| Shawnee, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Pottawatomie County Courthouse in Shawnee, Oklahoma | |
| Location of Shawnee, Oklahoma | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Pottawatomie |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor | Linda Peterson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 44.7 sq mi (115.7 km2) |
| • Land | 42.3 sq mi (109.5 km2) |
| • Water | 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,060 ft (323 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 29,857 |
| • Density | 668.4/sq mi (258.055/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 74801, 74802, 74804 |
| Area code(s) | 405 |
| FIPS code | 40-66800[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1097964[2] |
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County[3] and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Located on Interstate 40, Shawnee is just 30 minutes east of the attractions in downtown Oklahoma City. To the east and northeast, the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System offers barge access to the Gulf of Mexico.
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Shawnee is located at (35.342474, -96.933775)[4].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.7 square miles (116 km2).About 42.3 square miles (110 km2) of it is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) of it (5.37%) is water.
After the Land Run of 1891, four settlers (Etta B. Ray, Henry G. Beard, James T. Farrall, and Elijah A. Alley) each staked a quarter section in the proposed city of Brockway. Following an all-night discussion among early settlers who had their own ideas for the town's name, a compromise was reached, and the town was named Shawnee after the American Indian Tribe.
In 1892, the estimated population was 250. In 1895, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad built a line to Shawnee, which fostered rapid growth. The population grew to 2,500 in 1896. In 1903-1904 the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway extended service to town, after given land inducements from Henry Beard and James Farrall.
Oklahoma Baptist University located to Shawnee in 1911. Its first building, Shawnee Hall, was a gift from the citizens. St. Gregory's College (now St. Gregory's University) relocated to Shawnee from Sacred Heart in 1915.
In 1930, voters elected to move the county seat of Pottawatomie County from Tecumseh to Shawnee. The courthouse was built with New Deal funding, and opened in 1935.[5]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 28,692 people, 11,311 households, and 7,306 families residing in the city. The population density was 678.9 people per square mile (262.1/km²). There were 12,651 housing units at an average density of 299.3 per square mile (115.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.03% White, 4.06% African American, 12.82% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races, and 4.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.72% of the population.
There were 11,311 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. About 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,659, and the median income for a family was $35,690. Males had a median income of $29,792 versus $20,768 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,676. About 13.8% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
Shawnee is the home of St. Gregory's University, a Benedictine Catholic institution founded in 1875, and Oklahoma Baptist University, founded in 1906. The city was chosen by the founders of OBU in part because two Baptist Conventions (one in Indian Territory and one in Oklahoma Territory) had earlier merged. So, the city of Shawnee was neutral territory (Shawnee had been neither in Indian Territory nor Oklahoma Territory, but the Potawatomi Nation).
The Heart of Oklahoma Exhibition Center, opened in 1981, now boasts 152,400 square feet (14,160 m2) of exhibit space, a 19,200-square-foot (1,780 m2) indoor arena that seats 1,000, an outdoor arena seating 7,500, and an RV park, all on 72 acres (290,000 m2). Since 1993, the O.E. Center has been the host of the International Finals Youth Rodeo (IFYR), the "richest youth rodeo in the world," with a total prize payout of over $2.6 million; over 1,100 young riders register for the event each year.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation, the ninth largest Native American tribe in the United States with 26,000 members, is headquartered between Shawnee and Tecumseh. Their Firelake Casino features over 125,000 square feet (11,600 m2) of gaming space and employs 1,800 people.
Shawnee Regional Airport has a 6,000' asphalt lighted runway with services available seven days a week.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation operate a Cultural Heritage Center which houses their tribal rolls, archives, and giftshop. The institution also interprets and presents exhibits of Potawatomi culture.
The Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, located on the campus of St. Gregory's University, is one of the oldest museums in Oklahoma. Its collections include Egyptian, Medieval, Renaissance, Contemporary, and Native American.
The Potawatomie County Historical Society run a historical museum in the Santa Fe Depot downtown.
There are three theatre programs in Shawnee, which each organize a season worth of performance.
The City of Shawnee maintains Shawnee Twin Lakes, which are located the west of the city. There is also a walking trail which encircles the airport.
Shawnee is home to four wellness facilities.
Shawnee is also home of the Shawnee Warriors, a local semi-professional football team. Shawnee competes in the Oklahoma Metro Football League. Their first season was in 2008, when they competed as the Shawnee Millers. The franchise went 3-5 and was an OMFL State semi-finalist. They were affiliated with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, a minor league professional arena team of the af2 for the 2008 season. The team was coached by Jack Dingus.
This is most likely due to the presence of a TDK plant in Shawnee. Every year, junior high school students from Shawnee visit Nikaho during the month of July, and Japanese junior high school students visit Shawnee, in September.
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