Ada is a city in and the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Pontotoc CountyPontotoc County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 35,143. Its county seat is Ada.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,879 km²...
,
OklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,617,316 residents in 2007 and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 16,008 at the
2000 censusThe 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...
.
Ada is an Oklahoma Main Street City, an Oklahoma Certified City, a
Tree City USATree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States....
member, and a
National Weather ServiceThe National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
StormReadyStormReady is a community preparedness program in the United States that encourages government entities and commercial gathering sites to prepare for severe storms. The program, sponsored by the United States National Weather Service, issues recognition to communities and sites across the country...
Community.
In April 1889, Jeff Reed (a native Texan) was appointed to carry the mail from
StonewallStonewall is a town in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 465 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stonewall is located at...
to Center, two small communities in the
Indian TerritoryThe Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the use of Native Americans...
. With his family and his stock, he sought a place for a home on a prairie midway between the two points, where he constructed a log house and started Reed's Store.
Ada is a city in and the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Pontotoc CountyPontotoc County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 35,143. Its county seat is Ada.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,879 km²...
,
OklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,617,316 residents in 2007 and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 16,008 at the
2000 censusThe 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...
.
Ada is an Oklahoma Main Street City, an Oklahoma Certified City, a
Tree City USATree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States....
member, and a
National Weather ServiceThe National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
StormReadyStormReady is a community preparedness program in the United States that encourages government entities and commercial gathering sites to prepare for severe storms. The program, sponsored by the United States National Weather Service, issues recognition to communities and sites across the country...
Community.
History
In April 1889, Jeff Reed (a native Texan) was appointed to carry the mail from
StonewallStonewall is a town in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 465 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stonewall is located at...
to Center, two small communities in the
Indian TerritoryThe Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the use of Native Americans...
. With his family and his stock, he sought a place for a home on a prairie midway between the two points, where he constructed a log house and started Reed's Store. Other settlers soon built homes nearby. In 1891, a post office was established and named after Reed's oldest daughter, Ada. Ada was incorporated as a city in 1901.
Ada was incorporated April 1, 1901 and grew rapidly with the arrival of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway line.
National Register of Historic Places
The following sites in Ada are listed on the
National Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
- Ada Public Library
The Ada Public Library is a Colonial Revival styled building located at 400 South Rennie Street in Ada, Oklahoma. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places...
- Bebee Field Round House
- East Central State Normal School
- Mijo Camp Industrial District
- Pontotoc County Courthouse
The Pontotoc County Courthouse is a Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals architectural style building located at the corner of 12th Street and Broadway Avenue in Ada, Oklahoma. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places....
- Sugg Clinic
The Sugg Clinic is considered an outstanding example of the Moderne Art Deco architectural style. The building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is located at 100 E 13th Street in Ada, Oklahoma. Opened in 1947, it was called "one of the best equipped clinics in the...
- Wintersmith Park Historic District
The Wintersmith Park Historic District, known locally as simply Wintersmith Park, is a historic district located at 18th Street and Scenic Drive in Ada, Oklahoma. The park includes a lake, a lodge, bridges, trails, courts and a public amphitheater...
Geography
Ada is located in the rolling hills of southeastern Oklahoma at (34.763661, -96.668214). Ada is
88 miles (142 km) from
Oklahoma CityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
,
122 miles (196 km) from Tulsa, and
133 miles (214 km) from
Dallas, TexasDallas , with a population of 1,279,910, is the third-largest city in Texas and the 8th-largest in the United States. The city is the main economic center of the 12-county Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area that according to the March 2009 U.S. Census Bureau release, had a population of...
.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe 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. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.8 km²), of which, 15.7 square miles (40.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.44%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2006
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
, Ada's 16,008 residents consisted of 6,697 households and 3,803 families. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 999.3 people per square mile (385.9/km²). The 7,472 housing units were dispersed at an average density of 475.9/sq mi (183.8/km²). Ada's 2006 racial makeup was 73.81% White, 3.54% African American, 15.10% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 5.81% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.89% of the population.
Of Ada's 6,697 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. The 15.8% of those 65 years or older living alone made up a substantial portion of the 37.1% single-person households. Average household size was 2.20 persons; average family size was 2.91.
The age breakdown in 2006 was 22.3% under the age of 18, 17.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% aged 65 or older. The
medianIn probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the number separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to highest...
age was 33 years. The disparity between the number of males and the number of females seems to be decreasing: for every 100 females aged 18 or over, there were only 84.5 males, but when all females and males were taken into account, there were 100 females for every 88.4 males.
Median household income was $22,977, while median family income was $31,805. Males had a median income of $25,223 versus $17,688 for females. Ada's
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
was $14,666. Some 14.8% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.8% of those under 18 and 11.4% of those 65 or over.
Major employers
Ada is home to a world-class
United States Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged to regulate chemicals and protect human health by safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land...
water laboratory. The state's law-enforcement training center is also located in Ada.
Ada is the headquarters of the
Chickasaw NationThe Chickasaw Nation is a Native American nation that was part one of the Five Civilized Tribes in the United States. The Five Civilized Tribes were differentiated from other Indian reservations in that they had semi-autonomous constitutional governments and delegates in the U.S. House of...
IndianThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples...
tribe, and its corporation Chickasaw Enterprises is a major Ada-area employer.
Several Ada employers have 100 or more employees:
- Carl Albert Indian Hospital
- City of Ada
- DJK Enterprises, Inc.
- East Central University
East Central University is a four year public university in Ada, Oklahoma, located in the south central region of the state. Ada is home to the tribal headquarters of the Chickasaw Nation. The president is Dr. John R. Hargrave...
- Flex-N-Gate Technologies
- Holcim Cement
- IRT
- McCalls Communities
- People's Electric Cooperative
- Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
- Robert S. Kerr EPA Water Research Laboratory
- Solo Cup
- Valley View Regional Hospital
- Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large, discount department stores. It is the world's largest public corporation by revenue, according to the 2008 Fortune Global 500. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969, and...
Supercenter
Higher education
East Central UniversityEast Central University is a four year public university in Ada, Oklahoma, located in the south central region of the state. Ada is home to the tribal headquarters of the Chickasaw Nation. The president is Dr. John R. Hargrave...
, located in Ada, is public a four-year institution that has been in the city since 1909. It is a relatively small school with around 4,500 students. The school is perhaps best known internationally for its cartography program, of which only a few programs exist.
Also nearby are Seminole State College in
SeminoleSeminole is a city in Seminole County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,899 at the 2000 census. Seminole experienced a large population growth in the 1920s due to an oil boom. Throughout that time many people came to Seminole in hopes of finding wealth in oil. After the oil boom...
and
Murray State CollegeMurray State College, is a public, co-educational community college located in southeastern Oklahoma with the main campus located in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The college is named in honor of former Oklahoma Governor William H...
in
TishomingoTishomingo is a city in Johnston County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,162 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Johnston County. It was the first capital of the Chickasaw Nation. Murray State College, a community college, with an annual enrollment of 1,600 students is...
, both located within
40 miles (60 km). The state's flagship schools,
University of OklahomaThe University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. As of 2007, the university has 29,931 students enrolled, most...
in
NormanNorman is the largest city in and the county seat of Cleveland County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area....
is
65 miles (105 km) away, while Oklahoma State University in
StillwaterStillwater is a city in and the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 39,065 at the 2000 census. Founded December 12, 1884 it was the first settlement in the Unassigned Lands....
is a little over away. The
Oklahoma CityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's estimated population as of 2008 was 551,789, with an estimated metro-area population of 1,206,142...
metropolitan area, just over distance, also contains numerous post-secondary educational institutions.
Primary and secondary
Ada Public SchoolsThe Ada Independent School District is a school district based in Ada, Oklahoma .The schools in the school district are Glenwood Early Childhood Center, the Hayes Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, Willard Elementary School, Ada Junior High School, Ada High School, and the STEPS: ...
has six primary and secondary schools.
- Glenwood Early Childhood Center houses six educational programs geared toward early childhood (4–5 years old).
- Hayes Grade Center serves first and second grade students.
- Washington Grade Center serves third and fourth grade students.
- Willard Grade Center serves fifth and sixth grade students.
- Ada Junior High School enrolls seventh through ninth grade students.
- Ada Senior High School serves sophomores, juniors and seniors. The high school is home to the Ada Cougars, who have won 19 state football championships (1951-2, 1955-7, 1959, 1962, 1964-5, 1970, 1974, 1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1993-6) - the most in Oklahoma. Ada High School is also the home of Cougar News Network, a high school news program, which appears on local cable TV.
There are also two public school systems just outside of the Ada city limits,
ByngByng is a town in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,090 at the 2000 census.-History:The beginnings of the town of Byng were established in 1917 with the building of a post office and power plant . The post office and power plant were named to honor the World War I...
and Latta.
Technical schools
Pontotoc Technology CenterPontotoc Technology Center is a public career and technology education center located in Ada, Oklahoma and is part of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system.-Student Organizations:...
(formerly Pontotoc Area Vo-Tech) is located in Ada. Other area technical centers include the Sulphur Skills Center ( away), the Mid-America Area Vo-Tech at Wayne ( away) and The Gordon Cooper Vo-Tech School at Shawnee ( away).
Libraries
Ada's public library, the Hugh Warren Memorial Library, offers visitors a wide variety of materials for all ages and interests including books, video cassettes, filmstrips, magazines, newspapers, books-on-tape, and CD-ROM computer software. Also available to the public are a copy machine, fax machine, and a typewriter. On the campus of
East Central UniversityEast Central University is a four year public university in Ada, Oklahoma, located in the south central region of the state. Ada is home to the tribal headquarters of the Chickasaw Nation. The president is Dr. John R. Hargrave...
is the Linscheid Library, which is open to the general public at no cost (with the exception of some services).
Debbie Carter and Denice Haraway murders
In 2006, a book by author
John GrishamJohn Ray Grisham is an American author, best known for his popular legal thrillers. Before becoming a writer, he was a successful lawyer and politician...
brought Ada into the national spotlight related to the false convictions and imprisonment of two individuals for the murder of Debra Sue "Debbie" Carter and two individuals convicted of the murder of Denice Haraway that the city officials were under pressure to solve. The cases were researched by a New York reporter and were the subject of the book
The Dreams of Ada and eventually written about in the
The Innocent ManThe Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town is the first nonfiction book written by John Grisham which was released by Doubleday Publishing on October 10, 2006....
, Grisham's first non-fiction book. Accounts from both books suggest major flaws, irregularities, and outright miscarriages of justice including forced and made-up confessions by the police and prosecutors. Prosecutor Bill Peterson has self-published his disagreements with Grisham's version of events.
Notable natives and residents
- Nick Blackburn
Robert Nicholas Blackburn is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. He graduated from Del City High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He attended Seminole State College. The 6-4, 227 pound right-hander was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 34th round...
– Minnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. They have played in the Hubert H...
starting pitcherIn baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
- Dan Cody
Daniel Price Cody is an American football linebacker who is currently out of football. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
– Baltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. They compete in the AFC North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
linebackerA Linebacker is a position in American and Canadian football that was invented by football coach Fielding Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
; born in Ada.
- Maj. Gen. Myles Deering- U.S. Army Major General
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general. Major general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the...
- Douglas Edwards
Douglas Edwards was America's first network news television anchor, anchoring CBS's first nightly news broadcast from 1948-1962, which was later to be titled CBS Evening News.-Early life and career:...
– First television network anchor
- Josh Fields, White Sox infielder; born in Ada
- Lowell Fulson
Lowell Fulson was a big-voiced blues guitarist and songwriter, in the West Coast blues tradition. Fulson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He also recorded for business reasons as Lowell Fullsom and Lowell Fulsom...
– Guitarist; moved to Ada in 1938.
- Mark Gastineau
Marcus Dell Gastineau is a former American football player who was a leading defensive end for the New York Jets from 1979 to 1988. A five-time Pro Bowler, his 100½ quarterback sacks in only his first hundred starts in the NFL made him one of the quickest and most-feared pass-rushers of his...
– National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
all-starAll-star is a term with meanings in both the worlds of sports and entertainment.-Entertainment:In the chris sense , it is used to describe the cast of a movie in which most of the speaking parts, even relatively minor ones, are played by motion picture stars who are generally associated with...
, ECU graduate.
- Anthony Armstrong Jones
Ronnie Jones was an American country music singer known professionally as Anthony Armstrong Jones, a stage name that he took from the name of the British photographer who married Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon...
– country music singer
- M. G. Kelly – Nationally syndicated disc jockey
A disc jockey is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, dis
k referred to phonograph records, while dis
c referred to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling...
.
- Robert S. Kerr
Robert S. Kerr was an American businessman from Oklahoma. Kerr formed a petroleum company before turning to politics. He served as Governor of Oklahoma and was elected three times to the United States Senate...
– Former Oklahoma Governor and long-time US Senator; born in Ada.
- Jane Lawton
Jane Lawton was an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. The Jane E. Lawton community center, located in Leland Park in Chevy Chase, MD, was named after her on June 14, 2009....
– DelegateA delegate is a person representing an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person representing an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO,a trade union) at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A...
, Maryland General AssemblyThe Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
.
- Louise S. Robbins
Louise S. Robbins is an American academic and is currently the director of the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Library and Information Studies....
– Wisconsin Librarian of the Year (2001); named one of Oklahoma's 100 Library Legends; director of School of Library and Information Studies at University of Wisconsin–Madison; author of two award-winning books. Longtime resident of Ada and first woman city council member and mayor.
- Oral Roberts
Granville Oral Roberts is an American Pentecostal television evangelist and is also a Christian charismatic.-Early life:...
– EvangelistEvangelism is the practice of attempting to convert people to a religion. The term is used most often in reference to Christianity's religions, since they mandate that their followers make efforts to recruit as many people as possible into their faith...
; born in Ada.
- Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
– country music singer
- Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Charles Shockey is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants 14th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
– National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
tight endThe tight end is a position in American football on the offensive team. The tight end is sometimes the last man on the offensive line, but has a slightly different build and, in some cases, a different role than other linemen...
for the New Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints play in the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
; born in Ada.
- Leon Polk Smith
Leon Polk Smith was an American painter. His geometrically oriented abstract paintings were influenced by Piet Mondrian and his style has been associated with the Hard-edge school, of which he is considered one of the founders....
– Abstract artist known for his work with geometric painting; graduate of East Central University.
- Derick Bowers- NFL Official, Head Linesman, worked Super Bowl 43
- Dr. David Schmitt – Professor at Iowa State University
- Ron Stone
Ron Stone was an American news anchor at KPRC-TV in Houston, Texas for 20 years from 1972 to 1992. He was called "the most popular and revered news anchor the city has ever known" by...
-- newsman
- Ron Williamson
Ronald "Ron" Keith Williamson was a minor league baseball catcher/pitcher who was one of two men wrongly convicted in 1988 in Oklahoma for the rape and murder of Debra Sue "Debbie" Carter. Dennis Fritz was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Williamson was sentenced to death...
- minor league baseball player who was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in 1988 in Ada for rape and murder, and eventually freed. Focus of The Innocent ManThe Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town is the first nonfiction book written by John Grisham which was released by Doubleday Publishing on October 10, 2006....
by John GrishamJohn Ray Grisham is an American author, best known for his popular legal thrillers. Before becoming a writer, he was a successful lawyer and politician...
.
External links