Hennessey is a community-driven small town
The cattle ranches and wheat fields of rural Kingfisher County surround Hennessey, a small town known for its lively historic downtown and welcoming atmosphere. Part of its charm comes from its community events, like the annual Hennessey Water Wars, an end-of-summer tussle between the fire department and local kids. “They take all the firetrucks out and drive up and down all the streets and have a water fight with all the kids. A lot of what we do, like that, is reminiscent of the old sitcoms. It’s not 100% white picket fences and shady trees, but it’s a very community-driven place,” says Jack Quirk, founder and CEO of the All About Network, a micro news network that runs the All About Hennessey online publication.
Single-family homes sell for about $300,000 and under
Hennessey has a mix of Craftsman bungalows, cottages, manufactured and ranch-style homes. New Traditionals are common in subdivisions like Osborn Addition. Homes close to Main Street are typically closely spaced on narrow streets, while those on the outskirts have spacious lots, even several acres of winter wheat or grazing fields. Home prices range from under $100,000 to a little more than $300,000. Land can sell for more than $500,000, depending on the number of acres.
Summers here are hot, while winters are cold with some snowfall. Turkey Creek and Little Turkey Creek are flood-prone, and Kingfisher County is vulnerable to tornadoes.
Above average Hennessey Public Schools
Hennessey Public Schools earns a B-plus from Niche. The district serves about 830 students across three schools with a 13-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Hennessey Elementary and Hennessey Middle score B-plusses from Niche, while Hennessey High gets a B-minus. The high school offers AP classes both in-house and at the Oklahoma School of Science & Mathematics, a public, two-year residential high school in Oklahoma City. Hennessey High also offers dual enrollment classes at Northern Oklahoma College in the neighboring city of Tonkawa. Hennessey Public Schools allows controlled interdistrict open enrollment.
Recreation at Bull Foot Park, Hennessey Aquatic Center and more
Bull Foot Park, on the south side of town, has a small, fishable lake and a paved walking path. “Every day, there are families walking around the water there. And we do a lot of little events, like Easter egg hunts there,” Quirk says. The grassy park is close to the Hennessey Public Library, which offers tutoring and other services, and hosts an annual summer reading program. Hennessey Aquatic Park, near the high school baseball fields, is a popular outdoor water park. So popular, in fact, that Quirk says locals have a hard time getting in every summer. “It’s so nice and new that so many people come in from out of town for it,” he says. Eagle Event Center, nearby, is Hennessey’s recreational showpiece. The 25,000-square-foot dome holds regional sporting events, conferences and banquets. “It’s one of the largest monolithic dome structures in the country. It’s just something you’d never ever find in a community this big, but here we have it,” Quirk says.
Shopping and dining on Main Street
“Unlike a lot of small towns, our Main Street is full, and the entire street is locally owned except for some chains on the ends,” Quirk says. The low-slung vintage storefronts in Hennessey’s central business district feature shops like Farmstead Furniture, Prairie Quilt and SweetSpot Auto Supply. Garrison Lumber, a longstanding, locally owned hardware store, is on the north end of downtown, close to Memorial Park, which hosts Hennessey’s annual Wine & Chocolate Festival. One of the largest wine festivals in Oklahoma, the event draws thousands to town every September for wine and chocolate tastings. The Vernost Wine Company, next to Memorial Park, is a small-batch winery with a cash-only bar, popular for live music nights. “The marquee eating spot is Gail’s Grill. It’s the gathering place where everybody knows everybody, and politics are talked about, and elections are won, and we find out who needs help. It’s a best-hamburger-you've-ever-had-type place,” Quirk says. For groceries, there’s a discount food store on State Road 51, and a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Enid, over 20 miles away.
Nearby highways connect around Kingfisher County
U.S Route 81 connects south to Mercy Hospital Kingfisher, more than 20 miles away. Residents can use U.S. Route 81 and State Road 3 or State Roads 51 and 74 to make the nearly 70-mile trip southeast to downtown Oklahoma City. Will Rogers International Airport, on the southwest side of the capital city, is just over 65 miles from Hennessey.
