I mentioned a couple of months ago that the population in Chickasha surpassed 17,000 as of July of 2024, but it’s pretty obvious that we aren’t stopping there. For the fiscal year 2024/25, the City of Chickasha issued 124 residential permits. This has been a consistent trend the past few years and is much needed for our town.
It amazes me the amount of people that work in Chickasha, but live somewhere else and commute here each day. Forty percent of the people that work in Chickasha, drive at least 25 minutes a day one way. Let that sink in for a minute. Forty percent… Most people assume that many of the people that live here commute to other areas like OKC to work, but rarely think about the amount that commute here.
Where should new housing additions be built? What size of homes should be built and what price range should they be in? Should there be more housing developed in the upper floors of cool old buildings in Downtown? Lots of issues to be discussed as our City moves forward and we continue to grow.
There is so much data that shows that the OKC metro is spreading toward our area. New exits are planned on I-44 and when the Highway 81 bypass is completed years from now, there will be new exits created off of that. Traffic patterns will certainly influence where new housing developments are planned. Chickasha presents a huge opportunity for the right housing developers, it will be exciting to see what happens and where. This is also great news for our local businesses that will benefit from new people moving into town. So many positives are lining up for our future, this growth will help us enjoy all #TheGoodStuff!
There is something Beautiful happening in chickasha
When community works together
What do the numbers say? Week of Sep 23, 2026
THEGOODSTUFF:
When you live in a Community proudly known as Christmas Town, July isn’t just hot, it’s the start of the holiday season. That’s right…Christmas in July isn’t just a cute phrase in Chickasha. It’s when the real work begins. While most folks are thinking about cookouts and pool days or the Christmas Cool Down block party
#Thegoodstuff: free family fun on the fourth!
The story of Drover Hills Golf Course is exactly why I started writing #TheGoodStuff. Not long ago, the future of Chickasha’s golf course looked pretty bleak. The previous owners were seriously exploring the idea of turning the land into a housing development. For a lot of communities, that would have been the end of the story: another golf course lost, another green space gone. Chickasha chose a different path. Instead of watching the course disappear, the City of Chickasha stepped in and purchased the property. That decision bought time, but more importantly, it opened the door for the Community to reimagine what this course could be. A group of local business leaders came together, raised money, and formed a nonprofit called the Chickasha Golf Foundation. Their vision wasn’t just to save a golf course; it was to create a youth-focused golf experience that would serve both young and old, beginner and seasoned player. They now lease the land from the City and have thrown the doors open wide. The course is open to the public and has been given a new name with deep local meaning: Drover Hills Golf Course, a tribute to Chickasha’s history and to the USAO Drovers. While Drover Hills is new in name, it’s rich in tradition. Golf on that land dates back to 1915. In 1928, it first hosted the Washita Valley tournament, which is recognized as the oldest golf tournament in the state of Oklahoma. That’s nearly a century of memories, competition, and Community on those fairways. Instead of bulldozing that history, Drover Hills is embracing it, honoring the past while building something new for the future. The Chickasha Golf Foundation hasn’t stopped at just mowing greens and keeping the course alive. They’ve already raised enough in donations to build the Orville Moody Practice Facility, dedicated to helping young people learn the game. Orville “Sarge” Moody’s story is woven into this place. He grew up right here, helping his dad take care of the course. In 1969, he went on to win the U.S. Open, one of golf’s greatest championships. From Chickasha to the top of the golf world…proof that big dreams can begin on small-town grass. Now, kids in Chickasha can practice at a facility that carries his name, on the same ground where his story started. Ask around town, and you’ll hear the same thing…”Drover Hills is in the best shape anyone can remember.” Fairways are greener, greens are cleaner, and there’s a renewed sense of pride in the place. That doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of people who care deeply about their community and are willing to show up, roll up their sleeves, and do the work, and that story starts with Cary DeHart. As Cary has taken a break from his role as CEO of Willowbrook, he’s chosen to spend his time volunteering to run the course. His commitment to serve, quiet, steady, and genuine, has been contagious. People see his example and want to be part of it. Leaders like Pete Bush and many others have followed suit, investing their time, energy, and resources because they believe Chickasha’s young people deserve a place to learn the game, build confidence, and belong. Next week, Drover Hills is going to host a fundraiser dinner called “Legacy and Links.” It will be held on Thursday, July 2 nd and they will share their Mission and Vision for the course. This is perfect timing as the Washita Valley Golf Tournament will start the next day. Call the course to reserve your spot for the dinner or the tournament or both. This is just another example of Community leaders stepping up to share #TheGoodStuff!
Growing up in Chickasha in the 1970s was a pretty special time. Downtown was hopping with retail and Chickasha had recently been recognized as an All American City by the National Civic League. For a kid coming of age here, it felt like the center of the world. My first job was Downtown at the old Dixie Department Store. Back then, you could walk downtown on a Saturday and see people on every block, every storefront lit up and busy. It was a fun time to be here, and an even better time to be a kid with a front-row seat to a community that believed in itself. At the center of my world was my dad. To me, he was simply my hero. To most everyone else, he was their driver’s ed teacher, their VICA sponsor, or the assistant principal at Chickasha High School. A lot of you reading this may have sat in his classroom, ridden in the driver’s ed car with your white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, or visited with him in the hallways at CHS. His name was John P. Cowan. Forty years ago, just days before Father’s Day, my hero passed away from heart problems. It’s hard to believe it has been that long. Anniversaries like that have a way of making you look back, not just on the person you lost, but on the place and the people who helped shape you. As I reflect on growing up here, and on what called me back home in 2020, it’s easy to see my dad’s fingerprints all over that decision. He cast a big shadow, not in the sense of something to get out from under, but as a place of protection and purpose to stand within. Any time I’m having a rough day, I drive down the street named after him after he passed away. Thank you to then Mayor Charlie Furguson for making that street dedication happen. He was a husband and a father, but he was also something else… he was invested in this town. He believed in Chickasha, in its kids, in its future. Whether it was teaching teenagers how to parallel park, helping students in VICA learn skills that would carry them into careers, or serving as assistant principal at the high school, he poured himself into this community. He understood that building a life wasn’t just about taking care of your own household, it was also about taking care of your hometown. This past Sunday, the Chamber hosted a Flag Day celebration in Downtown Chickasha, just half a block from where I worked my very first job. That event, full of flags, families, and familiar faces was held as part of our ongoing effort to honor the 25th anniversary of Chickasha being recognized as an All American City and America’s 250 th birthday. Standing there, so close to where my working life began, watching our community gather in celebration of our country and our town, I couldn’t help but think about him, and about all the fathers who came before us. As we celebrate Father’s Day in Chickasha, I want to say thank you to all the incredible fathers in our community today. Those raising kids, coaching teams, leading classrooms, running businesses, volunteering at church, and showing up in a thousand quiet ways that may never make the paper but absolutely make a difference. And I especially want to thank my father, John P. Cowan, for standing up so many years ago and casting a shadow that I am honored to stand in today. His example is one of the main reasons I came back home. The older I get, the more clearly I see that the best way I can honor him is to try, in my own small way, to do for today’s Chickasha what he did for mine. The truth is, those fathers from Chickasha’s past, men like my dad and so many others whose names you could add to this list are still impacting our community today. Their influence lives on in the lives they touched, the students they taught, the values they modeled, and the love they had for this town. This Father’s Day, as you fire up the grill, make a phone call, visit a grave, or look at an old photograph, I hope you’ll take a moment to think about the fathers and father-figures who helped make Chickasha the place we’re proud to call home. We are, in many ways, still walking in their shadow which helps us appreciate #TheGoodStuff!
The Lion King Jr. will be performed at the Chickasha Community Theater June 19 th through the 28 th . Fifty four members of the cast will come out this Sunday at the Chamber’s Flag Day celebration to sing “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” which is perfect for the nature of the celebration. I have to admit that the movie “The Lion King” will always be one of my all-time favorites. It came out when my kids were young and we watched it a million times on VHS (yes I’m that old). One of my favorite lines from that movie was when Mufasa’s spirit came to Simba and told him to “remember who you are.” Back in 1971, Chickasha was named an All American City by the National Civic League, one of only a few rural towns in Oklahoma to ever receive that recognition. That wasn’t an accident. It was a reflection of what still makes this place special today: neighbors who show up, a Main Street that matters, and a Community that takes pride in its country and its hometown at the same time. We have a chance to live that out together this weekend as we “remember who we are.” The Chickasha Chamber is inviting everyone to come Downtown in front of the Community Theater at 2 p.m. this Sunday, dressed in your most patriotic red, white, and blue, and be part of our “Chamber Challenge ” with other Communities all over Oklahoma. This is about more than a photo op. It’s about showing that Chickasha is still that All American City at heart, proud of our country, proud of our town, and proud to stand together. Here’s what you can expect: Chamber Challenge Gathering Join your friends and neighbors as we help Chickasha shine in a statewide Flag Day challenge. Prizes from the Chief Drive In We’ll be giving away movie passes and concession vouchers from the Chief Drive In to see the movie “Top Gun” on June 15 th . Small-town summer nights don’t get much better than a fun night enjoying a Drive In movie and some popcorn. Free Snow Cones Cool off with a free snow cone while you visit with folks and enjoy the afternoon, courtesy of Express Personnel. Tommy Franks Traveling Museum Explore the Tommy Franks traveling museum, a hands-on way to connect with our nation’s military history and the people who have served. Flyover from Chickasha Wings Look to the sky for a flyover from Mitch with Chickasha Wings, a stirring reminder of both our local talent and national pride. Patriotic Performances by 54 kids from the cast of “Lion King Jr” Kids from the cast at the Chickasha Community Theater will be performing “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” because teaching the next generation to love their country and their hometown starts with moments just like this. So, dig out your red, white, and blue, grab your family and friends, and meet us Downtown this Sunday at 2 p.m . If you are a veteran or active duty military, check out the Chamber’s Facebook page for local businesses offering you a discount on Flag Day. Let’s show Oklahoma and remind ourselves that we “remember who we are,” Chickasha…an All American City that is full of #TheGoodStuff!
George Jones asked that question in 1985 about country music legends, the ones who blazed the trail, set the standard, and left the stage a little better than they found it. Lately, that old song has been stuck in my head for a different reason. Chickasha has been losing some of its giants. This past week, we said goodbye to one of them: John Grote. And it’s got me thinking a lot about leadership, legacy, and the people whose names don’t always make the current headlines, but whose fingerprints are all over the community we enjoy today. John moved to Chickasha in the 1970s with a big job and an even bigger task: opening Delta Faucet here. That wasn’t just a business decision; it was a community-changing moment. Jobs. Families. Growth. Stability. Confidence. Those things don’t just happen because a company hangs a sign on a building. They happen because there’s someone willing to shoulder the responsibility, make the tough calls, and believe in a town enough to invest their time and talent in it. That was John. He could have simply done his job and gone home. Instead, he chose to put down roots. He didn’t just work in Chickasha; he became part of Chickasha. Over time, that commitment led him to serve first the voluntary position of Chamber Chairman, then later as the full time position of President of the Chamber of Commerce, where his focus shifted from one company to the entire business community. He championed the idea that when Chickasha’s businesses do well, Chickasha’s families do well. Leaders like John didn’t see their roles as temporary assignments. They saw them as responsibilities: to employees, to neighbors, to the next generation. They were builders in every sense of the word: building factories, building organizations, building trust. I was blessed a couple of years ago to have coffee with John. I got to ask questions and hear stories of events back in the 80’s and 90’s. I got to hear how our Community faced challenges and then overcame them. He was a wealth of information and a joy to listen to about his time leading the Chamber. That brings me back to George Jones’ question: “Who’s gonna fill their shoes?” Not just who will sit in their offices or hold their titles, but, who will show up early and stay late when no one’s watching? Who will say yes to serving on the board, chairing the fundraiser, or mentoring the next wave of leaders? Who will look at Chickasha not as a place they live for a while, but as a place they’re willing to invest in for a lifetime? We talk a lot about the future…about growth, opportunity, and potential. But the future doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on the hard work, determination, and quiet sacrifices of people like John Grote and so many others who came before us. Thank you John for fillin’ those shoes decades ago, because of people like you, today we get to enjoy #TheGoodStuff!
There is something Beautiful happening in chickasha
When community works together
What do the numbers say? Week of Sep 23, 2026
THEGOODSTUFF:
When you live in a Community proudly known as Christmas Town, July isn’t just hot, it’s the start of the holiday season. That’s right…Christmas in July isn’t just a cute phrase in Chickasha. It’s when the real work begins. While most folks are thinking about cookouts and pool days or the Christmas Cool Down block party
#Thegoodstuff: free family fun on the fourth!
The story of Drover Hills Golf Course is exactly why I started writing #TheGoodStuff. Not long ago, the future of Chickasha’s golf course looked pretty bleak. The previous owners were seriously exploring the idea of turning the land into a housing development. For a lot of communities, that would have been the end of the story: another golf course lost, another green space gone. Chickasha chose a different path. Instead of watching the course disappear, the City of Chickasha stepped in and purchased the property. That decision bought time, but more importantly, it opened the door for the Community to reimagine what this course could be. A group of local business leaders came together, raised money, and formed a nonprofit called the Chickasha Golf Foundation. Their vision wasn’t just to save a golf course; it was to create a youth-focused golf experience that would serve both young and old, beginner and seasoned player. They now lease the land from the City and have thrown the doors open wide. The course is open to the public and has been given a new name with deep local meaning: Drover Hills Golf Course, a tribute to Chickasha’s history and to the USAO Drovers. While Drover Hills is new in name, it’s rich in tradition. Golf on that land dates back to 1915. In 1928, it first hosted the Washita Valley tournament, which is recognized as the oldest golf tournament in the state of Oklahoma. That’s nearly a century of memories, competition, and Community on those fairways. Instead of bulldozing that history, Drover Hills is embracing it, honoring the past while building something new for the future. The Chickasha Golf Foundation hasn’t stopped at just mowing greens and keeping the course alive. They’ve already raised enough in donations to build the Orville Moody Practice Facility, dedicated to helping young people learn the game. Orville “Sarge” Moody’s story is woven into this place. He grew up right here, helping his dad take care of the course. In 1969, he went on to win the U.S. Open, one of golf’s greatest championships. From Chickasha to the top of the golf world…proof that big dreams can begin on small-town grass. Now, kids in Chickasha can practice at a facility that carries his name, on the same ground where his story started. Ask around town, and you’ll hear the same thing…”Drover Hills is in the best shape anyone can remember.” Fairways are greener, greens are cleaner, and there’s a renewed sense of pride in the place. That doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of people who care deeply about their community and are willing to show up, roll up their sleeves, and do the work, and that story starts with Cary DeHart. As Cary has taken a break from his role as CEO of Willowbrook, he’s chosen to spend his time volunteering to run the course. His commitment to serve, quiet, steady, and genuine, has been contagious. People see his example and want to be part of it. Leaders like Pete Bush and many others have followed suit, investing their time, energy, and resources because they believe Chickasha’s young people deserve a place to learn the game, build confidence, and belong. Next week, Drover Hills is going to host a fundraiser dinner called “Legacy and Links.” It will be held on Thursday, July 2 nd and they will share their Mission and Vision for the course. This is perfect timing as the Washita Valley Golf Tournament will start the next day. Call the course to reserve your spot for the dinner or the tournament or both. This is just another example of Community leaders stepping up to share #TheGoodStuff!
Growing up in Chickasha in the 1970s was a pretty special time. Downtown was hopping with retail and Chickasha had recently been recognized as an All American City by the National Civic League. For a kid coming of age here, it felt like the center of the world. My first job was Downtown at the old Dixie Department Store. Back then, you could walk downtown on a Saturday and see people on every block, every storefront lit up and busy. It was a fun time to be here, and an even better time to be a kid with a front-row seat to a community that believed in itself. At the center of my world was my dad. To me, he was simply my hero. To most everyone else, he was their driver’s ed teacher, their VICA sponsor, or the assistant principal at Chickasha High School. A lot of you reading this may have sat in his classroom, ridden in the driver’s ed car with your white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, or visited with him in the hallways at CHS. His name was John P. Cowan. Forty years ago, just days before Father’s Day, my hero passed away from heart problems. It’s hard to believe it has been that long. Anniversaries like that have a way of making you look back, not just on the person you lost, but on the place and the people who helped shape you. As I reflect on growing up here, and on what called me back home in 2020, it’s easy to see my dad’s fingerprints all over that decision. He cast a big shadow, not in the sense of something to get out from under, but as a place of protection and purpose to stand within. Any time I’m having a rough day, I drive down the street named after him after he passed away. Thank you to then Mayor Charlie Furguson for making that street dedication happen. He was a husband and a father, but he was also something else… he was invested in this town. He believed in Chickasha, in its kids, in its future. Whether it was teaching teenagers how to parallel park, helping students in VICA learn skills that would carry them into careers, or serving as assistant principal at the high school, he poured himself into this community. He understood that building a life wasn’t just about taking care of your own household, it was also about taking care of your hometown. This past Sunday, the Chamber hosted a Flag Day celebration in Downtown Chickasha, just half a block from where I worked my very first job. That event, full of flags, families, and familiar faces was held as part of our ongoing effort to honor the 25th anniversary of Chickasha being recognized as an All American City and America’s 250 th birthday. Standing there, so close to where my working life began, watching our community gather in celebration of our country and our town, I couldn’t help but think about him, and about all the fathers who came before us. As we celebrate Father’s Day in Chickasha, I want to say thank you to all the incredible fathers in our community today. Those raising kids, coaching teams, leading classrooms, running businesses, volunteering at church, and showing up in a thousand quiet ways that may never make the paper but absolutely make a difference. And I especially want to thank my father, John P. Cowan, for standing up so many years ago and casting a shadow that I am honored to stand in today. His example is one of the main reasons I came back home. The older I get, the more clearly I see that the best way I can honor him is to try, in my own small way, to do for today’s Chickasha what he did for mine. The truth is, those fathers from Chickasha’s past, men like my dad and so many others whose names you could add to this list are still impacting our community today. Their influence lives on in the lives they touched, the students they taught, the values they modeled, and the love they had for this town. This Father’s Day, as you fire up the grill, make a phone call, visit a grave, or look at an old photograph, I hope you’ll take a moment to think about the fathers and father-figures who helped make Chickasha the place we’re proud to call home. We are, in many ways, still walking in their shadow which helps us appreciate #TheGoodStuff!
The Lion King Jr. will be performed at the Chickasha Community Theater June 19 th through the 28 th . Fifty four members of the cast will come out this Sunday at the Chamber’s Flag Day celebration to sing “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” which is perfect for the nature of the celebration. I have to admit that the movie “The Lion King” will always be one of my all-time favorites. It came out when my kids were young and we watched it a million times on VHS (yes I’m that old). One of my favorite lines from that movie was when Mufasa’s spirit came to Simba and told him to “remember who you are.” Back in 1971, Chickasha was named an All American City by the National Civic League, one of only a few rural towns in Oklahoma to ever receive that recognition. That wasn’t an accident. It was a reflection of what still makes this place special today: neighbors who show up, a Main Street that matters, and a Community that takes pride in its country and its hometown at the same time. We have a chance to live that out together this weekend as we “remember who we are.” The Chickasha Chamber is inviting everyone to come Downtown in front of the Community Theater at 2 p.m. this Sunday, dressed in your most patriotic red, white, and blue, and be part of our “Chamber Challenge ” with other Communities all over Oklahoma. This is about more than a photo op. It’s about showing that Chickasha is still that All American City at heart, proud of our country, proud of our town, and proud to stand together. Here’s what you can expect: Chamber Challenge Gathering Join your friends and neighbors as we help Chickasha shine in a statewide Flag Day challenge. Prizes from the Chief Drive In We’ll be giving away movie passes and concession vouchers from the Chief Drive In to see the movie “Top Gun” on June 15 th . Small-town summer nights don’t get much better than a fun night enjoying a Drive In movie and some popcorn. Free Snow Cones Cool off with a free snow cone while you visit with folks and enjoy the afternoon, courtesy of Express Personnel. Tommy Franks Traveling Museum Explore the Tommy Franks traveling museum, a hands-on way to connect with our nation’s military history and the people who have served. Flyover from Chickasha Wings Look to the sky for a flyover from Mitch with Chickasha Wings, a stirring reminder of both our local talent and national pride. Patriotic Performances by 54 kids from the cast of “Lion King Jr” Kids from the cast at the Chickasha Community Theater will be performing “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” because teaching the next generation to love their country and their hometown starts with moments just like this. So, dig out your red, white, and blue, grab your family and friends, and meet us Downtown this Sunday at 2 p.m . If you are a veteran or active duty military, check out the Chamber’s Facebook page for local businesses offering you a discount on Flag Day. Let’s show Oklahoma and remind ourselves that we “remember who we are,” Chickasha…an All American City that is full of #TheGoodStuff!
George Jones asked that question in 1985 about country music legends, the ones who blazed the trail, set the standard, and left the stage a little better than they found it. Lately, that old song has been stuck in my head for a different reason. Chickasha has been losing some of its giants. This past week, we said goodbye to one of them: John Grote. And it’s got me thinking a lot about leadership, legacy, and the people whose names don’t always make the current headlines, but whose fingerprints are all over the community we enjoy today. John moved to Chickasha in the 1970s with a big job and an even bigger task: opening Delta Faucet here. That wasn’t just a business decision; it was a community-changing moment. Jobs. Families. Growth. Stability. Confidence. Those things don’t just happen because a company hangs a sign on a building. They happen because there’s someone willing to shoulder the responsibility, make the tough calls, and believe in a town enough to invest their time and talent in it. That was John. He could have simply done his job and gone home. Instead, he chose to put down roots. He didn’t just work in Chickasha; he became part of Chickasha. Over time, that commitment led him to serve first the voluntary position of Chamber Chairman, then later as the full time position of President of the Chamber of Commerce, where his focus shifted from one company to the entire business community. He championed the idea that when Chickasha’s businesses do well, Chickasha’s families do well. Leaders like John didn’t see their roles as temporary assignments. They saw them as responsibilities: to employees, to neighbors, to the next generation. They were builders in every sense of the word: building factories, building organizations, building trust. I was blessed a couple of years ago to have coffee with John. I got to ask questions and hear stories of events back in the 80’s and 90’s. I got to hear how our Community faced challenges and then overcame them. He was a wealth of information and a joy to listen to about his time leading the Chamber. That brings me back to George Jones’ question: “Who’s gonna fill their shoes?” Not just who will sit in their offices or hold their titles, but, who will show up early and stay late when no one’s watching? Who will say yes to serving on the board, chairing the fundraiser, or mentoring the next wave of leaders? Who will look at Chickasha not as a place they live for a while, but as a place they’re willing to invest in for a lifetime? We talk a lot about the future…about growth, opportunity, and potential. But the future doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on the hard work, determination, and quiet sacrifices of people like John Grote and so many others who came before us. Thank you John for fillin’ those shoes decades ago, because of people like you, today we get to enjoy #TheGoodStuff!
