Spelter City, Oklahoma

Spelter City is a populated place within the city of Henryetta, Oklahoma.^[1]^[2] It is located northeast of Henryetta’s town center, and west of Dewar, Oklahoma.^[3]

The area was originally a separate platted addition formally called the Henryetta Townsite Company, but which Henryetta annexed in 1916. Known as Spelter City, it became a “city within a city” due to the placement of a massive Eagle-Picher zinc smelting facility there. Because the area was remote from Henryetta’s business district, it developed as a separate enclave, complete with its own hotels and union hall.^[4]

The word “spelter” is directly tied to zinc. One definition says spelter literally means zinc, especially in the form of ingots, slabs or plates.^[5] Another definition says spelter refers to impure zinc, usually containing about 3 per cent of lead and other impurities.^[5]

Smelting continued at the location through the 1960’s before being discontinued.^[4] But Spelter City continues to be shown on maps and the name applied as a recognized area of Henryetta.^[3]

References

^ "Spelter City". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
^ "Spelter City (in Okmulgee County, OK) Populated Place Profile". HomeTownLocator. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Spelter City, Henryetta, Oklahoma". Google Maps. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Reconnaissance Level Survey of Four East Central Oklahoma Towns: Henryetta, Holdenville, Wetumka & Wewoka, 2001-2002, Part 3, pp.209-210" (PDF). Department of Geography, Oklahoma State University (accessed on the Oklahoma Historical Society website). Retrieved May 14, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "spelter". TheFreeDictionary. Retrieved May 14, 2021.