04-20, scale 1:21600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2008-03-21, scale 1:21600 — 2008-03-21, scale 1:21600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

16 stations, 4 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

PURCELL 2 SW 1893 to 2010, hottest 45.6 C, coldest -25.0 C
BLANCHARD 2 SSW 1952 to 2021, hottest 44.4 C, coldest -25.6 C
WAYNE 3.5 E 2006 to 2008
BLANCHARD 2.1 ESE 2006 to 2014
NEWCASTLE 1.2 ESE 2008 to 2016
NORMAN 5.7 WSW 2008 to 2009
PURCELL 6.7 W 2008 to 2026
WASHINGTON 6SSW MESONET 2009 to 2026, hottest 45.0 C, coldest -26.1 C
NORMAN 5.8 WSW 2011 to 2019
PURCELL 0.4 NNE 2013 to 2015
NORMAN 5.9 SW 2013 to 2026
NEWCASTLE 3.9 NNW 2017 to 2026
BLANCHARD 2.6 ENE 2022 to 2026
NORMAN 6.6 WSW 2022 to 2026
PURCELL 4.3 NNW 2024 to 2026
NORMAN 7.0 WSW 2024 to 2026

Canadian River near Newcastle, OK 1938 to 1945
Canadian River near Noble, OK 1959 to 1975
Walnut Creek at Purcell, OK 1965 to 2026
North Criner Creek near Criner, OK 1989 to 2026

The 1950 census, district by district

32 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

44-1Blanchard town: Blanchard town - That part north of 9th
44-2Blanchard town - That part south of 9th
44-3Byars town
44-4Byars township - Outside Byars town
44-5Colbert township: Colbert township - That part in Township 6 N., Range 3 W.
44-6Colbert township - That part in Township 6 N., Range 4 W.
44-7Dibble town
44-8Goldsby township: Goldsby township - That part northwest of U.S. Highway 277 and north of State Highway 9, outside Blanchard town
44-9Goldsby township - That part southeast of U.S. Highway 277 and south of State Highway 9, outside Blanchard town
44-10Hopping township: Hopping township - That part north and east of State Highway 59
44-11Hopping township - That part south and west of State Highway 59, outside Rosedale town
44-12Johnson township: Johnson township - That part east of U.S. Highway 277
44-13Johnson township - That part west of U.S. Highway 277
44-14Muncrief township - Outside Purcell city
44-15Perry township: Perry township - That part in Township 7 N., Range 2 W.
44-16Perry township - That part in Township 7 N., Range 3 W., outside Washington town
44-17Purcell city: Purcell city - That part comprising Ward 1, excluding St. Elizabeth's Academy Bounded by City limits; City limits; Main; 4th Ave.
44-18VOID
44-19Purcell city - That part comprising Ward 2 Bounded by City limits; 4th Ave.; Main; City limits
44-20Purcell city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Main; 4th Ave.; Comanche; City limits
44-21Purcell city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Comanche; 4th Ave.; City limits; City limits
44-22Purcell city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Main; City limits; Brule, 2nd Ave., Huron; 4th Ave., Ward line, 4th Ave.
44-23Purcell city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Huron, 2nd Ave., Brule; City limits; City limits; City limits, 4th Ave.
44-24Rosedale town
44-25Turnbull township: Turnbull township - That part in Township 5 N., Range 3 W.
44-26Turnbull township - That part in Township 5 N., Range 4 W.
44-27Victor township: Victor township - That part in the North 1/2 of Township 7 N., Ranges 3 and 4 W.
44-28Victor township - That part in the South 1/2 of Township 7 N., Ranges 3 and 4 W., outside Dibble town
44-29Washington town
44-30Wayne town
44-31Wayne township: Wayne township - That part east and south of State Highway 74, outside Wayne town
44-32Wayne township - That part west and south of State Highway 74

Wildfire, 2000 to 2020

8 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 8 of them, burning about 2,821 acres. 2 started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause	Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	6
Natural	2

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
2 October 2000	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	2,000 acres	Oklahoma Division of Forestry	RATLIFF
18 November 2020	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	400 acres	Oklahoma Division of Forestry	HWY 62
31 January 2006	Natural	160 acres	Chickasaw Agency	BATTISTE#1
19 March 2005	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	120 acres	Chickasaw Agency	MARRISLSE
30 March 2005	Natural	120 acres	Chickasaw Agency	MCCANNON
16 March 2006	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	14 acres	Chickasaw Agency	SHOOSTER
25 November 2005	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	5.0 acres	Chickasaw Agency	MARRISLSE2
21 July 2020	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1.5 acres	Chickasaw Agency	BULL

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1953 to 2026

60 of 773 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 773 reports for this county, causing 5 deaths, 115 injuries and about $30,479,700 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event	Reports
Hail	417
Thunderstorm Wind	232
Tornado	84
Flash Flood	30
Lightning	6
Flood	2
Funnel Cloud	1
Heavy Rain	1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
November 1973	Tornado (F3)	not stated	2 killed, 18 hurt, $2,500,000	no account filed
May 1999	Tornado (F4)	Blanchard	1 killed, 17 hurt, $10,000,000	Tornado A9 (McClain County portion). See summary at end of May 3rd storm reports.
April 2023	Tornado (EF3)	Dibble	1 killed, 2 hurt, $4,000,000	The third tornado of the outbreak, the Cole-Goldsby Tornado, was the most destructive of the outbreak. The multiple-vortex tornado touched down near Rockwell Avenue south of 260th Street and moved in an erratic path, generally east and east-northeast through Cole. Many homes and mobile homes were damaged or destroyed near and in Cole. A man was killed in a destroyed mobile home in the far western portion of Cole. A woman was injured in a nearby mobile home, but died of a heart attack on the way to the hospital (indirect fatality). EF3 rated damage was found to at least three homes on Portland Avenue and Main Street in Cole with most exterior walls removed.\|\|After moving through Cole and crossing State Highway 74B, the tornado continued to move northeast, then becoming narrower and turning northerly as it past 290th Street/Chestnut Road, moving between Western Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue just west of the town of Goldsby and dissipating before reaching State Highway 9. It continued to produce roof damage (up to EF2) to homes and tree damage.
May 2015	Flash Flood	Cole	1 killed, $30,000	News 9 reports high water swept a vehicle into Walnut Creek near Cole. Some individuals were successfully rescued, but one man was unable to escape and ultimately perished in the flood waters. The vehicle was swept away near Highway 74B and May Ave north of Cole.
May 2011	Tornado (EF4)	Criner	61 hurt	This tornado is labeled D1 (Segment #2 of the Washington-Goldsby tornado). Widespread tree damage and ground scouring was ongoing as the tornado crossed into McClain county. As the tornado crossed Highway 76, even more intense damage occurred. EF-4 damage was surveyed at several locations. Several homes were reduced to a pile of rubble, or were wiped clean off of their foundations. Automobiles were mangled and almost unrecognizable. The tornado weakened and narrowed as it crossed CR 410. Even though the tornado had weakened, EF-2 to EF-3 damage was still occurring as it approached Highway 39. The tornado increased in intensity once again near the Highway, with EF-4 damage surveyed for the 2nd time. Well constructed homes were destroyed, with several wiped clean off of their foundations. This also began a longer streak of higher end damage, with EF-3 to EF-4 damage occurring until it crossed Highway 74B, west of High Avenue. Equally devastating destruction occurred over the areas of EF-4 damage. The tornado lifted west of Goldsby with still EF-3 damage occurring prior to lifting. It should be noted that this tornado had estimated winds up to 200 mph at times, falling just short of the damage indicator for an EF-5 tornado. Monetary damage estimates were not available.
May 2013	Tornado (EF4)	Newcastle	5 hurt	The violent Newcastle-Moore tornado was first observed developing about one-half mile south of State Highway 37 in northwest Newcastle to the east of Rockwell Avenue. EF4 damage was observed soon after the tornado crossed State Highway 37. The tornado continued to expand in size as it approached the Canadian River and moved into Cleveland County.\|\|Of the 212 direct injuries documented with this tornado, 5 are estimated to have occurred in McClain County.
May 1991	Tornado (F1)	not stated	3 hurt, $25,000	no account filed
May 1997	Tornado (F2)	Purcell	2 hurt, $900,000	This description was taken almost entirely, and with minimal editing, from a damage survey conducted Monday May 26th (Memorial Day), the day after the tornado, by a National Weather Service meteorologist.This tornado, rated F2, began 5 miles east of Criner, or 7 miles west-southwest of downtown Purcell, in southern McClain County. The beginning time of this tornado is not entirely certain but is believed to be near or just after 16:00 CST. This tornado tracked just south of due east for 6 miles, ending about 4 miles northwest of Wayne or 4 miles south of downtown Purcell at around 16:24 CST. At its widest, the damage path was estimated to be 3/4 mile wide. Numerous power lines were downed, prompting the temporary closing of both Highways 24 and 74 for a time during the evening. At least 18 dwellings, including mobile homes and permanent dwellings, were destroyed or suffered major damage. This probably was a multiple-vortex tornado, at least in its latter stages, based on eyewitness reports. No one was killed or seriously injured by this tornado, but two minor injuries were reported. Damage began along a concentrated path from along Highway 24 around 3 miles south and 1 mile east of Woody Chapel (which is located at the intersection of Highways 39 and 24 about 3 miles south of Washington). Details are described below, highlighting six areas along the damage track.Along Hwy 24, 5 miles east of Criner, sheet metal was scattered over about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile path, apparently the remnants of a destroyed outbuilding. Several large trees were toppled or heavily damaged in this area. Damage was F1. Tree damage also was noted over a larger area 1 mile west of this location (or 3 miles south of Woody Chapel on Highway 24), along with a few pieces of sheet metal debris. Since damage in this area was more minor (small to medium size branches broken) and notconcentrated, straight-line winds were considered the likely source. Also along Hwy 24, from Hwy 112 southward for about a mile, power lines were downed along a 1/4 to 1/2 mile stretch of the road. Considerable debris was found from fallen trees, metal outbuildings, etc. Damage was F1. About 1 mile east of Hwy 24 and 1 mile south of Hwy 112, a home was unroofed. Widespread but mostly minor tree damage was noted, with trees uprooted and/or branches snapped off. Aside from the home with the damaged roof, there were few if any other manmade structures in the area. Damage probably was F1, but an exact determination could not be made since the roof was being repaired at the time of the survey.On Emu Road, 1/2 to 1 mile south of Hwy 112 and 2 miles east of Hwy 24, one permanent home was destroyed. Numerous large trees were downed - some snapped off, and others uprooted. Several of the uprooted trees fell toward the northwest, others to the southwest. Damage was considered F2. At Highway 74 and Horse Road, (3.5 to 4.5 miles east of Hwy 24 and 1 mile south of Hwy 112), the worst damage and widest damage path (about 3/4 mile wide) were in this area. Power lines were downed along Hwy 74 for nearly a mile. Numerous large trees were snapped off or uprooted. In one area between the two roads, nearly every tree suffered some kind of significant damage. Two mobile homes were destroyed along Horse Road. One was blown east and landed across the street near a church. The other rolled three times and landed 50 to 100 feet northeast of its original location. Two women, a mother and daughter, were inside the second mobile home and were lucky to escape with only minor injuries. Metal outbuildings, satellite dishes, fences, and at least one pickup truck were destroyed - mostly by impacts from other blown objects. However, the church, which was brick, sustained only minor structural damage to the exterior, as the roof was intact and only a few shingles were missing. (Broken windows in the church led to more substantial damage on the interior as rain and wind entered the building.) Damage in this area was considered F2, but the fact that the church escaped with such minor damage to its exterior suggests either a lower rating or the possibility of a multiple-vortex tornado. At least one eyewitness indicated a second tornado. Although the entire damage track appeared consistent and more-or-less continuous, suggesting only one tornado, the eyewitness account and the observed gradients in damage intensity suggest that this probably was a multiple-vortex tornado, at least in its latter stages.From 1/4 to 1/2 mile east of Horse Road, a large home suffered major damage, with most of the second floor destroyed. Downed trees were widespread. Damage was rated F2. Another home immediately east of this location lost part of its roof. But farther east, near Interstate 35, several homes were undamaged and no significant damage could be found - except for a lone uprooted tree immediately west of the interstate.
March 1953	Tornado (F2)	not stated	2 hurt, $250,000	no account filed
March 1985	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	2 hurt	no account filed
March 1990	Tornado (F2)	not stated	1 hurt, $2,500,000	no account filed
September 1992	Tornado (F2)	not stated	1 hurt, $250,000	no account filed
March 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Dibble	1 hurt, $15,000	Severe thunderstorm winds destroyed a mobile home, injuring one of the three occupants. Three other homes in the area were damaged and two mobile homes were blown off of their blocks. Large trees were also split.
November 2024	Tornado (EF1)	Blanchard	$5,000,000	This tornado touched down in the northern part of Blanchard and moved north-northeast. The tornado initially was EF0 producing some tree limb damage and damage to one house near Northeast 40th Street and Rockwall. After crossing the Norman Spur of the Bailey Turnpike and moving into Newcastle, EF1 damage was noted to trees and homes as it moved through neighborhoods in Newcastle north of SW 24th Avenue. Newcastle Elementary School received significant roof damage as the tornado continued to move north just west of U.S. Highway 62. The tornado finally dissipated in north Newcastle to the northwest of US-62 and Northwest 16th Street.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Criner	$1,000,000	A wide swath of very strong thunderstorm winds moved out of Grady County and into southwestern McClain County. There was extensive damage for a distance of at least 18 miles from the Grady County line to southwest of Wayne. The width of the damage swath was up to 3.5 miles wide in the Payne area. The most significant damage and winds estimated to be near 120 mph were south of Payne along Western Avenue and along 120th Street where a well constructed barn was destroyed, numerous power poles were snapped, and trees snapped and partially debarked.\|\|Elsewhere, power pole and significant tree damage occurred throughout this damage swath. At least six homes suffered roof damage and nine barns or outbuildings were damaged or destroyed.\|\|There were three locations of concentrated damage within the very large damage swath that showed a somewhat convergent damage pattern where it is possible tornadoes may have occurred, but overall the evidence was inconclusive if this was a tornadic circulation or convergent winds along the front flank gust front of the supercell with a strong north component to the winds underneath the front flank core, a south component to the winds in the inflow region, and a west component to the winds in the rear flank downdraft. Overall the broad range of evidence suggests the latter, but it does remain possible that there were embedded tornadoes within this large-scale significant wind damage swath.
January 2026	Tornado (EF2)	Purcell	$400,000	This tornado developed near 180th Street and Ladd Road southwest of Purcell and moved northeast. One home about 3 miles southwest of Purcell had the roof removed. A semi on Interstate 35 just west of Purcell was pushed over injuring one person. The tornado then moved through Purcell causing roof damage to a few homes and damaging utility poles and trees. Moving out of the northeast side of Purcell, the tornado crossed the Canadian River into Cleveland County.
August 2020	Lightning	Newcastle	$400,000	A large house was destroyed after being struck by lightning. Time of strike estimated from radar and surrounding reports.
July 2007	Flash Flood	Purcell	$400,000	Numerous city streets and alleys were closed due to high water. One-fourth of 180th Street was washed away. Monetary damages were estimated.
March 1990	Tornado (F2)	not stated	$250,000	no account filed
March 1985	Tornado (F1)	not stated	$250,000	no account filed
June 1982	Tornado (F2)	not stated	$250,000	no account filed
April 2024	Tornado (EF2)	Cole	$200,000	Tree damage was first observed near May Avenue and 297th Street north of Cole. The tornado moved northeast producing roof damage to homes just west of Goldsby with at least two homes losing most their roofs. Other trees were damaged along the path. The tornado dissipated after crossing Interstate 35 just south of Sycamore Road.
February 2023	Tornado (EF2)	Cole	$200,000	This tornado developed just west of Pennsylvania Avenue about 1/2 mile south of 290th Street where it took the roof off an outbuilding. The tornado moved east-northeast damaging a mobile home along 290th Street, and then snapped a couple of power poles as moved into the city limits of Goldsby just east of SW 24th Avenue. The tornado caused roof and fence damage in a neighborhood near NW 12th Avenue and Center Road in Goldsby before moving across the Goldsby airport damaging hangars. The tornado then crossed the Canadian River into Cleveland County.
May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Blanchard	$200,000	Three church steeples were blown off, and an office building was destroyed.
May 2023	Tornado (EF1)	Cole	$100,000	A tornado was observed by many spotters and storm chasers moving from southwest of Cole to Goldsby, remaining to the south of the damage path of the large EF3 tornado that affected Cole on April 19. This tornado was a multiple vortex tornado at times, developing initially 2 miles southwest of the center of Cole and move east-northeast through the southern portion of Cole producing tree and roof damage, including removing a large section of roof to a home just east of the Cole city limits. The tornado turned northeast towards Goldsby continuing to produce tree and roof damage. At the end of the path in Goldsby, the tornado took a hard left and moved northwest for the final half-mile dissipating just northwest of NW 12th Avenue and Center Road, crossing the damage path from the February 26 Goldsby-Norman Tornado along Center Road.
October 2017	Tornado (EF1)	Goldsby	$100,000	This tornado developed just north of State Highway 9 and just west of Santa Fe Avenue where tree damage was noted. The tornado moved east damaging a business and destroying a shed along Highway 9. The tornado turned southeast crossing Highway 9 and passed near the Riverwind Casino and Hotel along with strong winds on the south flank of the tornado. Trees were snapped just west of the casino. At the casino, two air conditioner units were displaced from their pedestal on the roof of the building, which allowed rain inside the structure. Some roof facade damage was also noted at the casino. Just south at the adjacent hotel, strong winds created some roof facade and siding damage (see adjacent Thunderstorm Wind Entry).\|\|The tornado crossed Interstate 35 and damaged businesses and destroyed at least one shed between the interstate and the Canadian River before moving into inaccessible areas near the river and crossing into Cleveland County south of Norman.
November 1998	Tornado (F1)	Purcell	$100,000	no account filed
September 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Goldsby	$100,000	no account filed
December 2022	Tornado (EF2)	Wayne	$75,000	A tornado touched down just south of the city limits of Wayne and moved north through town. Three power poles were snapped along State Highway 59 on the south side of Wayne, and produced tree and roof damage at a few locations in Wayne. As the tornado moved north of town, a house about a mile north of town had it's roof removed and exterior walls near the garage and porch were destroyed. An outbuilding was also destroyed in this area. Powerline and tree damage were observed farther north as the tornado moved north and then northeast crossing the Canadian River into Cleveland County.
May 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Newcastle	$75,000	An area of wind damage occurred in far northeastern Grady County into northwestern McClain County before the development of the Newcastle-Moore tornado. Tree damage occurred throughout this path, and a number of homes and mobile homes received damage in McClain County.
June 2025	Tornado (EF1)	Newcastle	$60,000	This tornado developed in southeast Newcastle northwest of Portland Avenue and southeast 32nd Street, and moved generally east between SE 32nd Street and SE 24th Street. At least one home had roof damage and one barn was destroyed. Tree and powerline damage was also observed along the tornado path. The tornado damaged trees along a treeline just west of the Canadian River as it dissipated.
June 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Cole	$50,000	no account filed
April 2024	Tornado (EF1)	Payne	$40,000	This tornado developed near 130th Street in McClain County about one half mile east of the Grady County line. One mobile home received roof damage and one storage trailer was rolled over. Trees were broken along this path as well. The tornado moved north-northwest and began straddling the McClain-Grady County line north of 150th Street. The tornado never fully moved into Grady County, but the tornado centerline did pass into Grady County briefly (see Grady County segment) before curving north-northeast and moving back into McClain County.
April 1999	Tornado (F1)	Purcell	$40,000	no account filed
April 2023	Tornado (EF1)	Cole	$30,000	While the Cole-Goldsby tornado was still ongoing, the fifth tornado of the outbreak developed to the south. This tornado touched down just northwest of 260th Street and Fernwood Road, initially moving southeast then curving northeast dissipating southeast of Santa Fe Avenue and State Highway 74B. The tornado partially unroofed a home, heavily damaged an outbuilding, and produced tree damage along the path.
May 2019	Tornado (EF1)	Goldsby	$30,000	A tornado from a Quasi-Linear Convective System (QLCS) developed south of Interstate 35 and Ladd Road. At least four outbuildings were damaged and a number of trees snapped as the tornado moved northeast. The tornado crossed the Canadian River into Cleveland County near Noble.
May 2007	Lightning	Blanchard	$30,000	A house fire was started after a direct lightning strike. No injuries were reported.
October 2000	Flash Flood	Newcastle	$30,000	Several roads were washed out or damaged due to high water.
April 2023	Tornado (EF1)	Washington	$25,000	The Washington-Slaugherville tornado, the sixth of the outbreak, formed on the east edge of Washington and moved east and northeast crossing Interstate 35, and then crossing the Canadian River into Cleveland County due west of Slaugherville. In McClain County, a few homes suffered roof damage, and numerous trees along the path were damaged.
May 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Dibble	$25,000	One mobile home and five barns were destroyed. Another mobile home was damaged, and trees were downed.
May 2000	Lightning	Purcell	$25,000	Lightning struck a new, uninhabited mobile home, causing a fire which destroyed the entire home.
August 1982	Tornado (F2)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
March 1977	Tornado (F1)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
December 1972	Tornado (F2)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
May 1962	Tornado (F2)	not stated	$25,000	no account filed
April 2023	Tornado (EF0)	Dibble	$20,000	The second tornado of the outbreak moved into McClain County from Grady County along County Road near Sunny Side Road. it moved east along Sunny Side road causing tree damage and roof damage to at least one home before turning southeast and then south-southeast and damaging another home roof and destroying a carport as it crossed State Highway 76.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Goldsby	$20,000	A large section of the roof on the main hangar at David Jay Perry Airport was blown off. Monetary damages were estimated.
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Purcell	$20,000	Severe thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 to 80 mph downed large trees and power lines in town. One large tree was uprooted and landed on a minivan. Another uprooted tree landed on power lines, cutting power to most of the south part of town.
July 2006	Lightning	Newcastle	$18,000	A lightning strike damaged a home on Main Street. There were three separate holes in the roof found in the roof. A fire ignited by the lightning also damaged the home.
June 2025	Tornado (EF0)	Newcastle	$15,000	The first Newcastle tornado of the morning developed near Southwest 16th Street and Dickerson Street in Newcastle, and moved east-southeast crossing US Highway 62 and dissipating southeast of Highway 62 and Southeast 16th Street. A fence was blown down and a trampoline damaged at one home, otherwise damage was primarily to trees along the path.
May 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Payne	$15,000	A quasi-linear convective system of thunderstorms produced a large area of wind damage that began about 8 miles southwest of Purcell, and moved northeast through Purcell and then into Cleveland County. This area of wind damage was up to 3 miles wide. Eight to ten homes had shingle or window damage, and trees and power lines were downed throughout the area. There was also some brick damage to a hotel.
June 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Washington	$15,000	Numerous reports of downed trees and removal of roof shingles.
May 2008	Tornado (EF0)	Goldsby	$15,000	The tornado developed a half of a mile southeast of Goldsby, near Interstate 35. A truck jackknifed on the interstate as the tornado moved northeast. Tree damage was noticed along its path, with some roof flashing also damaged near the Canadian River. Monetary damages were estimated.
March 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Wayne	$15,000	A metal storage shed was blown onto its side. Power lines were also downed.
November 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Blanchard	$10,000	Public images submitted to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management show large tree branches blown down and other damage to large outdoor furniture and guttering. Event time is radar-estimated.
November 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Blanchard	$10,000	A social media image shows a small wood and tin outbuilding destroyed. Event time is radar-estimated.
May 2018	Tornado (EF0)	Payne	$10,000	A small, weak tornado developed within a quasi-linear convective system and moved northeast from west-southwest of Wayne to north of Wayne. The roof of one home was damaged along state highway 74, otherwise the damage was primarily to trees and a four outbuildings.
May 2018	Tornado (EF1)	Purcell	$10,000	A tornado developed southwest of Purcell and moved northeast passing near Purcell Lake and into the north side of Purcell. Large trees were uprooted and outbuildings destroyed in the north side of Purcell. The tornado crossed the Canadian River into Cleveland County north of Lexington.
October 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Goldsby	$10,000	Immediately south of the tornado that moved near State Highway 9, a large area of damaging winds, likely associated with the Rear Flank Downdraft, produced additional damage from near Riverwind Casino and Hotel to the Canadian River. Just east of Interstate 35, this area of damaging winds was it's widest at around 500 yards. Roof facade was pulled from the Riverwind Hotel, which damaged the hotel siding and broke a first story window as it fell. Numerous trees were damaged east of Interstate 35 but south of the tornado path with damage consistent with winds of approximately 90 mph.
September 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Wayne	$10,000	Two semi trucks were turned over on I-35 and power lines were downed near Highways 77 and 59.

Mines and quarries

66 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 66 workings inside this county. 8 still produce and 58 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity	Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction	60
Flagstone	4
Copper	2
Silver	2

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
Byars Southwest	Copper, Silver	Past Producer	1850, 1851, 1913
Copper Prospect	Copper, Silver	Prospect
Unknown Sandstone Pit	Flagstone	Past Producer
Unknown Sandstone Pit	Flagstone	Past Producer
Unknown Sandstone Pit	Flagstone	Past Producer
Unknown Sandstone Pit	Flagstone	Past Producer
Dennis Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Dolese Company Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Fred Hamilton Sand Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Fred Hamilton Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
H R Stong Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Norman Asphalt Co	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Red Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel Pits	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer

Every populated place in the county

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 3 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

Blanchard

Newcastle-Blanchard census division · 73010 · Blanchard quadrangle

16 sheets, 1904 to 1985

Fire insurance: 3 atlases
Byars

East McClain census division · 74831 · Byars quadrangle

15 sheets, 1898 to 1986

Fire insurance: 2 atlases
Purcell

Purcell census division · 73080 · Purcell quadrangle

17 sheets, 1893 to 1985

Fire insurance: 9 atlases
Chism

East McClain census division · 74831 · Asher quadrangle

11 sheets, 1901 to 1990
Cole

Newcastle-Blanchard census division · 73010 · On North Fork Walnut Creek · Cole quadrangle

13 sheets, 1904 to 1985
Criner

Purcell census division · 73052 · On North Criner Creek · Criner quadrangle

14 sheets, 1902 to 1986
Dibble

Newcastle-Blanchard census division · 73010 · Dibble quadrangle

13 sheets, 1904 to 1985
Goldsby

Purcell census division · 73093 · Norman quadrangle

20 sheets, 1893 to 1995
Johnsonville

East McClain census division · 74831 · Wanette quadrangle

15 sheets, 1898 to 1986
Newcastle

Newcastle-Blanchard census division · 73065 · On Marcy Creek · Newcastle quadrangle

15 sheets, 1904 to 1985
Payne

Purcell census division · 73052 · On Wolf Creek · Criner quadrangle

14 sheets, 1902 to 1986
Rosedale

East McClain census division · 74831 · Rosedale quadrangle

15 sheets, 1898 to 1986
Stealy

Purcell census division · 73095 · Stealy quadrangle

16 sheets, 1898 to 1986
Washington

Purcell census division · 73093 · On Sandy Creek · Washington quadrangle

18 sheets, 1893 to 1985
Wayne

Purcell census division · 73095 · Wayne quadrangle

16 sheets, 1898 to 1986

Recorded here

Purcell, Oklahoma

17 topographic sheets and 9 fire insurance atlases, 1894 to 1940

Blanchard, Oklahoma

16 topographic sheets and 3 fire insurance atlases, 1916 to 1935

Byars, Oklahoma

15 topographic sheets and 2 fire insurance atlases, 1930

Provenance

Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.