Purcell, Oklahoma
Purcell is a city of 6,803 people in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, founded in 1887.
Why visit Purcell
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Hotel Love and James C. Nance Memorial Bridge.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Purcell
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Purcell
Purcell is a city in and the county seat of McClain County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,651, a 13% increase from 2010.
From the Wikipedia article Purcell, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks5
Hotel Love
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Hotel building in Purcell, Oklahoma
James C. Nance Memorial Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Bridge in Oklahoma
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McClain County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
County courthouse in Purcell, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes6
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 2.8 mi
802 East Broadway Street, Lexington
Mo-Sa 07:00-22:00; Su 09:00-22:00
History
Purcell was at the north end of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway, owned by the AT&SF. Today, Amtrak serves the town with the Heartland Flyer at the station near the old AT&SF depot.
Purcell was the only town on the border of the Unassigned Lands, and began attracting hopeful settlers even before the Land Rush of 1889. Town lots went on sale April 5, 1887, and a post office was established 16 days later. The Purcell Register, the town's oldest newspaper, was established in 1887, and continued operating into the 21st Century. Residents elected the town's first mayor, James Taylor Bradley, on August 13, 1895. The town was incorporated on October 3, 1898.
Located on the Canadian River, it was called the "Queen City of the Chickasaw Nation." In 1895, one of the five district courts of the Chickasaw Nation was located in Purcell, with the first session opening November 18, 1895. The court house escaped destruction the next day, when a fire destroyed most of the buildings in the business district.
Construction of the Oklahoma Central Railroad ("OCR"), which would connect the Lehigh coal mines with Chickasha, reached Purcell in March 1907. The OCR located its main yards, barns and most of its equipment in Purcell. Although the OCR went bankrupt in the following year, its assets were acquired by the AT&SF.
From the History section of Purcell, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship5
Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.8 mi
307 West Jefferson Street, Purcell
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare1
Map of Purcell
50 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 26°F | 1.4 in |
| Feb | 58°F | 31°F | 1.7 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 40°F | 2.7 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 48°F | 4.0 in |
| May | 81°F | 57°F | 5.8 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 67°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 70°F | 3.4 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 68°F | 3.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 62°F | 3.9 in |
| Oct | 76°F | 50°F | 3.3 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 38°F | 2.2 in |
| Dec | 54°F | 30°F | 2.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Purcell 2 Sw (3 mi away), rain and snow from Purcell 6.7 W, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cleveland County has had 34 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-10-07: Severe Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds (Fire)
- 2025-03-15: East Thunderbird Fire (Fire)
- 2023-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2021-02-24: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-17: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
University of Oklahoma Max Westheimer Airport (OUN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Lexington 2 mi east, about 4 min by car
- Noble 8 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Goldsby 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Norman 15 mi north, about 24 min by car
- Blanchard 18 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Lindsay 18 mi southwest, about 30 min by car
- Newcastle 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Moore 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Pauls Valley 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
- Oklahoma City 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- The Canadian, Purcell, Oklahoma (88236), "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass., Public domain
- Hotel Love, David Dobbs, CC BY-SA 3.0
- McClain County Courthouse, David Dobbs, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nance Bridge, Scott5114, CC BY-SA 3.0
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