Kay County, Oklahoma

Kay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 46,562. Its county seat is Newkirk, and the largest city is Ponca City.Kay County comprises the Ponca City, OK Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is in north central Oklahoma on the Kansas state line.Before statehood, Kay County was formed from the “Cherokee Strip” or “Cherokee Outlet” and originally designated as county “K.” Its name means simply that. Kay County is the only county to keep its same name as the Oklahoma area moved from a territory to a state.HistoryAfter the Civil War, the Cherokee Nation had to allow the Federal Government to relocate other Native American tribes to settle in the area known as the Cherokee Outlet, The Kansa (Kaw) arrived in June 1873, settling in what would become the northeastern part of Kay County. The Ponca followed in 1877. The Nez Perce came from the Pacific Northwest in 1879, but remained only until 1885, when they returned to their earlier homeland. Their assigned land in Oklahoma was then occupied by the Tonkawa and Lipan Apache people.The Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, north of Newkirk, was a boarding school for Indians that operated from 1884 to 1980. Its enrollment peaked at 1,300 in the 1950s and its graduates include members of 126 Indian tribes. The distinguished old buildings of the school were constructed of local limestone.