Saturday, June 29, 2019

Optima, Oklahoma -- It's Out There


Optima is in Texas County, the middle county of the Oklahoma Panhandle. Cimarron County is to the west, and Beaver County to the east. The Panhandle is 166 miles wide and keeps Texas from bordering on Colorado and Kansas.

History of the Oklahoma Panhandle is tied in with the history of Texas. At one time, that part of the country was part of the Republic of Texas, although Mexico, loser of the Texas Revolution, refused to recognize what the Texicans said. When Texas agreed to become part of the United States, the Lone Star Republic gave up its claim to what are now parts of the states of Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado and a small part of Utah.

Optima has a Lincoln Street and a Jefferson Street.

The city’s 2010 population was 356, the highest ever. The Census Bureau says the population is demographed at 79.32% white, 0.74% African-American, 0.38% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 13.53% Other Races, 5.26% of Two or More races, and 48.12% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

It’s always a good thing to know, that Americans are judged by the content of their character, and not by the color of their skin.

Optima Lake has a dam, but sometimes no water.

“Optima Lake is located in the panhandle of Oklahoma in Texas County on the Beaver River, approximately 4 1/2 miles northeast of Hardesty, and 20 miles east of Guymon. All public use areas around the lake are accessible as points. The water level in the lake has never reached normal pool. Visitors should be aware that the lake's level can be very low. Depending on rainfall and evaporation rates, the lake may offer no water-based recreation and may not be suitable for swimming, fishing, boating or other activities. Visitors should come for the quiet natural setting -- with or without water in the lake area. There is approximately 3400 acres of land public hunting land managed by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and approximately 4300 acres of Federal Wildlife Refuge. The primary species available are quail, deer, dove, pheasant, and turkey. The public hunting area is open year round, and is governed by Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation regulations.


If you search “images optima ok lake,” you will find more than a few photographs of those “natural settings – with or without water in the lake area.”

That means, “The lake be dry.”

Optima is probably an OK place to live. It is Out There, which oftentimes is a good place.

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