Miami, Oklahoma

Miami, Oklahoma
City
Downtown Miami, 2008
Location of Miami, Oklahoma
Coordinates: 36°53′1″N 94°52′34″W / 36.88361°N 94.87611°W / 36.88361; -94.87611Coordinates: 36°53′1″N 94°52′34″W / 36.88361°N 94.87611°W / 36.88361; -94.87611
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Ottawa
Government
• Mayor	Rudy Schultz (Acting)
Area
• Total	9.8 sq mi (25.4 km2)
• Land	9.7 sq mi (25.2 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	794 ft (242 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	13,570
• Density	1,258.7/sq mi (485.9/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	74354-74355
Area code(s)	539/918
FIPS code	40-48000[1]
GNIS feature ID	1095343[2]
Website	miamiok.org

Miami (/maɪˈæmə/ my-AM-ə))^[3][4][5] is a city in and county seat of Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States.^[6] As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,570, a decline of one percent from 13,704 at the 2000 census.^[7] The city is named after the Miami tribe. Miami is the capital of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, Peoria Tribe of Indians, Seneca-Cayuga Tribe, and Shawnee Tribe.^[8]

History

Miami began in a rather unique way, compared to other towns in Indian Territory. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture quotes Velma Nieberding, author of the History of Ottawa County, as saying, "... it was settled in a business-like way by men of vision who looked into the future and saw possibilities. It didn't just grow. It was carefully planned."^[9]

W.C. Lykins is credited as the driving force for the creation of the town. He successfully petitioned the U. S. Congress to pass legislation on March 3, 1891 to establish the town. He met with Thomas F. Richardville, chief of the Miami tribe, who agreed to meet in turn with the U.S. Indian Commission and the Ottawa tribe. That meeting resulted in Congress authorizing the secretary of the interior to approve the townsite purchase from the Ottawas. Lykins, Richardville and Manford Pooler, chief of the Ottawa, are generally identified in historical accounts as "fathers of Miami."^[9]

Lykins' company, the Miami Town Company, bought 588 acres (238 ha) of land from the Ottawa for ten dollars an acre. They held an auction of lots on June 25-26, 1891. By the time Miami incorporated in 1895, it had more than 800 residents. The discovery of rich deposits of lead and zinc under Quapaw land a few miles north, caused Miami to boom. Its population was 1,893 at the time of statehood in 1907, and increased to 6,802 by 1920.^[9]

Geography

Miami is located near 36°53′1″N 94°52′34″W / 36.88361°N 94.87611°W / 36.88361; -94.87611 (36.883539, -94.876018)^[10]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.8 square miles (25 km²), of which 9.7 square miles (25 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.82%) is water.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 13,570 people, 5,315 households, and 3,337 families residing in the city.^[16] The population density was people 1,258.7 per square mile (485.9/km²).^[16] The racial makeup of the city was 68.9% white, 1.3% African American, 17.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander, 2.1% from other races, and 8% from two or more races.^[16] Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 4.8% of the population.^[16]

There were 5,315 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 15% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families.^[17] Single individuals living alone accounted for 31.9% of households and individuals 65 years of age or older living alone accounted for 14.7% of households.^[17] The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07.^[17]

In the city, the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 57.1% from 18 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older.^[17] The median age was 35.8 years.^[17] The population was 53.2% female and 46.8% male.^[17]

The median income for a household in the city was $34,561, and the median income for a family was $42,313.^[17] Males had a median income of $32,699 versus $25,320 for females.^[17] About 14.2% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line.^[17]

Government

Local government in Miami consists of a Mayor and four councilmen representing four Wards.

• Mayor - Rudy Schultz
• Ward One Councilman - Kristi McClain
• Ward Two Councilman - Doug Weston
• Ward Three Councilman - Neal Johnson
• Ward Four Councilman - Joe Sharbutt

Coleman Theatre

Coleman Theatre, 2008

Miami is home to the historic Coleman Theatre, located at 103 N. Main St.

Designed by the Kansas City, Missouri, Boller Bros. Architectural Firm, the 1600 seat Coleman Theatre was built by George L. Coleman Sr. and enjoyed a festive grand opening on April 18, 1929. At a cost of $600,000 to construct, the elegant Louis XV interior includes gold leaf trim, silk damask panels, stained glass panels, marble accents, a carved mahogany staircase, Wurlitzer pipe organ, decorative plaster moldings, and bronze railings. In 1983 the Coleman Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Tours of the building are available every Tuesday through Saturday.^[18] Currently the building is available for touring, plays, concerts, conventions, community functions, weddings, and meetings.^[19]

Education

Public schools are managed by the Miami Public Schools school district. The high school is Miami High School, whose mascot is the Wardog. The Wardog is a mascot unique to Miami, and has not been adopted as a mascot by any other school in the United States.^[20]

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) was initially accredited by the North Central Association in 1925. It is a two-year community college with an enrollment of approximately 2,000 students.^[21]

Notable people

"Sidewalk highway" stretch of Route 66 near Miami, 2010

• Steve Owens - The 1969 Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Oklahoma who went on to become a successful businessman and philanthropist.
• Charles Banks Wilson - Internationally famous Native American artist whose works are display in the State Capitol in Oklahoma City and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
• Keith Anderson - Successful country music singer, named one of People magazine’s 50 hottest bachelors of 2005 and was named Men’s Fitness Magazine’s “Ultimate Country Star 2006.”
• Carol Littleton - Acclaimed film editor whose credits include, "French Postcards" (1979), "Body Heat" (1981) and, the next year, to an Academy Award nomination for editing Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster "E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), "The Big Chill" (1983), "Brighton Beach Memoirs" (1986) and "Wyatt Earp" (1994).
• Steve Gaines - An American musician. He is most well known as a guitarist and songwriter for Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Steve was in other bands most notably Crawdad. He joined Lynyrd Skynyrd after an audition arranged by his sister Cassie Gaines. Steve wrote some of the songs on Lynyrd Skynyrd's last studio album involving the pre-crash lineup. He also shared some singing duties with Ronnie Van Zant on the Street Survivors album and on the subsequent tour. Steve, Cassie, Van Zant, Assistant Road Manager Dean Kilpatrick, and both of the plane's crewmen died in an October 1977 plane crash.
• Cassie Gaines - An American singer. She is best known as one the Original Honkettes the back up singers for rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd. Cassie was responsible for getting her brother an audition with the band. Both Steve and Cassie died in the 1977 plane crash that killed lead singer and founder Ronnie Van Zant, Assistant Road Manager Dean Kilpatrick, and both of the plane's crewmen.
• David Froman - Actor who played Lieutenant Bob Brooks on Matlock and appeared in many productions of the Miami Little Theatre.^[22]
• Charles R. Nesbitt - Born in Miami and served as Attorney General of Oklahoma (1963-1967), Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner (1969-1975), and Oklahoma Secretary of Energy (1991-1995).

Gallery

• 

  Interior of the Coleman Theatre

• 

  Clock and bench in Downtown, Miami, OK

• 

  Coleman Theater in Downtown, Miami, OK, at night

• 

  Original Wurlitzer organ in the Coleman Theater

• 

  Former Miami Marathon Oil Company Service station. Building was last used as a salon.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ottawa County, Oklahoma
  • Miami Original Nine-Foot Section of Route 66 Roadbed

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Miami, Oklahoma.

• City of Miami
• City of Miami Economic Development Department
• The Miami News-Record
• Miami Public Schools
• A Tour of the Historic Coleman Theater in Miami, Oklahoma

v t e Municipalities and communities of Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States County seat: Miami Cities Commerce Miami Towns Afton Fairland North Miami Peoria Quapaw Wyandotte CDPs Dotyville Narcissa Unincorporated communities Hockerville Kellyville Lincolnville Narcissa Ogeechee Ottawa Sunshine Valley Zincville Ghost towns Cardin Douthat Picher

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