Barnsdall, Oklahoma

Quality 0.50 · 3 views · Updated 2 months ago

City in Osage County

title: "Barnsdall, Oklahoma" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1905-establishments-in-oklahoma-territory", "cities-in-osage-county,-oklahoma", "cities-in-oklahoma", "populated-places-within-the-osage-nation-reservation", "tulsa-metropolitan-area", "populated-places-established-in-1905"] description: "City in Osage County" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnsdall,_Oklahoma" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary City in Osage County ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Barnsdall, Oklahoma
settlement_type	City
nickname	Bigheart
image_skyline	BarnsdallMainStreetWell.jpg
image_caption	Barnsdall Main Street Well Site (2007)
image_map	OKMap-doton-Barnsdall.PNG
map_caption	Location of Barnsdall in Oklahoma
coordinates_footnotes
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	United States
subdivision_type1	State
subdivision_name1	Oklahoma
subdivision_type2	County
subdivision_name2	Osage
established_title	Founded
established_date	1905 (Bigheart)
1922 (Barnsdall)
established_title1	Platted
established_title2	Incorporated
named_for	James Bigheart
Theodore Barnsdall
government_type	Mayor-council
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Johnny Kelley
area_footnotes
area_total_sq_mi	1.18
area_land_sq_mi	0.98
area_water_sq_mi	0.20
area_total_km2	3.06
area_land_km2	2.55
area_water_km2	0.51
unit_pref	Imperial
elevation_footnotes
elevation_ft	735
population_footnotes
population_as_of	2020
population_total	1034
population_density_sq_mi	auto
population_density_km2	auto
timezone	Central (CST)
utc_offset	-6
timezone_DST	CDT
utc_offset_DST	-5
postal_code_type	ZIP Code
postal_code	74002
area_code_type	Area code
area_codes	539 / 918
blank_name	FIPS code
blank_info	40-04250
blank1_name	GNIS ID
blank1_info	2409788
website
::

| name = Barnsdall, Oklahoma | settlement_type = City | nickname = Bigheart | motto =

| image_skyline = BarnsdallMainStreetWell.jpg | image_caption = Barnsdall Main Street Well Site (2007) | image_flag = | image_seal =

| image_map = OKMap-doton-Barnsdall.PNG | map_caption = Location of Barnsdall in Oklahoma | image_map1 = | map_caption1 =

| government_footnotes = | government_type = Mayor-council | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Johnny Kelley

| elevation_footnotes = | elevation_ft = 735

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Scene_on_Main_Street_in_Bigheart,_Oklahoma.jpg" caption="Bigheart in 1910"] ::

The community was founded in 1905 and originally named Bigheart, for the Osage Chief James Bigheart. It was initially a 160-acre site along the Midland Valley Railroad in March 1905. The railroad opened Bigheart Station in September 1905 and the Bigheart Post Office opened in January 1906. The community was exempted from the Osage allotment, so lots could be sold to anyone. Lots were auctioned in May 1906. The first newspaper, the Bigheart Star, first appeared in 1906.

Joshua Cosden built the Southwest Refining Company oil refinery in 1910. He sold it to Stone and Webster of Boston, Massachusetts in 1917. The Barnsdall Oil Company had discovered the nearby Bigheart (later Barnsdall) oilfield in 1916. The Barnsdall Oil Company, bought the refinery in 1921. The community was renamed Barnsdall on January 1, 1922, in honor of Theodore N. Barnsdall.

Barnsdall experienced a tornado in April 1911, a major fire in March 1913 and a flood in September 1915. Despite these calamities, the population increased from 307 in 1910 to 2,099 in 1920. That proved to be the high point of population in the community.

Henry L. Doherty bought the holdings of Theodore N. Barnsdall, founder of Barnsdall Oil Company, in 1912. Barnsdall Refining Company renamed itself Bareco Oil Company in 1940. It ceased refining oil in 1946 and began producing microcrystalline waxes that year. Petrolite Corporation (later part of Baker Hughes) bought Bareco and continued to operate the plant. The business was sold to SK Capital in September 2020 and renamed NuCera Solutions; and, NuCera was sold in September 2022 to Chase Corporation. NuCera continued as operator until July 2024, when tornado damage lead to announcement of the plant's phased shutdown.

The Midland Valley Railroad trackage both north and south of Barnsdall has been abandoned, the southern portion in 2000. At least some of the route south of Barnsdall has been converted into a rail trail.

2024 tornadoes

On the evening of April 1, 2024, an EF1 tornado struck Barnsdall, damaging 35 homes, but no injuries were reported.

On the evening of May 6, 2024, an EF4 tornado hit the city, the second tornado in the city within five weeks. Peak wind speeds were estimated at 180 mph. Two fatalities occurred in Barnsdall as a result of the tornado, and several structures were completely destroyed. Barnsdall Nursing Home was among the structures that were damaged. Several buildings, including schools, were opened to those who had homes damaged or destroyed and needed shelter. At least ten people reportedly suffered injuries due to the tornado. Significant damage was done to the NuCera refinery.

Geography

Barnsdall is located 17 mile southeast of Pawhuska, the Osage County seat, and 40 miles northwest of Tulsa.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.6 sqmi, all land.

Climate

| location = Barnsdall, Oklahoma | single line = Y | Jan high F = 46.7 | Feb high F = 52.5 | Mar high F = 63.1 | Apr high F = 74.1 | May high F = 80.5 | Jun high F = 88.3 | Jul high F = 94.5 | Aug high F = 93.8 | Sep high F = 85.2 | Oct high F = 75.0 | Nov high F = 61.2 | Dec high F = 49.7 | year high F = 72.1 | Jan low F = 22.5 | Feb low F = 27.4 | Mar low F = 37.0 | Apr low F = 48.1 | May low F = 56.5 | Jun low F = 65.2 | Jul low F = 69.8 | Aug low F = 67.6 | Sep low F = 60.3 | Oct low F = 48.0 | Nov low F = 37.0 | Dec low F = 26.4 | year low F = 47.2 | Jan precipitation inch = 1.4 | Feb precipitation inch = 1.9 | Mar precipitation inch = 3.7 | Apr precipitation inch = 3.3 | May precipitation inch = 4.8 | Jun precipitation inch = 4.7 | Jul precipitation inch = 2.9 | Aug precipitation inch = 3.5 | Sep precipitation inch = 5.6 | Oct precipitation inch = 3.2 | Nov precipitation inch = 3.0 | Dec precipitation inch = 1.9 | year precipitation inch = 39.9 | source 1 = Weatherbase.com {{cite web | url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=535043&refer= | title = Historical Weather for Barnsdall, Oklahoma, United States}} | date = August 2010 | source = | width = auto

Demographics

|1910= 307 |1920= 2099 |1930= 2001 |1940= 1831 |1950= 1708 |1960= 1663 |1970= 1579 |1980= 1501 |1990= 1316 |2000= 1325 |2010= 1243 |2020= 1034 |footnote=2020 Cenus Results | align = right | align-fn = center

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Barnsdall had a population of 1,034. The median age was 39.2 years, with 25.1% of residents under the age of 18 and 19.6% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 89.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.9 males age 18 and over.

Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 395 households in Barnsdall, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.1% were married-couple households, 16.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 472 housing units, of which 16.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.4% were owner-occupied and 27.6% were renter-occupied, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 2.7% and a rental vacancy rate of 9.2%.

::data[format=table title="Racial composition as of the 2020 census{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME%2CP1_001N%2CP1_003N%2CP1_004N%2CP1_005N%2CP1_006N%2CP1_007N%2CP1_008N%2CP1_009N%2CP2_001N%2CP2_002N%2CH1_001N%2CH1_002N&for=place%3A04250&in=state%3A40|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=January 13, 2026|df=mdy}}"]

Race	Percent
White	64.3%
Black or African American	0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native	20.4%
Asian	0.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0.1%
Some other race	0.3%
Two or more races	14.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	1.7%
::

2022 American Community Survey

American Community Survey estimates, there were people and households. The population density was 1035.6 PD/sqmi. There were housing units at an average density of 468.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 65.6% White, 19.7% Native American or Alaskan Native, and 0.7% Black or African American, with 14.0% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.3% of the population.

Of the households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 5.8% were couples cohabitating, 11.7% had a male householder with no partner present, and 28.3% had a female householder with no partner present. The median household size was and the median family size was .

The age distribution was 28.0% under 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was years. For every 100 females, there were males.

The median income for a household was $, with family households having a median income of $ and non-family households $. The per capita income was $. Males working full-time jobs had median earnings of $ compared to $ for females. Out of the people with a determined poverty status, 6.5% were below the poverty line. Further, 2.2% of minors and 4.6% of seniors were below the poverty line.

In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People of German descent made up 16.0% of the population of the town, followed by Irish at 14.7%, American at 9.2%, English at 4.9%, Dutch at 2.5%, Caribbean (excluding Hispanics) at 1.4%, Scotch-Irish at 0.8%, and Arab at 0.7%.

Economy

NuCera Solutions was located in Barnsdall, a manufacturer of specialty waxes and polymers and the town's largest employer. On May 6, 2024, the plant sustained severe damage from an EF4 tornado. It was announced on July 30, 2024, that the plant would close permanently in 6–12 months, despite initial efforts to rebuild the plant.

Attractions

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/BankOfBigheartBuilding2.jpg" caption="[[Bank of Bigheart]] building in Barnsdall. Built in 1911, it is the community's oldest surviving commercial building."] ::

Barnsdall has two properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Osage County, Oklahoma:

Bank of Bigheart, which is the communities oldest commercial building
Barnsdall Main Street Well Site, an oil well in the middle of Main Street.

In addition, the Woolaroc Ranch Historic District, 8 miles east of the junction of State Highway 11 and State Highway 123, is near Barnsdall.

Lake Waxhoma, about 4 miles east, offers fishing opportunities, as well as being a key water source for the town.

Notable people

Anita Bryant (1940–2024), singer and anti-gay political activist, born in Barnsdall
Clark Gable (1901–1960), actor in Gone With the Wind, was born elsewhere but worked for a time in the Barnsdall area on oil rigs.
Thomas Hall (born 1939), retired U.S. Navy rear admiral
J. Edward Roush (1920–2004), lawyer, 8-term U.S. Representative from Indiana

References

"ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau.
{{cite gnis2. 2409788. Barnsdall, Oklahoma
"Profile of Barnsdall, Oklahoma in 2020". United States Census Bureau.
[http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=BA023 Jon D. May, "Barnsdall," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.] Accessed May 8, 2015.
[http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=DO006 Weaver, Bobby D. "Doherty, Henry Latham (1870 - 1939)." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.] Accessed December 1, 2016
"SK Capital Closes Acquisition of Specialty Polymers Business from Baker Hughes, Rebranding the Business NuCera Solutions; Announces Leadership Team". NuCera Solutions, September 30, 2020.
"Chase Corporation Announces Closing of Acquisition of NuCera Solutions". NuCera Solutions, September 6, 2022.
"Midland Valley Railroad". Augustus J. Veenendaal, Jr., Oklahoma Historical Society.
"Osage Railroad 1000 leads a South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad train in the Moline, KS yard in July 1991". Watco, July 19, 2018 (accessed on Facebook).
"Osage Prairie Trail". HikingProject.
(April 3, 2024). "Cleanup progresses in Barnsdall after April 1 tornado".
(7 May 2024). "LIVE BLOG: Tornado reported in Barnsdall".
"Barnsdall Hit By Tornado; Houses Damaged With Trees, Power Lines Downed".
[https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/live-blog-tornado-reported-in-barnsdall 1 killed by storms after apparent tornado hits Barnsdall; May 6, 2024; KJRH 2 TV.]
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/interactive/2024/deadly-tornado-strikes-oklahoma/ In photos: The scene after a deadly tornado strikes Oklahoma; May 8, 2024; The Washington Post.]
(May 9, 2024). "Deadly Barnsdall tornado gets preliminary EF4 rating, search continues for missing man: What we know".
"2020 Cenus Results". Census.gov.
(2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
(2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
(2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Selected Social Characteristics in the United States for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Demographic and Housing Estimates for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
"The 2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files".
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Housing Units for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Age and Sex for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Mean Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
"2022 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimate: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months for Barnsdall city, OK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
(July 30, 2024). "Barnsdall's biggest employer, NuCera Solutions plant, closing permanently after EF4 tornado".
"Lake Waxhoma". TravelOK.
"A patch on the Lake Waxhoma Dam has failed, flooding nearby rural roads and creeks". Jana Hayes, The Oklahoman, May 1, 2025.
"Lake Waxhoma". FishBrain.
"Connecting the Famous with Oklahoma". Newson6, June 24, 2001.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::