Okfuskee County, Oklahoma

Okfuskee County, Oklahoma
Okfuskee County Courthouse
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Okfuskee County
Location in the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Map of the United States highlighting Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location in the U.S.
Founded 1907
Seat Okemah
Largest city Okemah
Area
 • Total 629 sq mi (1,629 km2)
 • Land 619 sq mi (1,603 km2)
 • Water 10 sq mi (26 km2), 1.6%
Population (est.)
 • (2013) 12,377
 • Density 20/sq mi (8/km2)
Congressional district 2nd

Okfuskee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,191.[1] Its county seat is Okemah.[2] The county is named for a former Muscogee town in present Cleburne County, Alabama, that in turn was named for the Okfuskee, a Muscogee tribe.

History

West Broadway Street in Okemah

The area now covered by Okfuskee County was occupied by the Quapaw and Osage tribes until 1825, when they ceded the land to the United States government. The Creeks moved here in the early 1830s and built two towns, Greenleaf and Thlopthlocco. During the Civil War, Thlopthlocco served as headquarters for Confederate Col. Douglas H. Cooper. Greenleaf was the place where Chief Opothleyahola camped while he tried to retain unity among the Creeks, before leading over five thousand Creeks to Kansas to avoid the war.[3]

After the war, the Creeks were required to free their African American slaves. Many of these people remained in the same area and founded all-black communities. These towns included Boley, Bookertee, Clearview, Chilesville, and Rusk. Okfuskee, a Creek town, grew up around Samuel Checote's trading post after the Civil War.[3]

The St. Louis and San Francisco Railway built a north-south line through this area during 1901-03. The Fort Smith and Western Railroad constructed an east-west line in 1903.[3]

Okfuskee County was created at statehood from the former Creek Nation, and Okemah was designated as the county seat. Oil and gas production began in the county in 1914, when the Prairie Oil and Gas Company completed a well near Paden. Other wells followed elsewhere in the county, creating a population boom that peaked in 1930.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 629 square miles (1,630 km2), of which 619 square miles (1,600 km2) is land and 10 square miles (26 km2) (1.6%) is water.[4] The county lies within the Sandstone Hills physiographic region. The northeastern part is drained by the Deep Fork of the Canadian River, while the southern part is drained by the North Canadian River.[3]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
191019,995—
192025,05125.3%
193029,01615.8%
194026,279−9.4%
195016,948−35.5%
196011,706−30.9%
197010,683−8.7%
198011,1254.1%
199011,5513.8%
200011,8142.3%
201012,1913.2%
Est. 201612,167[5]−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1]
Age pyramid for Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 12,191 people residing in the county. 64.4% were White, 19.7% Native American, 8.3% Black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% of some other race and 6.5% of two or more races. 2.9% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 11,814 people, 4,270 households, and 2,971 families residing in the county. The population density was 7/km² (19/mi²). There were 5,114 housing units at an average density of 3/km² (8/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 65.46% White, 10.41% Black or African American, 18.20% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.57% from other races, and 5.27% from two or more races. 1.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 92.5% spoke English, 3.5% Muskogee, 2.1% Spanish and 1.3% German as their first language.

There were 4,270 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 16.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 106.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,324, and the median income for a family was $30,325. Males had a median income of $24,129 versus $17,819 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,746. About 17.30% of families and 23.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.60% of those under age 18 and 17.50% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of January 15, 2018[11]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Democratic 3,098 54.94%
Republican 1,908 33.84%
Unaffiliated 633 11.23%
Total 5,639 100%
Presidential Elections Results[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 71.0% 2,800 23.9% 943 5.1% 200
2012 65.0% 2,335 35.0% 1,256
2008 64.1% 2,643 35.9% 1,480
2004 59.3% 2,542 40.7% 1,743
2000 50.4% 1,910 47.9% 1,814 1.7% 64
1996 34.4% 1,380 51.7% 2,074 13.9% 556
1992 34.1% 1,580 46.2% 2,141 19.6% 909
1988 45.2% 1,851 53.9% 2,209 0.9% 38
1984 58.9% 2,443 40.6% 1,684 0.4% 18
1980 48.3% 2,126 49.5% 2,177 2.2% 98
1976 37.7% 1,630 61.6% 2,663 0.7% 32
1972 66.7% 2,862 31.0% 1,328 2.3% 99
1968 37.9% 1,686 40.0% 1,777 22.1% 981
1964 35.9% 1,629 64.1% 2,905
1960 56.1% 2,510 44.0% 1,968
1956 49.7% 2,299 50.4% 2,331
1952 47.1% 2,469 52.9% 2,775
1948 32.8% 1,624 67.3% 3,335
1944 39.8% 2,177 60.1% 3,291 0.2% 9
1940 39.5% 3,001 60.2% 4,574 0.3% 24
1936 30.7% 2,162 68.7% 4,843 0.7% 47
1932 21.6% 1,415 78.4% 5,126
1928 58.3% 3,612 40.5% 2,513 1.2% 76
1924 32.9% 1,431 61.0% 2,654 6.1% 264
1920 48.2% 1,760 45.2% 1,650 6.6% 242
1916 26.5% 670 52.8% 1,337 20.7% 525
1912 27.8% 651 40.6% 952 31.6% 740

Communities

NRHP sites

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

  • Boley Historic District, Boley
  • Okemah Armory, Okemah
  • Okfuskee County Courthouse, Okemah
  • Weleetka Town Hall and Jail, Weleetka

Okfuskee was the home county of American folk icon Woody Guthrie, who was born in Okemah. Guthrie refers to Okfuskee in one of his lost lyrics, "Way Over Yonder In the Minor Key." The lyrics were set to music by Billy Bragg and Wilco for their 1998 collaboration, Mermaid Avenue.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Linda D. Wilson, "Okfuskee County." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  8. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. ↑ https://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/20180115%20-%20Registration%20By%20County%20%28vr2420%29.pdf
  12. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-03-29.

Coordinates: 35°28′N 96°20′W / 35.47°N 96.33°W / 35.47; -96.33

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