Pryor Creek, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Pryor Creek, usually known as simply Pryor, is a city in Mayes County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. The population was 8,659 at the 2000 census
, compared to 9,539 in the 2010 census
.
Originally named Coo-Y-Yah, Cherokee
for Huckleberry
, it was renamed Pryor Creek, the name of the local railroad station (named for the creek). Due to confusion in distinguishing handwritten mailing addresses to Pryor Creek and Pond Creek
, the U.S. Postal Service name for the city was shortened to Pryor, though the official name of the city remains Pryor Creek.
Just prior to the establishment of Union Mission, Captain Nathaniel Pryor settled near here and established a trading post on Grand River. Captain Pryor was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a veteran of the War of 1812, and agent to the Osage Indians.
Over a period of years, pioneers and explorers carved a trail through this section of the country that became known as the Texas or Old Military Road. It passed north and south near what is now known as U.S. Highway 69.
In 1870, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad started construction in the Cherokee Nation along the Kansas border, laying tracks to Texas. By June 1871, the railroad reached the point where the present town now lies. Now known as the Union Pacific, the railroad continues to be a valuable asset to the commerce of the community and county.
A post office was eventually established naming the town Coo-y-yah, Indian Territory. Coo-y-yah is the Cherokee name for "huckleberry". On April 23, 1887, Coo-y-yah was changed to Pryor Creek, but the "Creek" was dropped by the post office on January 26, 1909. The official name of the city government is still Pryor Creek despite a proposition put before voters in 1963 to change the name.
The first mayor, James Lee Mills, a Cherokee, served from 1894-1896. Mayor Mills was a businessman, newspaper publisher, and lawman. In 1951, voters approved our present City Charter of a Mayor-Council form of government. In this form of government, voters elect a Mayor, Clerk, Treasurer, Police Chief and eight Council Members. The charter also established a Cemetery, Park, and Library Board as well as a Municipal Utility Board (MUB), which oversees operations of the city-owned gas, water, electric and sewer systems.
In 1991, Ward 4 Council-Member Lucy Schultz was elected as the city's 31st Mayor thus becoming the first and only woman mayor of the town.
The Whitaker Orphan's Home was established in 1897 by W.T. and Stacy Whitaker to provide for the orphan white children of the Indian Territory. In 1908, the home became a state institution for orphans and other children in need. In 1982 the state closed down the home and turned the facility over to the Oklahoma Military Department. Under the umbrella of the Whitaker Education and Training Center, the base is home of the Thunderbird Youth Academy. Thunderbird Youth Academy conducts quasi-military program, which targets at-risk 16 to 18 year-old high school dropouts. The program teaches how to strengthen their academic performance, self-esteem, and life skills thus preparing the cadet for the work force and managing a healthy family environment.
Pryor Public Schools offer programs for four yr-olds thru 12th Grade. The school system includes four elementary schools, one junior high school, one senior high school, a modern performing arts auditorium and the Burdick Center a modern basketball gymnasium. The school athletic programs have produced State Championships in Girls Basketball, Softball, Golf and Cross-Country.
Pryor is home to a branch campus of Rogers State University as well as a campus of the Northeast Technology Center that offers vocational and technical training classes.
Area recreational facilities include a brand new state of the art municipal recreation center that includes an indoor swimming pool, fitness center, meeting rooms and a chapter of the Boys and Girls Club. Pryor also has five city parks, Whitaker, Centennial, Roosevelt, Bobby Buck, Earl Ward, as well as a softball & baseball complex. Earl Ward Park is home of the city-owned 18-hole golf course and is located just east of the industrial park on Highway 69A. Pryor is also just a few miles away from Hudson Lake, Grand Lake and Ft. Gibson Lake
On April 27, 1942, the city's downtown business district was destroyed by a devastating tornado which struck at 4:45 p.m. Final figures showed property damage in excess of $2,000,000, and a casualty rate of 454, with 52 deaths.
During World War II, the DuPont Company and the U.S. War Department operated an Ammunition Powder Plant and German Prisoner of War Camp, southeast of the city. The area later became the present-day Mid-America Industrial Park, which is the largest manufacturing park in the state. The industries located in the park provide jobs for hundreds of families that live in and around Mayes County. The park has been selected as the site for a new 1500000 square feet (139,354.6 m²), $180 million Gatorade plant owned by PepsiCo. Other long established employers include Red Devil, NGC Paper, Georgia-Pacific, Solae, Lone Star Cement, Elkem Metals, Orchid Paper and the Grand River Dam Authority, who also operates a coal-fire power generation facility.
Pryor and Mayes County is also home to a large agricultural economy which consists of cash crops, beef cattle industry, horse industry and dairy industry. Until recently, Mayes County was the second largest dairy producing county in the state.
Mayes County, Oklahoma
Mayes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was named for Samuel Houston Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899. According to the 2010 census the population was 41,259, a 7.5 percent increase from 2000, when the population was 38,369...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 8,659 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, compared to 9,539 in the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
.
Originally named Coo-Y-Yah, Cherokee
Cherokee language
Cherokee is an Iroquoian language spoken by the Cherokee people which uses a unique syllabary writing system. It is the only Southern Iroquoian language that remains spoken. Cherokee is a polysynthetic language.-North American etymology:...
for Huckleberry
Huckleberry
Huckleberry is a common name used in North America for several species of plants in two closely related genera in the family Ericaceae:* Vaccinium* GaylussaciaHuckleberry may also refer to:-Plants:...
, it was renamed Pryor Creek, the name of the local railroad station (named for the creek). Due to confusion in distinguishing handwritten mailing addresses to Pryor Creek and Pond Creek
Pond Creek, Oklahoma
Pond Creek is a city in Grant County, Oklahoma, along the Salt Fork Arkansas River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 856.-History:...
, the U.S. Postal Service name for the city was shortened to Pryor, though the official name of the city remains Pryor Creek.
History
The history of Pryor Creek, Oklahoma has roots that go back over 185 years. The Union Mission was established in 1820, southeast of what is the Chouteau-Mazie area. Here was where the first school and printing press were established in what is now the State Of Oklahoma.Just prior to the establishment of Union Mission, Captain Nathaniel Pryor settled near here and established a trading post on Grand River. Captain Pryor was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a veteran of the War of 1812, and agent to the Osage Indians.
Over a period of years, pioneers and explorers carved a trail through this section of the country that became known as the Texas or Old Military Road. It passed north and south near what is now known as U.S. Highway 69.
In 1870, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad started construction in the Cherokee Nation along the Kansas border, laying tracks to Texas. By June 1871, the railroad reached the point where the present town now lies. Now known as the Union Pacific, the railroad continues to be a valuable asset to the commerce of the community and county.
A post office was eventually established naming the town Coo-y-yah, Indian Territory. Coo-y-yah is the Cherokee name for "huckleberry". On April 23, 1887, Coo-y-yah was changed to Pryor Creek, but the "Creek" was dropped by the post office on January 26, 1909. The official name of the city government is still Pryor Creek despite a proposition put before voters in 1963 to change the name.
The first mayor, James Lee Mills, a Cherokee, served from 1894-1896. Mayor Mills was a businessman, newspaper publisher, and lawman. In 1951, voters approved our present City Charter of a Mayor-Council form of government. In this form of government, voters elect a Mayor, Clerk, Treasurer, Police Chief and eight Council Members. The charter also established a Cemetery, Park, and Library Board as well as a Municipal Utility Board (MUB), which oversees operations of the city-owned gas, water, electric and sewer systems.
In 1991, Ward 4 Council-Member Lucy Schultz was elected as the city's 31st Mayor thus becoming the first and only woman mayor of the town.
The Whitaker Orphan's Home was established in 1897 by W.T. and Stacy Whitaker to provide for the orphan white children of the Indian Territory. In 1908, the home became a state institution for orphans and other children in need. In 1982 the state closed down the home and turned the facility over to the Oklahoma Military Department. Under the umbrella of the Whitaker Education and Training Center, the base is home of the Thunderbird Youth Academy. Thunderbird Youth Academy conducts quasi-military program, which targets at-risk 16 to 18 year-old high school dropouts. The program teaches how to strengthen their academic performance, self-esteem, and life skills thus preparing the cadet for the work force and managing a healthy family environment.
Pryor Public Schools offer programs for four yr-olds thru 12th Grade. The school system includes four elementary schools, one junior high school, one senior high school, a modern performing arts auditorium and the Burdick Center a modern basketball gymnasium. The school athletic programs have produced State Championships in Girls Basketball, Softball, Golf and Cross-Country.
Pryor is home to a branch campus of Rogers State University as well as a campus of the Northeast Technology Center that offers vocational and technical training classes.
Area recreational facilities include a brand new state of the art municipal recreation center that includes an indoor swimming pool, fitness center, meeting rooms and a chapter of the Boys and Girls Club. Pryor also has five city parks, Whitaker, Centennial, Roosevelt, Bobby Buck, Earl Ward, as well as a softball & baseball complex. Earl Ward Park is home of the city-owned 18-hole golf course and is located just east of the industrial park on Highway 69A. Pryor is also just a few miles away from Hudson Lake, Grand Lake and Ft. Gibson Lake
On April 27, 1942, the city's downtown business district was destroyed by a devastating tornado which struck at 4:45 p.m. Final figures showed property damage in excess of $2,000,000, and a casualty rate of 454, with 52 deaths.
During World War II, the DuPont Company and the U.S. War Department operated an Ammunition Powder Plant and German Prisoner of War Camp, southeast of the city. The area later became the present-day Mid-America Industrial Park, which is the largest manufacturing park in the state. The industries located in the park provide jobs for hundreds of families that live in and around Mayes County. The park has been selected as the site for a new 1500000 square feet (139,354.6 m²), $180 million Gatorade plant owned by PepsiCo. Other long established employers include Red Devil, NGC Paper, Georgia-Pacific, Solae, Lone Star Cement, Elkem Metals, Orchid Paper and the Grand River Dam Authority, who also operates a coal-fire power generation facility.
Pryor and Mayes County is also home to a large agricultural economy which consists of cash crops, beef cattle industry, horse industry and dairy industry. Until recently, Mayes County was the second largest dairy producing county in the state.
Economy
Mid America Industrial ParkMid America Industrial Park
MidAmerica Industrial Park is Oklahoma's largest industrial park. The park is located in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma. Over 70 firms are located within the industrial park including operations of seven Fortune 500 companies. The park was founded in 1960 and is 9,000 acres...
is located in Pryor Creek.
In May 2007 Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
announced its plans to build a large Internet data center
Data center
A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems...
at the Mid-America Industrial Park. The $600 million facility is now open and employs around 100 people. Google shut the worksite down in 2008 because of the status of the United States economy and work on its overseas projects and affairs, then restarted the project in October 2010 and opened at the end of September 2011.
Pryor Creek is also the home of Catch the Fever Music Festivals, which is host to Bikelahoma
Bikelahoma
Bikelahoma is an annual motorcycle rally held in Pryor, Oklahoma. 2008 was the birth of Bikelahoma in this format, featuring Jackyl, Kentucky Headhunters, Crooked X, Bang Tango, Dirty Penny, Murphy's Lawmen, and many others events alongside the rally.- External links :* *...
, Country Fever and Rocklahoma
Rocklahoma
Rocklahoma is an annual hard rock music festival held in Pryor, Oklahoma...
, just 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Pryor Creek. These attractions draw people from all over the world.
Geography
Pryor Creek is located at 36°17′59"N 95°18′50"W (36.299667, -95.313798).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 city has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.9 km²), of which, 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.31%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census Pryor Creek had a population of 9,539. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 72.3% white, 0.7% African American, 16.9% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 1.9% reporting some other race and 7.7% reporting two or more races. 4.9% of the population reported being Hispanic or Latino of any race.As of the census
Census
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 8,659 people, 3,567 households, and 2,343 families residing in the city. 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 1,332.5 people per square mile (514.3/km²). There were 3,887 housing units at an average density of 598.2 per square mile (230.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.91% White, 0.29% African American, 14.12% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.97% 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 6.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.78% of the population.
There were 3,567 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% 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, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,424, and the median income for a family was $37,115. Males had a median income of $33,547 versus $20,737 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 city was $16,887. About 10.8% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
Tornado
On April 27, 1942, a tornado swept along Pryor Creek's main street from the western edge of the business district to the eastern edge of the city, destroying nearly every building and causing extensive damage to the residential section. The twister was described by a witness as the "most awful looking thing anyone could imagine".The storm killed 52 people, according to the U.S. Weather Bureau, but The Associated Press set the total at 60 two days after the storm. More than 400 were injured in the storm that caused damage estimated at US$3 million.
The F4 tornado struck about 5 pm (17:00) local time, an hour and a half after one hit near Talala, and mowed a path about 5 miles (8 km) long, killing three and injuring 12. Talala, which was not hit, is about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Pryor Creek.
Both of Pryor Creek's hospitals were wrecked by the storm, the city's water supply was disrupted, and there was no electrical or telephone service. Residential areas also suffered extensive damage.
Gov. Leon C. Phillips put the area under martial law, but because the Oklahoma National Guard had been activated for service during World War II, he sent state troopers to rescue victims, maintain order and prevent looting.
The troopers were assisted by soldiers stationed at the Oklahoma Ordnance Works south of the city and by employees of duPont Co. that was to operate the gun powder plant at the OOW. Ambulances were on the scene from Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Muskogee
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
, Vinita
Vinita, Oklahoma
Vinita is a city in south-central Craig County, Oklahoma. As of 2009, the population estimate was 6,057. It is the county seat of Craig County.-Geography:...
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Claremore, Oklahoma
Claremore is a city and the county seat of Rogers County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 18,581 at the 2010 census, a 17.1 percent increase from 15,873 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area and home to Rogers State University...
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Wagoner, Oklahoma
Wagoner is a city in Wagoner County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 7,669 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wagoner County.-Geography:Wagoner is located at ....
, and Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,990...
.
Water was trucked in from Vinita and from the Oklahoma Ordnance Works. Tulsa doctors interrupted their weekly meeting, and a team of 20 went to Pryor to care for victims. Others went to the Tulsa hospitals to treat any victims sent there.
A shuttle train that usually transported workers between Muskogee and the Ordnance Works site was pressed into service to transport injured victims to Vinita for treatment.
The Pryor tornado ranks as the fifth deadliest in Oklahoma history behind tornadoes at Woodward in 1947, Snyder in 1905, Peggs in 1920, and Antlers in 1945. The May 3, 1999, tornado at Midwest City caused more damage but fewer deaths.
Talala residents said they did not see the typical funnel of a tornado in the storm. They described what looked like a series of streaks reaching from the clouds to the ground which leveled everything in their paths.
At Pryor Creek, however, the tornado had a definite funnel.
Notable people
- Joseph "Jocko" ClarkJoseph J. ClarkAdmiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, USN was an admiral in the United States Navy, who commanded aircraft carriers during World War II. A native of Oklahoma, Clark was a member of the Cherokee tribe...
- US Navy admiral - "Indian" Bob Johnson - professional baseball player
- Cliff MapesCliff MapesClifford Franklin Mapes was a professional baseball player. He played five seasons Major League Baseball as an outfielder for the New York Yankees, St...
- professional baseball player - Clyde Van SickleClyde Van SickleClyde Van Sickle is a former guard in the National Football League. He first played with the Frankford Yellow Jackets during the 1930 NFL season. After a year away from the NFL, he played two seasons with the Green Bay Packers.-References:...
- professional football player