Oklahoma's Smallest Town

Population Trend Looking Grim for Mule Barn

Mule Barn, OK— Times are tough for small towns in Oklahoma. 

Corporate farming, foreign oil, offshore manufacturing and more have impacted our rural way of life. Declining populations make it difficult for smaller municipalities to cope- and nowhere is that more evident than Mule Barn, Oklahoma.

Once a thriving community of 3, today Mule Barn's population is 0. A dramatic 300% decrease in only 13 short years. Many people ask themselves: How could this happen?



The Story of Mule Barn
Up until 1977 the Oklahoma Constitution required only three people to create a township. When the legislature decided to change this requirement to better reflect modern times, it created a mad rush of applications. Mule Barn was created on February 14, 1977 along with seventeen other such "towns."

At the time of its creation Mule Barn was a 16-acre plot owned by Robert and Eleanor Brown. Their son was the third citizen. So the town of Mule Barn was born, and the road atlas would never be the same again. It even shows up on our GPS...

But the boom days of Mule Barn were short. By 1990 the census listed the population as zero. Today all that remains of the hopes and dreams of Robert and Eleanor are a couple of rusty signs and the folksy gate.

How to Get There
You won't find it on the official state map- but Mule Barn, Oklahoma does appear on some road atlases and Google Maps (see below). Mule Barn is located on the north side of US412/64 about 20 miles west of Tulsa, near the community of Westport. Take the Old Keystone Road exit and follow the frontage road about 1/2 mile west.



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