Claimed by both Texas and the United States, Greer was adjudged by the U.S. Supreme Court to be part of Indian Territory in 1896 and was soon attached and opened for settlement. At the time of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention, the area was divided among Beckham, Greer and Jackson counties. Following statehood, Greer County was further divided to create Harmon County. The county was named for John A. Greer, Lieutenant Governor of Texas. The first meeting of the United States and the Plains Indians took place July 21, 1834, in a local Wichita village on Devil's Canyon. In attendance were Lt. Jefferson Davis and artist George Catlin. Willis Granite Products, Inc. and the Mangum Brick Plant, located in the county seat, add to the economy. The first shelter belt in the U.S. was established north of Mangum in 1936. Quartz Mountain State Park, the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Area (founded in 1986 and containing 16,000 acres), and Lake Altus provide recreational opportunities. The Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute takes place each June at Quartz Mountain Lodge, while the last weekend in April offers a rattlesnake derby, gun show and flea market at Mangum. Location: Greer County is in southwestern Oklahoma. Climate: The average precipitation is 36.0 inches yearly in this area. January's average temperature is 41.8 degrees Fahrenheit and July's average is 81.1 degrees Fahrenheit. County Seat: Mangum Distances: Mangum to: Altus - 25 miles Lawton - 81 miles Oklahoma City - 145 miles Land Area: 643 square miles of rolling hills and rugged terrain
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