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District Highlights

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Turner Falls

Located in the southwest region of Oklahoma, the Fourth District covers territory in 15 counties: Carter, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Garvin, Grady, Jefferson, Love, McClain, Murray, Pontotoc, Stephens and Tillman; as well as a small portion of Oklahoma and Canadian counties.

Our district celebrates a rich cultural and military history, along with economic diversity and vast agricultural assets and products. The largest employers in the district include Fort Sill Army Post, Tinker Air Force Base and the University of Oklahoma. Citizens of the Fourth District, both young and old, are blessed with an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic that has prepared them to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Welcome to the Fourth District of Oklahoma!

Military Installations

Tinker Air Force Base located in Midwest City is Oklahoma's single largest employer with about 26,000 employees, including 8,000 military. Tinker's footprint is 5,424 acres which has an economic impact of about $3.6 billion. The largest component of Tinker is the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center that provides depot maintenance, management expertise, product support and supply chain management as well as installation, services and information support. Tinker is also home to six major Department of Defense, Air Force and Navy activities with critical national defense missions.

Fort Sill Army Post is composed of about 94,000 acres or 145 square miles of mountains, rolling hills and prairie in the southwestern part of the state outside of Lawton. Fort Sill is the third largest single site employer in Oklahoma, bringing more than $24 billion into Oklahoma over the last 12 years. Fort Sill's contributions to the nation's defense include Air Defense Artillery School, Basic Officer Leaders Course, Field Artillery School and Fort Sill NCO Academy. All field artillery Soldiers and Marines receive their training at Fort Sill, as well as many international students from allied nations. Fort Sill is home to the Field Artillery Training Command.

Oil and Gas

Oklahoma has a long history in the energy industry with the first year of oil production in 1891. In fact, when Oklahoma became a state in 1907, it ranked first in oil production in the United States. The oil and gas industry remains an important source of employment in Oklahoma. Carter and Stephens counties, both located in the Fourth District (along with Oklahoma county), are most aided economically by the energy industry.

World's First School of Petroleum Geology

Charles Newton Gould, known as the "Father of Oklahoma Geology," founded in 1900 what is now the School of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Oklahoma. It was the first school of petroleum geology ever to be established in the world.

Agriculture

According to the 2012 U.S. Census of Agriculture, the Fourth District is the home to more than 13,200 farms across approximately 5 million acres of land. Rye, winter wheat, pecans, sorghum and peanuts are some of Oklahoma's foremost crops. Oklahoma ranks 1st in the nation in the production of rye, 3rd in the nation in the production of winter wheat, 6th in the production of pecans, 6th in the production of grain sorghum, 7th in peanuts and 12th in watermelon. Our state is also a large producer of cattle and ranks 5th in the nation; hog and cattle production in Oklahoma totals 3.3 billion pounds per year.

Chickasaw National Recreation Area

Chickasaw National Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park System, was established in 1906 to provide for the protection of its unique recreational, cultural and natural resources--including springs, streams, lakes, hiking trails and historic structures. From prehistoric times to the present, access to the combination of cool water, mineral springs, cool breezes, shade and wildlife has created an experience that sets it apart from the surrounding environment.

Wichita Wildlife Refuge

Established in 1901, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge consists of 59,020 acres of land. It is one of more than 530 refuges managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service across the United States. The refuge provides habitat for large native grazing animals such as American bison, Rocky Mountain elk, white-tailed deer, and Texas longhorn cattle. More than 50 mammal, 240 bird, 64 reptile and amphibian, 36 fish and 806 plant species thrive at this important refuge.

Turner Falls Park

Operated by the town of Davis and located in the heart of the Arbuckle Mountains, Turner Falls is the oldest park in Oklahoma. Known for the 77-foot waterfall and natural swimming pool beneath Honey Creek, the park draws thousands of visitors each year for swimming, hiking and camping. There is even a castle tucked away on the grounds to explore.