Editing Norman, Oklahoma

[[image:Bizzellibrary.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Bizzell Library, University of Oklahoma]]
'''Norman''', Oklahoma USA, the home of The University of Oklahoma, is the county seat and largest city in [[Cleveland County, Oklahoma|Cleveland County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Oklahoma]], and is part of the [[Oklahoma City Metroplex|Oklahoma City]] Metropolitan Statistical Area. 

Norman, a fast growing suburb, is situated 20 minutes south of downtown [[Oklahoma City]] and is the third largest city in the state. As of [[July]], [[2005]], the city had 101,719 full-time residents. It is the business and employment center of [[Cleveland County, Oklahoma|Cleveland County]]{{GR|6}}.

Norman is best known as the location of the [[University of Oklahoma]], making it a center of culture, technology, and scientific research. Norman is one of the world's most prominent centers of [[meteorology]]. The city is home to many [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] organizations, and the university's meteorology department is one of the most highly regarded in the world. The NOAA and University meteorological agencies and departments are housed within the newly-opened [[National Weather Center]], located in the south part of the City along State Highway 9.  Along with the offices within the NWC,  several companies, including [http://weathernews.com WeatherNews], have located offices on the [[OU Research Campus]] alongside the new facility.   Norman is the birthplace of [[Doppler radar]].

Norman is also home to the university-operated [[Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History]], (one of the largest of its kind) and the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art, which made news in 2001 when it was given the Weitzenhoffer Collection, the single most important collection of impressionist art ever given to an American university, including works by [[Mary Cassatt]], [[Vincent van Gogh]], [[Paul Gauguin]], [[Pierre-Auguste Renoir]], and [[Camille Pissarro]], among others.

Norman's picture-book Main Street is a great source of pride for Normanites, as are the many shady, tree-lined housing areas that surround the OU campus. The west side of town has seen the most development in recent years, including affluent areas like Brookhaven, a sprawling neighborhood of townhomes, apartments, large estates and upscale retail and dining. The east side is older and includes the areas around the OU campus and downtown. Both areas retain their historic appearance and resemble what most people would think of as the core area of a college town. In 2006, [[Money Magazine]] ranked Norman as the 40th best place to live in the United States, the highest of any city in Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top100/index2.html | publisher=MONEY Magazine | language=English | format=HTML | title=Best Places to Live | accessdate=2006-07-17 }}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:OKMap-doton-Norman.PNG|right|Location of Norman, Oklahoma]]
Norman is located at {{coor dms|35|13|18|N|97|25|6|W|city}} (35.221617, -97.418236){{GR|1}}.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 490.8 [[km²]] (189.5 [[square mile|mi²]]). 458.5 km² (177.0 mi²) of it is land and 32.4 km² (12.5 mi²) of it (6.60%) is water.

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 95,694 people, 38,834 households, and 22,562 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 208.7/km² (540.6/mi²). There were 41,547 housing units at an average density of 90.6/km² (234.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.36% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 4.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 4.45% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 3.49% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.37% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.01% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.89% of the population.

There were 38,834 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 21.4% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,713, and the median income for a family was $51,189. Males had a median income of $35,896 versus $26,394 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $20,630. About 7.8% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.


[[Image:Abner_norman.JPG|frame|left|Abner Norman statue outside City Hall.]]


== History ==
The [[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway]] planned Norman as a station site in [[Indian Territory]] in 1886-87, taking the name "Norman's Camp," a phrase that (the story goes) had been carved in a nearby tree 16 years earlier by the crew of a U.S. Land Office [[Surveyor (surveying)|surveyor]], Abner E. Norman, who camped nearby while mapping the area. The town itself, while platted by the railroad, wasn't settled until the [[land run|Great Land Run of 1889]], the mad dash by settlers to claim the [[Unassigned Lands]] at the center of Indian Territory. 

By nightfall on April 22, 1889, Norman probably had several hundred residents, camped in tents and covered wagons on town lots that wouldn't remain vacant for long. Almost overnight, the settlement developed into a thriving town. It was near Norman, in [[1895]], that [[Wild Bunch|Doolin Gang]] members [[George Newcomb (Outlaw)|George "Bittercreek" Newcomb]] and Charlie Pierce were killed by the [[Rose Dunn|"Dunn Brothers"]], who were [[bounty hunter]]s from [[Ingalls, Oklahoma]].

== Business ==
Norman is a global center for the sciences of [[Meteorology]] and [[Geology]] and related research fields. The local business community boasts major employers like Hitachi, [[United Parcel Service|UPS]], Albon Engineering, Xyant Technology, Office Max, ClientLogic, [[National Center for Employee Development]], Immuno-Mycologics, Inc., the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] and several other research companies and smaller firms that take advantage of Norman's hot business climate.

Currently the nation's 4th largest retail site (University Town Center, a project by the OU Regents), is being built in Norman along I 35, between Robinson Street and Tecumseh Road (2-mile stretch). When completed, the site will also include mixed-use development such as hotels and offices in addition to retail.

== Community events ==
*[http://medievalfair.occe.ou.edu/ Medieval Fair (Reeves Park)]
*[http://www.jazzinjune.org/ Jazz in June (different venues)]
*[http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/links/may_fair.htm May Fair Arts Festival (Andrew's Park)]
*[http://thepas.org/blog/nfblog/?page_id=16 SummerBreeze Concert Series]
*[[Mardi Gras]] [[parade]] ([[downtown]] Norman)
*[http://www.normanfirehouse.com/events/msnf06.asp Midsummer Nights' Fair] (Lion's Park)
*[http://www.ouimprov.com/ Obviously Unrehearsed Improv (different venues)]

== Transportation ==
===Air===
Norman is served by [http://airport.ou.edu University of Oklahoma/Max Westheimer Airport] (OUN).

===Rail===
[[Norman (Amtrak station)|Norman's Depot]] is served by [[Heartland Flyer|Amtrak's ''Heartland Flyer.'']]

===Road===
Norman is served by several major roadways, as well as a public transit system
*[[Interstate 35]]
*[[State Highway 9 (Oklahoma)]]
*[[U.S. Route 77]]

Darren,Thanks for your hard work on this. It's very helpful to have a guide for tknihing through what we should be covering in the Upper School (as well as the whole school), and I like the way you have presented it for that division in particular. I think the emphasis on giving students choice in demonstrating their skills is important; that is something that Emily M and I have been discussing as we revise the 9th Grade World History course, which will have a  Culminating Project  for the the final 5 weeks of the year that is designed to bring together all the skills students have developed over the year into a self-generated demonstration of learning with a technology focus. We will seek your input on this as we develop it further. I also think your emphasis on meeting students new to St. Paul's where they are skills-wise and providing them with tools to catch up if necessary is dead-on. Bravo!Brandon

== Notable residents and natives ==
Actors: [[James Garner]], [[Jim Ross]], [[Alice Ghostley]], [[Christian Kane]], [[Milena Govich]]

Musicians and bands: [[Toby Keith]], [[Vince Gill]], [[Chainsaw Kittens]], [[The Flaming Lips]], [[Conway Twitty]], [[Starlight Mints]], [[Evangelicals]], [[The Neighborhood]], [[Stardeath and White Dwarfs]], [[Ghost of Monkshood]], [[The Separation]], [[Magnificent Bird]], [[Year of the Jackalope]], [[The Purple Cow Story]],  [[It's Hysterical]], [[The Gunship]],  

Athletes: [[Barry Switzer]], [[Bart Conner]], [[Nadia Comaneci]], [[Bob Stoops]], [[Mark Bradley]], [[Steve Williams (wrestler)|Steve Williams]], [[Roy Williams (safety)|Roy Williams]], [[Tommie Harris]], [[Dean Blevins]], [[Steve Owens (football)|Steve Owens]], [[Jason White (American football)|Jason White]], [[Scott Harper (high jump)]]

Writers: [[Martin Gardner]], Harold Keith

Politicians: [[David L. Boren]], [[Carl Albert]]

Scientists: [[Karl Guthe Jansky]]

Designers: [[Kayne Gillaspie]]

==Sister cities==
*[[Image:Flag_of_France.svg|20px| ]] [[Clermont-Ferrand]], [[France]]
*[[Image:Flag_of_Mexico.svg|20px| ]] [[Colima, Mexico|Colima]], [[Mexico]]
*{{border|[[Image:Flag_of_Japan.svg|20px| ]]}} [[Seika, Japan|Seika]], [[Japan]]

==See also==
*[[2005 University of Oklahoma bombing]]

==References==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>

{{Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area}}

==External links==
*{{Mapit-US-cityscale|35.221617|-97.418236}}
*[http://www.visitnorman.com/index.asp Visit Norman]
*[http://urbanok.9.forumer.com/ Urban OK Forums -- Norman Civic & Development Discussion]
*[http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/ Official city website]
*[http://www.jazzinjune.org/ Jazz in June festival]
*[http://thepas.org/blog/nfblog/?page_id=16 SummerBreeze Concert Series]

{{Oklahoma}}

[[Category:Cities in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Cleveland County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:County seats in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area]]
[[Category:University towns in the United States]]

[[de:Norman (Oklahoma)]]
[[fr:Norman (Oklahoma)]]
[[io:Norman, Oklahoma]]
[[pl:Norman (Oklahoma)]]