Muskogee, Oklahoma
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| Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA | |||
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| County | Muskogee County | ||
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| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Wren Stratton | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 100.4 km² (38.8 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 96.7 km² (37.3 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 3.7 km² (1.4 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - City | 38,310 (city proper) | ||
| - Density | 396.1/km² (1,025.9/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-6) | ||
| Website: http://www.cityofmuskogee.com/ | |||
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee CountyGR6. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh largest city in Oklahoma.
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[edit] 19th Century History
Muskogee first received recognition when in 1805 US President Thomas Jefferson addressed the United States Congress seconding the recommendation of Meriwether Lewis that a trading post be established near the modern day city. French fur traders had already existed in the area for some time before the American acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase. The French were believed to have established a temporary village near Muskogee in 1806, but the first permanent settlement was established in 1817 on the south bank of the Verdigris River, north of Muskogee.
When President Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Five Civilized Tribes were relocated from their homes in the south to Indian Territory through the Trail of Tears. Of the five tribes, the Cherokee and Creek tribes established settlements near Muskogee, with the town being incorporated into both Indian Nations. The Creeks, recognizing the economic value of the location, made Muskogee the Capital of the Creek Nation in 1836.
Following the American Civil War, renewed interest was created in western expansion. The United States Federal government allowed railroads to be built on Indian soil for the first time. In 1872, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad was extended to this area. In 1889, recognizing Muskogee’s growing economic and political value, a United States federal court was established at the city. This was the first federal court that exercised jurisdiction in Indian Territory that was actually located within the Territory. Before this point, all jurisdiction had been given to the federal court located in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
With the establishment of a federal court, Indian Territory was opened to white settlers via land runs.
[edit] Modern history
Modern day Muskogee’s official founding was in 1898, even though settlements had existed in the area for decades before under the same name. Also, it was not until 1898 that a non-citizen of Indian Territory could legally own land in this area. Even though Muskogee sat at the intersection of three rivers and offered vast fertile farm lands, the town remained relatively quiet for the first years following its founding.
Muskogee made a turn towards prominence when an Ohio native, Charles N. Haskell moved to the city. When Haskell arrived in March of 1901, he found it a quiet town of over four thousand people.
However, immediately on his arrival, the town took new life. Business blocks were constructed with Haskell building the first five-story business block in Oklahoma Territory. Haskell organized and built most of the railroads running into that city. He built and owned fourteen brick buildings in the city. Through his influence, Muskogee grew to be a center of business and industry with a population of over twenty thousand inhabitants in a matter of years. Haskell often told others that he hoped Muskogee would become the "Queen City of the Southwest."
Many of Muskogee's streets in the downtown district still show their original brick composition. Buildings dating back to the Haskell era abut modern architecture.
As Muskogee’s economic and business importance grew, so did its political power. When the Civilized Tribes met together in order to propose an Indian State, the State of Sequoyah, they met on August 21, 1905 in Muskogee to draft its constitution, with Muskogee to serve as the State's capital. Vetoed by US President Theodore Roosevelt, the proposed State of Sequoyah did not receive federal recognition. Instead, the State of Oklahoma was admitted to the Union on November 16, 1907 as the 46th State.
Today, Muskogee is an economic center for eastern Oklahoma. With a population of over 38,000, it is the eleventh largest city in the state.
Muskogee operates the Port of Muskogee, which is accessible from the Gulf of Mexico. The Five Civilized Tribes Museum, a museum dedicated to preserving the art and culture of the five civilized tribes, as well Honor Heights Park, a World War One memorial park which is world famous for its azaleas and its annual Azalea Festival. During the winter time, people from across all 50 states travel to Muskogee to see Honor Heights transformed into the Garden of Lights, a 132 acre Christmas lights display. Muskogee is also home to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in which great Oklahoma Musicians have been honored since 1997.
[edit] Geography
Muskogee is located at (35.746617, -95.368047)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 100.4 km² (38.8 mi²). 96.7 km² (37.3 mi²) of it is land and 3.7 km² (1.4 mi²) of it (3.69%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
The population is one of the most diverse in the state. The population of Muskogee has remained relatively unchanged since the first half of the twentieth century. Twenty-four different nationalities are represented within in the city’s limits as well as 17 non-English languages being spoken as first languages.
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 38,310 people, 15,523 households, and 9,950 families residing in the city. The population density was 396.1/km² (1,026.0/mi²). There were 17,517 housing units at an average density of 181.1/km² (469.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.12% White, 17.90% African American, 12.34% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.57% from other races, and 6.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.28% of the population.
There were 15,523 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,418, and the median income for a family was $33,358. Males had a median income of $28,153 versus $20,341 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,351. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Crime
According to the July 2, 2006 edition of the Tulsa World, Muskogee's homicide rate was the highest in the state five times from 1997 to 2005, and it tied with Tulsa one other year. The report from the Tulsa World was controversial, coming during a time when Tulsa's crime rate was skyrocketing, and homicides were nearing record numbers.
[edit] Points of interest
- Ataloa Lodge Museum
- Honor Heights Park
- Five Civilized Tribes Museum
- USS Batfish (SS-310)
- Three Rivers Museum
- The Castle of Muskogee
- Azalea Festival
[edit] Trivia and noteworthy residents
Muskogee was commemorated in the 1969 Merle Haggard song "Okie from Muskogee".
- Keith Birdsong, illustrator known for his Star Trek novel covers
- Drew Edmondson, current Attorney General of Oklahoma
- James E. Edmondson, current Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
- Charles N. Haskell, noted lawyer, oilman, statesman, and the first governor of Oklahoma
- Les Walrond, Major League Baseball player
- Joe Rector., internationally-acclaimed Creek/Seminole artist
- George Faught, first Republican State Representative from 14th State House District
- L. R. Kershaw, lawyer, banker, cattle breeder, real estate developer and candidate for governor in 1930
- Robert E. Lavender, current Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
- Birthplace of businessman and Dallas Cowboys owner (1984-1989) Bum Bright
- Birthplace of country musician and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood
- Birthplace of jazz musician Jay McShann (who gave Charlie Parker his first high-profile job)
- Birthplace of jazz musician Claude "Fiddler" Williams
- Birthplace of jazz musician Don Byas (a member of Dizzy Gillespie's first band)
- Birthplace of actor Pee Wee Russell
- Birthplace of jazz guitarist Barney Kessel
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Memoirs of Jeremiah Curtin in the Indian Territory ethnographer's narrative of 1883 visit to Muskogee's early settlement maintained by Library of Congress, accessed January 15, 2007.
- Muskogee Oklahoma on Spotlight America
- Photographic Record of Muskogee's Historic Homes
- Ataloa Lodge Museum
