Atoka County, Oklahoma

Atoka County, Oklahoma

Location in the state of Oklahoma

Oklahoma's location in the U.S.
Founded 1907
Seat Atoka
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

990 sq mi (2,564 km²)
978 sq mi (2,534 km²)
12 sq mi (30 km²), 1.18%
Population
 - (2000)
 - Density

13,879
14.2/sq mi (5.5/km²)
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Atoka County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and was formed in 1907 from Choctaw Lands. As of 2000, the population is 13,879. Its county seat is Atoka[1].

Contents

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 990 square miles (2,564.1 km2), of which 978 square miles (2,533.0 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31.1 km2) (1.18%) is water.

Atoka County is drained by Clear Boggy and Muddy Boggy Creeks. Atoka Reservoir is in the northern section of the county. About 12 miles WSW of the town of Atoka is Boggy Depot State Park, the historic site of a once large community on the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach route.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 13,879 people, 4,964 households, and 3,504 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.5/km²). There were 5,673 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.86% White, 5.86% Black or African American, 11.37% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 6.09% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26.6% were of American, 10.3% Irish, 6.6% English and 6.1% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.4% spoke English and 1.4% Spanish as their first language.

There were 4,964 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 117.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,752, and the median income for a family was $29,409. Males had a median income of $26,193 versus $18,861 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,919. About 15.70% of families and 19.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.40% of those under age 18 and 21.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections operates the Mack Alford Correctional Center in an unincorporated area, near Stringtown.[3]

Cities and towns

  • East Allison
  • East Talico
  • Farris
  • Flora
  • Forrest Hill
  • Fugate
  • Goss
  • Grassy Lake
  • Half Bank Crossing
  • Harmony
  • Hickory Hill
  • High Hill
  • Hopewell
  • Iron Stob
  • Lane
  • Limestone Gap
  • Lone Pine
  • Mayers Chapel
  • McGee Valley
  • Mt. Carmel
  • Mt. Olive
  • Negro Bend
  • New Hope
  • Nix
  • Old Farris
  • Patapoe
  • Payton Crossing
  • Pine Springs
  • Plainview
  • Pleasant Hill
  • Redden
  • Reynolds

NRHP sites

The following sites in Atoka County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

  • Atoka Armory, Atoka
  • Atoka Community Building, Atoka
  • Isaac Billy Homestead and Family Cemetery, Daisy
  • Boggy Depot Site, Atoka
  • First Methodist Church Building, Atoka
  • First Oil Well in Oklahoma, Wapanucka
  • Indian Citizen Building, Atoka
  • Captain Charles LeFlore House, Limestone Gap
  • Masonic Temple, Atoka
  • Bo McAlister Site, Wapanucka
  • Middle Boggy Battlefield Site and Confederate Cemetery, Atoka
  • Old Atoka County Courthouse, Atoka
  • Old Atoka State Bank, Atoka
  • Pioneer Club, Atoka
  • Joe Ralls House, Atoka
  • Captain James S. Standley House, Atoka
  • Waddell's Station Site, Wesley
  • Zweigel Hardware Store Building, Atoka

References

  1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  2. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ "Mack Alford Correctional Center." Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Retrieved on November 22, 2010.

Further reading

Atoka County is the scenic theme for the 1974 movie (showing OJ Simpson) called "The Klansman" however the film was actually made in Oroville, CA (a small nowhere town that holds the largest American dam)

External links