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Walters, Oklahoma

9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1955 and the latest in 1987. It stands in the Walters census division. It lies in ZIP code area 73572. The Survey maps it on the Walters quadrangle. 2,412 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,001 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Walters within Cotton County

On record in Walters

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 3 records

Population over time

2 figures

Walters fell from 2,551 to 2,412 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.

YearPeople Change
20102,551
20202,412-139 (-5%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 9 printed sheets

Matched 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.

Fires near this place

14 since 2001

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 14 fires within 5 miles of Walters between 2001 and 2020, burning about 79 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 1 was 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
Debris and open burning5
Equipment and vehicle use3
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Arson/incendiarism1
Fireworks1
Natural1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 September 2009Debris and open burning10 acresAnadarko AgencyCOMANCHE HOUSING
26 September 2007Debris and open burning1.0 acresAnadarko AgencyPOEMOCEAH
14 September 2018Debris and open burningunder an acreAnadarko AgencyFODDER
27 August 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreAnadarko AgencyPLOW UNIT
13 August 2001Missing data/not specified/undetermined10 acresAnadarko AgencyKANITOBE
4 July 2001Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresAnadarko AgencyTAKOWAH
25 July 2007Fireworks2.0 acresAnadarko AgencyTOKOYERP
26 June 2018Arson/incendiarism2.2 acresAnadarko AgencyINDIAN HIGHWAY

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Cotton County

Mines and quarries near this place

6 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Walters: 6 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Unknown Shale PitClayPast Producer
Unknown Sand PitsSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel PitsSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel PitsSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Unknown Sand and Gravel PitsSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Cotton County

Storms near this place

60 of 156 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Walters in 156 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 73 thunderstorm wind, 67 hail, 7 flash flood, 5 tornado. The reports record 3 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2000Thunderstorm WindWalters3 hurt, $42,000Two mobile homes were destroyed, with one of them occupied by a family of 3 at the time. The 3 family members were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Power poles and trees were also downed, and several vehicles were moved slightly with their windows being broken.
May 2000Thunderstorm WindWalters$600,000Five large transmission poles were downed on the north side of Walters. The high school lost about one third of its overlayment on the west side of the gym. Nine homes were destroyed, 6 severely damaged, and 15 with minor to moderate damage. Thirty homes in total were damaged, 20 of them mobile homes.
August 1996Tornado (F1)Walters$100,000no account filed
May 2004Thunderstorm WindWalters$60,000A historic downtown store front was heavily damaged when it caved in due to the strong winds that moved through the town. The store was originally built in 1920.
June 2007Flash FloodWalters$40,000Water was reported inside several homes and business. Monetary damages were estimated.
July 1998LightningWalters$40,000no account filed
May 2013Thunderstorm WindWalters$20,000A large barn was destroyed.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindWalters$15,000Roof of a large aluminum building partially removed. Several power poles blown over in the vicinity as well. Time is radar estimated.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindWalters$15,000Ten power poles were downed on Highway 5 due to the severe wind. Monetary damages were estimated.
March 2004Thunderstorm WindWalters$15,000A semi-truck was blown over near the Walters toll booth on Interstate 44.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindWalters$10,000Many power lines were downed.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindWalters$5,000Power poles snapped. Time is radar estimated.
February 2001Thunderstorm WindWalters$5,000Wind gust was measured by Oklahoma mesonet. Numerous power poles were also downed across the area.
April 1995Thunderstorm WindWalters$5,000no account filed
July 1995Thunderstorm WindWalters$5,000no account filed
September 2000Thunderstorm WindWalters$2,000Four power poles were downed.
August 1999Thunderstorm WindWalters$2,000no account filed
October 2000Tornado (F0)Walters$1,500Damage from this tornado was very minor and confined to an area from 1 mile west of Walters to 1 mile northwest of Walters. A few swing sets were overturned. A television antenna was bent, and an empty agricultural trailer was rolled about 50 feet over a chain-link fence. In addition, south and west facing doors were blown off a sheet metal storage building at the Rodeo Expo Center on Highway 53, which is on the northwest side of Walters. A small section of the roof was also peeled back.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindWalters$1,500no account filed
September 2000Thunderstorm WindWalters$1,000A roof made of tin was blown off a barn.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindWalters$20A section of a six-foot wood fence was blown over at a private residence.
November 1996Thunderstorm WindWalters$10no account filed
March 2026HailWalters-Hail sizes increased from quarter to half dollar at this location during the event time. The report was relayed through mPING.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
March 2025HailWalters-Location is approximate and the event time is estimated from radar observations.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation. A heat burst was likely responsible for this event.
May 2025HailWalters-The event time is estimated from radar observations.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
April 2025HailWalters-The report was relayed through mPING.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindWalters-Personal weather station observation.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindWalters-Personal weather station measurement.
November 2024Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
November 2024Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
May 2024HailWalters-Social media image. Time is radar estimated and location is approximate.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
September 2023Thunderstorm WindWalters-Personal weather station (KOKWALTE4) observation.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindWalters-Walters (WAL2) Mesonet observation.
March 2020Flash FloodWalters-Several county roads are flooded, including Elevator Rd, Highway 5B.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindWalters-No damage reported. Unknown recording instrument.
May 2017Flash FloodWalters-Street flooding was in the city of Walters.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindWalters-No damage reported.
April 2013HailWalters-No damage was reported.
June 2011HailWalters-The hail was reported near the intersection of Highways 53 and 65.
August 2008Flash FloodWalters-Three to six inches of rain in a short amount of time resulted in numerous county roads being closed.
August 2007Heavy RainWalters-A total of 8.50 inches of rainfall was recorded over a 24-hour period ending on the 19th.
March 2007Flash FloodWalters-Rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches over Cotton County during the morning and afternoon of March 30 produced flash flooding in the area. At 1400 CST, a Cotton County official reported that East Cache Creek was out its banks near the NS2620 County Road 1.5 miles north-northwest of Walters.
March 2007Flash FloodWalters-Rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches over Cotton County during the morning and afternoon of March 30 produced flash flooding in the area. At 1430 CST, a Cotton County official reported that several streets on the northern edge of the city of Walters were closed due high water.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindWalters-Wind gust was measured by the Oklahoma mesonet.
October 2006FloodWalters-In southwestern Oklahoma, rainfall totals of 3 to 4 inches over Cotton County generated heavy runoff and East Cache Creek experienced a crest above flood stage on October 16. A crest occurred at 8:00 am CST on October 16 as East Cache Creek reached a gage height of 22.3 feet, 1.3 feet above flood stage, and remained above flood stage from 1:30 am CST until 3:45 pm CST on October 16. Minor agricultural flooding occurred during this event.
June 2005HailWalters-Hail was observed at mile marker 22 on Interstate 44, just north of the Walters exit.
October 2004Tornado (F0)Walters-Several people observed and photographed this tornado moving northeast across open country. No damage was reported. This was the second tornado produced by a mini-supercell. The same mini-supercell had produced a tornado near Burkburnett, Texas earlier.
April 2003Tornado (F0)Walters-Storm chasers observed this brief tornado develop five miles south of Chattanooga and move north two miles before dissipating in open country north of Highway 5.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindWalters-Wind was measured by the Oklahoma mesonet.
May 2003HailWalters-Hail was observed at the Walters toll booth on Interstate 44.

Every storm recorded in Cotton County

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.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Fivemile Corner4.3 miles10
Temple7.2 miles10
Cookietown9.7 miles9
Hulen11.0 miles12
Taylor12.9 miles10
Randlett15.1 miles10
Hooper15.6 miles10
Devol18.8 miles9

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 WaltersAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2039617The 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 1099338. 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.