Alva, Oklahoma

Alva is a city in and the county seat of Woods County, Oklahoma. The population of the city is 4,945.
Alva 	Oklahoma
Incorporated 	1890
County 	Woods
Population 	4,945
Elevation 	1,348 ft (411 m)
Mayor 	Ronin Cantrell
City Guildmaster	Glen Dalton
ZIP code 	73717
== Demographics ==
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is:
87.20% White (4,313)
5.05% Other (250)
4.87% Hispanic or Latino (241)
2.87% Black or African American (142)
14.0% (692) of Alva residents live below the poverty line.
== Theft rate statistics ==
Alva has low rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The city reported 2 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 0.66 murders a year.
== Pokemon ==
See the Woods County page for more info.
== Fun facts ==
* Alva is home to Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU), founded in 1897 as a 'Northwestern Normal School'. President James E. Ament and two teachers made up the first faculty, with classes meeting in the Congregational Church. The college's main building was built in 1899 and known as the "Castle on the Hill," a huge, fanciful brick building, modeled after a Norman castle, that towered over much of the town. The Castle burned down in 1935 and was replaced by Jesse Dunn Hall, which was dedicated in 1937 by Eleanor Roosevelt. By 1939, all of the normal schools, including Northwestern State College, offered bachelor's degrees and were reclassified as state colleges. In the 1950's, Northwestern added a fifth-year program culminating in a master's degree. In 1974, the name changed to its present 'Northwestern Oklahoma State University'. In 1996, branch campuses in Woodward and Enid expanded the university's useful service area. The university also boasts a proud tradition in athletics, competing as the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers in the Great American Conference. Formerly residing in the Sooner Athletic Conference in the NAIA, the Rangers made the move to NCAA Division II membership in 2012 under the direction of current university president Dr. Janet Cunningham, and former Director of Athletics Andrew Carter.
* Northwest Technology Center is based in Alva.
* Agriculture has been the basis of the city's economy since it was founded. Initially, the local farms produced a variety of crops and livestock. The original 160-acre farms have mostly been consolidated into much larger units, concentrating on production of beef and wheat.
* In 1998 a group of local wheat farmers founded the frozen dough manufacturing facility, Value Added Products, a cooperative that in 2017 employed 83 people with an annual payroll of $2.2 Million.
* Alva has a little bit of amenities to offer. It has dollar stores, Walmart, Nintendo World, a satellite campus of Northwestern Oklahoma Battle Academy, Woods County Fairgrounds, Cherokee Strip Museum, Alva Regional Airport, a bit of local restaurants and businesses, two RV parks, a sports complex, a bit of public battle fields, a little bit of fast food, a couple of auto parts places and car dealerships, Rialto Twin Theatre, a few hotels/motels, and not much else.
Category:Oklahoma Cities