Sulphur, Oklahoma
13 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1901 and the latest in 1990. It stands in the East Murray census division. It lies in ZIP code area 73086. It stands on Travertine Creek. The Survey maps it on the Sulphur North quadrangle. 5,065 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,001 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Sulphur
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 4 records
Murray County Courthouselisted 1984
Sulphur Armorylisted 1994
Travertine Nature Centerlisted 2011- Historic Downtown Sulphur Commercial Districtlisted 2001
Surveyed buildings and structures 1 record
- Veterans Lake Dam, Veterans Lake Access Road, Sulphurfederal building survey, 3 photographs
Population over time
2 figuresSulphur grew from 4,929 to 5,065 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,929 | |
| 2020 | 5,065 | +136 (+3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
5 surveys from 13 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1901 USGS Stonewall quadrangle1:125000, 4 printings
- 1957 USGS Ardmore quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1963 USGS Ardmore quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1967 USGS Sulphur North quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1990 USGS Ada quadrangle1:100000
Photographs
1 photograph,Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
Fires near this place
88 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 88 fires within 5 miles of Sulphur between 1992 and 2020, burning about 3,645 acres in total. 6 started naturally. 34 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Arson/incendiarism | 34 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 26 |
| Debris and open burning | 11 |
| Natural | 6 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 3 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 2 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 2 |
| Other causes | 1 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 September 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | HARDEN |
| 5 September 1995 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 8.5 acres | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | WESTHUNT |
| 21 September 2004 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | SQUIRREL |
| 12 September 1993 | Debris and open burning | 3.0 acres | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | TVBAUGH |
| 11 September 1994 | Arson/incendiarism | 1.0 acres | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | BROMIDE |
| 9 August 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 11 acres | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | WATERSON #2 |
| 9 August 2010 | Natural | under an acre | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | CEDAR BLUE 9 |
| 8 August 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5.0 acres | Chickasaw National Recreation Area | MILLCREEK2 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 12 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 12 workings within 5 miles of Sulphur: 11 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 139 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Sulphur in 139 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 64 thunderstorm wind, 54 hail, 13 flash flood, 5 tornado. The reports record 1 death and 32 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2024 | Tornado (EF3) | Sulphur | 1 killed, 30 hurt, $10,000,000 | The Sulphur tornado initially developed in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area to the southwest of Sulphur and produced tree damage as well as damage to one building in the northeast section of the park as the tornado approached Sulphur. The tornado moved into the southern part of Sulphur causing significant damage to a number of homes on Tishomingo Avenue adjacent to the Chickasaw NRA.||The tornado moved northeast through downtown Sulphur destroying or causing extensive damage to numerous businesses and buildings downtown. Many people were trapped and one woman was killed when a building housing a sports lounge collapsed downtown on this Saturday night. Damage was rated EF3 to numerous buildings downtown, as well as to some homes and buildings in neighborhoods across northeast Sulphur as the tornado continues to move northeast through town.||The tornado continued northeast out of Sulphur and damaged another home along Palmer Road in northeastern Murray County. Tree damage was also observed on the county line as the tornado moved from Murray County into Pontotoc County. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | 1 hurt, $250,000 | Multiple reports and images of extensive thunderstorm wind damage in areas along U.S. Highway 177, approximately seven miles north of Sulphur. This included a mobile home that was blown off its blocks and destroyed, outbuildings significantly damaged, a travel trailer rolled, and numerous trees and large tree limbs blown down. At least one occupant of the destroyed mobile home was injured. Event time is estimated from radar observations. |
| September 1998 | Lightning | Sulphur | 1 hurt | A wildfire started by lightning burned 5000 acres. More than 12 fire departments were needed to contain the fire. One man was injured when he burned his hand on an equipment motor. |
| February 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $300,000 | no account filed |
| April 1996 | Tornado (F1) | Sulphur | $280,000 | no account filed |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $25,000 | A social media image showing a travel trailer overturned. Event time is estimated from radar observations. |
| August 2005 | Flash Flood | Sulphur | $25,000 | At 5:30 am CST and 6:15 am CST, a local fire department reported that floodwaters from Rock Creek entered into a few houses in Sulphur, OK. In addition, flash flooding was reported along Rock Creek in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area just south of Sulphur. |
| May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $20,000 | One home had significant roof damage. Carport on back of home was also blown away by the winds. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $20,000 | A turbo-prop airplane was flipped at Sulphur Municipal Airport. |
| March 2008 | Hail | Sulphur | $15,000 | The hail cracked the windshields of a few cars. A few homes in town also had cracked windows. Monetary damages were estimated. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $10,000 | Numerous trees and powerlines down from strong winds to the immediate west of Arbuckle lake. Time based on radar. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $10,000 | Numerous large tree branches downed along with numerous power outages. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $10,000 | Windows blown out and power lines down. |
| September 1998 | Lightning | Sulphur | $9,000 | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $5,000 | Multiple confirmations of thunderstorm wind damage in and around the community of Sulphur. This included at least one power pole broken and several large tree limbs blown down. The location is approximate, and the event time is estimated from radar observations. |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $5,000 | A power pole and two large trees were blown down near Sulphur Hills Golf Course. The report was relayed through Spotter Network. The location is approximate, and the event time is estimated from radar observations. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $5,000 | Roof damage was reported. Time estimated based on previous reports. |
| October 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $5,000 | Several trees and power lines were downed in Sulphur. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $5,000 | Thunderstorms continued across southern Oklahoma from late in the evening of the 14th through early morning on the 15th. Hail as large as quarters was reported in Velma in Stephens County, and wind speeds up to 58 mph were measured near Walters in Cotton County. Severe thunderstorm winds also shattered a large sign in Altus in Jackson County and removed part of the roof from a restaurant in Sulphur in Murray County. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $4,500 | A sheet metal barn and several small trees were reported destroyed on Highway 7. A power pole was also reported downed a quarter of a mile to the east. |
| February 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $4,000 | no account filed |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $2,000 | Telephone poles downed. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $2,000 | Several reports of tree damage and downed powerlines. Time estimated based on previous reports. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $2,000 | Severe thunderstorm winds downed large trees and signs around Sulphur. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $1,000 | Damage to metal buildings and barn roof damage. |
| March 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $1,000 | Large tree was uprooted. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $500 | Power lines were downed. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $500 | no account filed |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | $10 | Severe thunderstorm winds downed tree limbs in Sulphur. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Sulphur | - | The event time is estimated based on radar observations. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Sulphur | - | The event time is estimated based on radar observations. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Sulphur (SULP) Mesonet observation. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Sulphur (SULP) Mesonet observation. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Sulphur | - | The location is approximate. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Sulphur | - | The report was relayed through mPING. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Sulphur | - | The report was relayed through mPING. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Sulphur | - | The report was relayed through mPING. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Sulphur | - | The report was relayed through mPING. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Sulphur | - | An image was shared. |
| June 2025 | Flash Flood | Sulphur | - | Multiple confirmations of roadway flooding in and around the community of Sulphur. The event time and location are approximate. |
| March 2024 | Hail | Sulphur | - | Relayed report. Time is radar estimated. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Sulphur | - | Relayed by 911 call center. Time is radar estimated. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Sulphur | - | MPing report. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Sulphur (SULP) Mesonet observation. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Sulphur (SULP) Mesonet observation. |
| July 2023 | Flash Flood | Sulphur | - | Heavy rainfall caused Rock Creek to overtop its banks, flooding a portion of the Oklahoma Avenue bridge. Time is estimated. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Moderate size tree snapped in half. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Five to six inch diameter tree limbs downed. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Eight inch tree limbs snapped. Relayed via twitter. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Small limbs down. Observer estimated 60-70 mph winds. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | Several tree limbs snapped up to a foot in diameter. Time estimated based on nearby Mesonet report. |
| May 2018 | Flash Flood | Sulphur | - | Water over the roadway. Estimated 4-6 inches from photo. |
| May 2017 | Hail | Sulphur | - | Relayed via Twitter. |
| May 2017 | Flash Flood | Sulphur | - | Some roads that typically flood were barricaded due to flowing water. |
| June 2016 | Flash Flood | Sulphur | - | County road closed due to high water. Reported by Murray county sheriff dept. |
| October 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | No damage reported. |
| July 2015 | Flash Flood | Sulphur | - | Streets were closed in town due to flooding. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | No damage reported. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sulphur | - | National park service reported several 4 to 6 inch tree limbs down across Chickasaw NRA. |
| May 2015 | Tornado (EF0) | Sulphur | - | Emergency management spotters observed a tornado that moved north from approximately 1 mile north to 4 miles north of Sulphur. A workshop was damaged, but otherwise no significant damage is known to have occurred. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Sulphur | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q3239732 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1098617. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
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.




