Cherokee County, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Cherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Oklahoma
. As of 2000, the population was 42,521. Its county seat
is Tahlequah
.
Cherokee County was established in 1907.
, the county has a total area of 776 square miles (2,009.8 km²), of which 751 square miles (1,945.1 km²) is land and 25 square miles (64.7 km²) (3.27%) is water.
of 2000, there were 42,521 people, 16,175 households, and 11,079 families residing in the county. The population density
was 57 people per square mile (22/km²). There were 19,499 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 56.41% White
, 1.20% Black
or African American
, 32.42% Native American
, 0.27% Asian
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
, 2.10% from other races
, and 7.56% from two or more races. 4.14% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 92.7% spoke English
, 3.8% Spanish
and 2.7% Cherokee
as their first language.
There were 16,175 households out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples
living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.00% 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 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.30% under the age of 18, 14.60% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,536, and the median income for a family was $32,369. Males had a median income of $25,993 versus $21,048 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $13,436. About 17.00% of families and 22.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 13.80% of those age 65 or over.
:
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...
. As of 2000, the population was 42,521. 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 Tahlequah
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Tahlequah is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It was founded as a capital of the original Cherokee Nation in 1838 to welcome those Cherokee forced west on the Trail of Tears. The city's population was 15,753 at the 2010 census. It...
.
Cherokee County was established in 1907.
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 776 square miles (2,009.8 km²), of which 751 square miles (1,945.1 km²) is land and 25 square miles (64.7 km²) (3.27%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 62
State Highway 10State Highway 10 (Oklahoma)State Highway 10 is a state highway in northeastern Oklahoma. It makes a 235.5 mile crescent through the northeast corner of the state, running from State Highway 99 in Osage County to Interstate 40 near Gore. It has two lettered spur routes.SH-10 first appeared as part of the original highway...
State Highway 51State Highway 51 (Oklahoma)State Highway 51, abbreviated to SH-51 or OK-51, is a major state highway in Oklahoma. It runs for 333 miles east–west across the state, running from the Texas state line to Arkansas. It is the third-longest state highway in the system.-Texas to I-35:SH-51 begins at the Texas line concurrent...
State Highway 82
Adjacent counties
- Delaware CountyDelaware County, OklahomaDelaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 37,077 and the newest population estimate is 45,000. Its county seat is Jay. The county was named for the Delaware Indians resettled in what was then Indian Territory in the 1830s. .Delaware County...
(north) - Adair CountyAdair County, OklahomaAdair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 22,638. Its county seat is Stilwell. Adair County was named after the Adair family of the Cherokee tribe.-History:...
(east) - Sequoyah CountySequoyah County, OklahomaSequoyah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 38,972. Its county seat is Sallisaw.-History:...
(south) - Muskogee CountyMuskogee County, OklahomaMuskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
(southwest) - Wagoner CountyWagoner County, OklahomaWagoner County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 73,085. Its county seat is Wagoner.-Early History:The area of Wagoner County was settled by the Creek after their forced removal in Alabama in the 1820's...
(west) - Mayes CountyMayes County, OklahomaMayes 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...
(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 42,521 people, 16,175 households, and 11,079 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 57 people per square mile (22/km²). There were 19,499 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 56.41% 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...
, 1.20% 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...
, 32.42% 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...
, 0.27% 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...
, 0.04% 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...
, 2.10% 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 7.56% from two or more races. 4.14% 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. 92.7% 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...
, 3.8% 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...
and 2.7% 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:...
as their first language.
There were 16,175 households out of which 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% 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, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.00% 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 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.30% under the age of 18, 14.60% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,536, and the median income for a family was $32,369. Males had a median income of $25,993 versus $21,048 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 $13,436. About 17.00% of families and 22.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.40% of those under age 18 and 13.80% of those age 65 or over.
Notable Citizens
- Bamboo HarvesterBamboo HarvesterBamboo Harvester was the name of the Palomino horse that portrayed Mister Ed on the 1961–1966 comedy series of the same name. Foaled in 1949 in El Monte, California, the gelding was trained by Will Rogers' protege, Les Hilton...
, the horse who played television's Mr. Ed - Sam ClaphanSam ClaphanSam "Sammy" Jack Claphan attended high school at Stilwell High School in Stilwell, Oklahoma. He played his way to All-American status in 1974. He was recruited by Head Coach Barry Switzer to play at the University of Oklahoma...
, football player - Robert ConleyRobert ConleyRobert Conley is an American newspaper, television and radio reporter.- Overview :Foreign correspondent for The New York Times in the 1950s and 1960s, bureau chief for NBC News, Africa, as well as foreign correspondent for NBC News' The Huntley-Brinkley Report throughout the 1960s, editor for and...
, author of numerous books about the Cherokee Indians - Alice Brown DavisAlice Brown DavisAlice Brown Davis was the first female Principal Chief of the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, and served from 1922-1935, appointed by President Warren G. Harding. She was of Seminole and Scots descent...
, Principal Chief of the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma - Jackson NarcomeyJackson NarcomeyJackson Narcomey is a Muscogee Creek painter and printmaker, living in Oklahoma.Jackson Leon Narcomey was born on January 25, 1942 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma....
, Muscogee Creek artist - Ken Purdy, mayor of Tahlequah
- Wilson RawlsWilson RawlsWilson Rawls, born Woodrow Wilson Rawls, was an American writer best known for his books Where the Red Fern Grows and Summer of the Monkeys.- Childhood :...
, author of Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern GrowsWhere the Red Fern Grows is a children's novel written by Wilson Rawls about a boy who buys and trains two Redbone Coonhound hunting dogs. This book is a popular choice for early middle school reading classes, with a reading level appropriate to grades 4 and up.-Plot summary:Before leaving work one...
and Summer of the MonkeysSummer of the MonkeysSummer of the Monkeys is a 1976 children's novel written by Wilson Rawls. The book was published by Doubleday and was the winner of the William Allen White Book Award and the California Young Reader Medal.... - Hastings ShadeHastings ShadeHastings Shade was a former deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation. He was a traditionalist, artist, and master level fluent speaker of the Cherokee language.-Background:...
, Cherokee traditionalist and author - Sonny SixkillerSonny SixkillerAlex L. "Sonny" Sixkiller is a former American football player and current sports commentator.-Early years:Born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Sixkiller's family moved to Ashland in southern Oregon when he was a year old, where his father worked in a lumber mill.He...
, Cherokee football player - Wes StudiWes StudiWesley "Wes" Studi is a Cherokee actor, who has earned notability for his portrayal of Native Americans in film. He has appeared in well-received Academy Award-winning films, such as Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves, Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans, the award-winning Geronimo: An...
, Cherokee actor
Towns
- Fort GibsonFort Gibson, OklahomaFort Gibson is a town in Cherokee and Muskogee counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 4,054 at the 2000 census. It is the location of Fort Gibson National Cemetery and is located near at the end of the Cherokees' Trail of Tears at Tahlequah, Oklahoma.Colonel Matthew Arbuckle of...
- HulbertHulbert, OklahomaHulbert is a town in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States, named after Ben H. Hulbert, a promiment Cherokee Indian. The population was 543 at the 2000 census. Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek Monastery is a Benedictine Monastery located in Hulbert...
- OaksOaks, OklahomaOaks is a town in Cherokee and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 412 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oaks is located at ....
Census-designated places
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Lost City, Oklahoma Lost City is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 809 at the 2000 census. It was the site of the first meteorite fall in the US to be recorded by a camera network.-Geography:... Park Hill, Oklahoma Park Hill is a census-designated place in southwestern Cherokee County, Oklahoma in the United States. The population was 3,936 at the 2000 census. It lies near Tahlequah, east of the junction of U.S. Route 62 and State Highway 82.-History:... Pettit, Oklahoma Pettit is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 771 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pettit is located at .... |
Scraper, Oklahoma Scraper is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 475 at the 2000 census. The community was named for Captain Archibald Scraper of the 2nd Regiment, Indian Home Guard.-Geography:... Shady Grove, Cherokee County, Oklahoma Shady Grove is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 484 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shady Grove is located at .... Tenkiller, Oklahoma Tenkiller is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 549 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Tenkiller is located at .... |
Welling, Oklahoma Welling is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 669 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Welling is located at .... Woodall, Oklahoma Woodall is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 741 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Woodall is located at .... Zeb, Oklahoma Zeb is a census-designated place in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 498 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Zeb is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.... |
NRHP sites
The following sites in Cherokee 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...
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Murrell Home The Murrell Home, also known as the George M. Murrell Home, is a historic home and museum in Park Hill, near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It was built in 1845, the building starting in 1844, and was most likely constructed least in part by slaves. It is one of only a few antebellum houses that have... , Park Hill |