Map of Foss town

Foss is a town in Washita County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 151, an 18.9 percent increase from 127 at the 2000 census.

Foss town overview:
Name:	Foss town
LSAD Code:	43
LSAD Description:	town (suffix)
State:	Oklahoma
County:	Washita County
Elevation:	1,640 ft (500 m)
Total Area:	0.74 sq mi (1.91 km²)
Land Area:	0.74 sq mi (1.91 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Total Population:	101
Population Density:	137.23/sq mi (52.96/km²)
ZIP code:	73647
Area code:	580
FIPS code:	4027450
GNISfeature ID:	1092972

Online Interactive Map

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Foss online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Foss location map. Where is Foss town?

Foss location on the U.S. Map. Where is Foss town. — Foss location on the U.S. Map.

Foss location on the Oklahoma map. Where is Foss town. — Location of Foss in Oklahoma.

History

The history of Foss began when settlers from the area of the Wilson post office moved four miles north to the valley of Turkey Creek in the late 1890s. They initially wanted their new post office to be called Graham, but since that name was already taken it was named Maharg (an anagram of Graham). A flash flood on May 2, 1902 wiped out the town on Turkey Creek, destroying businesses and drowning several people. The town rebuilt on higher ground and was named Foss. The post office began operation on September 15, 1900.

The town expanded rapidly. By 1905 the town had a population between 900 and 1000 residents. It had two banks, three cotton gins, and by 1912 had an electric plant, two hotels and an opera house. It also had plants to manufacture hay balers, baby carriages, and brooms. The population stabilized near 500. In the 1920s the town began to have economic problems as the nearby cities of Clinton and Elk City absorbed more and more trade. During the Great Depression more people moved away.

During World War II, the town boasted a population of over 300 residents, relying primarily on Route 66 travellers (which passed half a mile south of the city) and a U.S. naval base south of the town that operated during wartime. A gas station and a café also operated in the town around that time.

Though in the 1950s and 1960s there was an economic revival due to the nearby Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base at Burns Flat. When the base closed and Interstate 40 bypassed Foss the town declined further. The last bank left in September 1977.

Foss had two newspapers, the Foss Enterprise and the Foss Banner. It was served by the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (Rock Island) railroad. The Enterprise went out of business in the 1930s.

Foss Road Map

Foss city Satellite Map

Geography

Foss is located at 35°27′12″N 99°10′15″W / 35.45333°N 99.17083°W / 35.45333; -99.17083 (35.453305, -99.170754), elevation 1,629 feet (497 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km), all land.

Foss is at the intersection of Interstate 40 and Oklahoma State Highway 44.

Foss State Park on Foss Reservoir is about 6 miles to the north. The Washita National Wildlife Refuge is at the north end of Foss Reservoir.