Atoka County, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
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
.
, the county has a total area of 990 square miles (2,564.1 km²), of which 978 square miles (2,533 km²) is land and 12 square miles (31.1 km²) (1.18%) is water.
Atoka County is drained by Clear Boggy
and Muddy Boggy Creek
s. 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.
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.
operates the Mack Alford Correctional Center
in an unincorporated area
, near Stringtown
.
:
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)
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and was formed in 1907 from Choctaw Lands. As of 2000, the population is 13,879. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Atoka
Atoka, Oklahoma
Atoka is a city in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,052 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Atoka County.-Geography:Atoka is located at ....
.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 990 square miles (2,564.1 km²), of which 978 square miles (2,533 km²) is land and 12 square miles (31.1 km²) (1.18%) is water.
Atoka County is drained by Clear Boggy
Clear Boggy Creek
Clear Boggy Creek, also known as the Clear Boggy River, is a creek in southeastern Oklahoma that is a tributary of Muddy Boggy Creek.-Geography:According to some sources, Clear Boggy Creek joins with Muddy Boggy Creek to form the Boggy River...
and Muddy Boggy Creek
Muddy Boggy Creek
Muddy Boggy Creek, also known as the Muddy Boggy River, is a river in southeastern Oklahoma. It is a major tributary of the Red River.-Geography:Muddy Boggy Creek is located in the counties of Pontotoc, Hughes, Coal, Atoka, and Choctaw....
s. 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
Butterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
route.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 69
U.S. Highway 75
State Highway 3State Highway 3 (Oklahoma)State Highway 3, also abbreviated as SH-3 or OK-3, is a highway maintained by the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Traveling diagonally through Oklahoma, from the Panhandle to the far southeastern corner of the state, SH-3 is the longest state highway in the Oklahoma road system, at a total length of...
State Highway 7State Highway 7 (Oklahoma)State Highway 7, often abbreviated as SH-7 or OK-7, is a 150-mile highway in southern Oklahoma. This lengthy highway connects many towns in Oklahoma's "Little Dixie" area. It runs from Interstate 44 in Lawton to U.S...- State Highway 43State Highway 43 (Oklahoma)State Highway 43 is a state highway in Oklahoma, USA. It runs 65.3 miles west-to-east through Coal, Atoka, Pushmataha and Pittsburg counties.-Route description:...
- Indian Nation TurnpikeIndian Nation TurnpikeThe Indian Nation Turnpike is a toll road in southeastern Oklahoma. It is the longest tollway in the state.-Route description:The Indian Nation turnpike is built to parkway-like design standards, omitting a center barrier and left-hand shoulders for a slightly mounded grassy median that is flush...
Adjacent counties
- Pittsburg CountyPittsburg County, OklahomaPittsburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 43,953. Its county seat is McAlester.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,569 km²...
(north) - Pushmataha CountyPushmataha County, Oklahoma-Administrative History:* Ca. 1000-1500: Caddoan Mississippian civilization at Spiro Mounds* 1492-1718: Spain* 1718-1763: France* 1763-1800: Spain* 1800-1803: France* 1803–present: United States...
(east) - Choctaw CountyChoctaw County, OklahomaChoctaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 15,342. Its county seat is Hugo.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
(southeast) - Bryan CountyBryan County, OklahomaBryan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 36,534 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Durant. The county shares the same boundaries as the Durant Micropolitan Area. It is also home to the headquarters of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in Durant...
(south) - Johnston CountyJohnston County, OklahomaJohnston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 10,513. Its county seat is Tishomingo.-Geography:...
(west) - Coal CountyCoal County, OklahomaCoal County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population is 6,031. Its county seat is Coalgate.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 13,879 people, 4,964 households, and 3,504 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 5.86% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 11.37% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.23% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.58% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 6.09% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 26.6% were of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 10.3% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 6.6% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 6.1% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 97.4% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 1.4% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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 CorrectionsOklahoma Department of Corrections
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections is an agency of the state of Oklahoma. DOC is responsible for the administration of the state prison system. It has its headquarters in Oklahoma City, in the former Mabel Bassett Correctional Center building.The Department of Corrections is governed by the...
operates the Mack Alford Correctional Center
Mack Alford Correctional Center
Mack H. Alford Correctional Center is an Oklahoma Department of Corrections prison in unincorporated Atoka County, Oklahoma, near Stringtown. The medium security prison, which opened in 1973, is named after Mack H. Alford, who once served as the prison's warden.-External links:* - Oklahoma...
in an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
, near Stringtown
Stringtown, Oklahoma
Stringtown is a town in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 396 at the 2000 census. It is the second largest town in Atoka County.-Geography:Stringtown is located at ....
.
Cities and towns
|
Farris, Oklahoma Farris is a small unincorporated community in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. It lies east of the county seat of Atoka on Highway 3 near the border of the county. There is a small, K-8 grade school at Farris, but those students who are above the eighth grade attend Atoka High School in... Harmony, Oklahoma Harmony is an unincorporated community to the south-east of Atoka in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. Harmony has a small, K-8 school located in the community. Students of high school age either go to Atoka, Stringtown, or Tushka High Schools.... Hopewell, Oklahoma Hopewell is an unincorporated community in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. It lies at an elevation of 722 feet .... Lane, Oklahoma Lane is a small unincorporated community in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. The post office was established February 11, 1888.Lane is located along State Highway 3 southeast of Atoka.... |
Mt. Olive, Oklahoma Mount Olive is a ghost town to the east of Stringtown in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. Today, besides a few people who live in the general area, all that marks the where the community is Mount Olive Baptist Church.... |
Stringtown, Oklahoma Stringtown is a town in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 396 at the 2000 census. It is the second largest town in Atoka County.-Geography:Stringtown is located at .... Tushka, Oklahoma Tushka is a town in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 345 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tushka is located at .... Wards Chapel, Oklahoma Wards Chapel is a small unincorporated community in Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States. There are a few people, a few houses, and a church, Ward's Chapel Baptist Church. The community is located around five miles west of Atoka.... Wardville, Oklahoma Wardville is a small unincorporated community in northern Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States, along State Highway 131 14 miles northeast of Coalgate, Oklahoma. The post office was established February 6, 1902 under the name Herbert, Oklahoma. The town was named after Herbert Ward, who was the... |
NRHP sites
The following sites in Atoka County are listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
Further reading
- Underwood, William Henry. "A History Atoka County, Oklahoma". Bryan County Heritage Association, 1997. 213.
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)