Part of the area opened in the Land Run of September 16, 1893, Harper County was named for Oscar G. Harper, clerk of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention. The mainstay of the Harper County economy is agriculture, but the production of oil and gas also plays an important economic role. Prime cattle are in evidence throughout the area and the Central Plains Feedyard feeds 22,000 cattle at a time. A modern veterinarian clinic and hospital with facilities for large animal surgery is close at hand. Located on the old Military Trail from Fort Supply to Fort Dodge, Buffalo, the county seat, is 12 miles south of the Kansas line and approximately 30 miles from Texas. With many of its original stone buildings still in use, Buffalo is the home of the State Highway Department's Sixth Division Headquarters. Modern schools and the Harper County Community Hospital, with the latest cardiac care equipment, and an airport, are located in Buffalo. Famous county residents include Roy Dunn, world champion wrestler; Mel Harpe, who recommended Knute Rockne as football coach for Notre Dame; and Jane Jayroe, Miss America, 1967. Annual events include the County Fair during early fall and the Laverne Trade Show in May. Location: Harper County borders the Kansas state line in northwestern Oklahoma. Climate: The average precipitation is 20.3 inches yearly in this area. January's average temperature is 38.1 degrees Fahrenheit and July's average is 77.7 degrees Fahrenheit. County Seat: Buffalo Distances: Buffalo to: Woodward - 35 miles Enid - 122 miles Oklahoma City - 175 miles Land Area: 1,040 square miles of wide prairie with two main streams in the county
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