Okmulgee State Park
Encyclopedia
Okmulgee State Park is an Oklahoma state park in Okmulgee County
, Oklahoma
in the United States. The park is 1075 acres (435 ha) and sits at an elevation of 758 feet (231 m). The park is adjacent to Dripping Springs State Park
and is located on Okmulgee Lake. Okmulgee State Park, established in 1963, is open for year-round recreation including camping, fishing, swimming and hiking.
s are two of the very few places in the world where the rare fossil
, Gymnophyllum wardi also known as "button coral", can be found.
The Muscogee Indians were forced from their homes in Alabama
, Florida
and Georgia
in the 1830s. They relocated in what was then known as Indian Territory
under the authority of President Andrew Jackson
and settled on an spring
which they named, Okmulgee, meaning bubbling or boiling water.
When Jackson was elected president in 1829 the government stance toward Indians changed. Jackson abandoned the policy of his predecessors of treating different Indian groups as separate nations. Instead, he aggressively pursued plans to move all Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi River
to what is now Oklahoma
.
At Jackson's request, the United States Congress opened a debate on an Indian Removal Bill. In the end, the bill passed, but the vote was close. The Senate passed the measure 28 to 19, while in the House it passed by, 102 to 97. Jackson signed the legislation into law June 30, 1830.
Following the Indian Removal Act, in 1832 the Creek National Council signed the Treaty of Cusseta
, ceding their remaining lands east of the Mississippi
to the U.S., and accepting relocation to the Indian Territory
. Most Muscogee were removed to Indian Territory during the Trail of Tears
in 1834, although some remained behind. The Muscogee that settled in Oklahoma live near what is now Okmulgee State Park. They consider the nearby city of Okmulgee to be their capital."
The facilities of Okmulgee and Dripping Springs State Parks were constructed by the Works Progress Administration
and Civilian Conservation Corps
. The WPA and CCC were work relief programs for men from unemployed families, established during the Great Depression. As part of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
's New Deal
legislation, they were designed to combat unemployment during the Great Depression
. The WPA and CCC operated in every U.S. state
. The men of the WPA and CCC replaced an earthen dam at Okmulgee Lake which was built in 1927. They also built a spillway
and many of the park facilities that are still in use today.
Okmulgee State Park became an Oklahoma state park when management of the park was transferred from the city of Okmulgee
to the state in 1963. The park expanded in 1988 when Dripping Springs Lake was leased to the state by the city.
, white bass
, sunfish
, largemouth bass
, and channel catfish
. Okmulgee Lake has been designated as an Oklahoma "Trophy Bass Lake." In addition to fishing the lake is open to boating, kayaking, swimming, and water-skiing. There are 75 RV
camping sites and 50 tent camping sites at the park. The boat ramps are lit. Okmulgee State Park also features a 3 miles (4.8 km) hiking trail and extensive picnic facilities. Hunting is not permitted within the park, but a public hunting area is located on the north and west side of the lake.
Okmulgee County, Oklahoma
Okmulgee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 39,685. Its county seat is Okmulgee.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,819 km²...
, 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...
in the United States. The park is 1075 acres (435 ha) and sits at an elevation of 758 feet (231 m). The park is adjacent to Dripping Springs State Park
Dripping Springs State Park
Dripping Springs State Park is a Oklahoma state park located in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma. It is located near the city of Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Recreational opportunities at Dripping Springs State Park include RV camping, tent camping, swimming, fishing, and boating...
and is located on Okmulgee Lake. Okmulgee State Park, established in 1963, is open for year-round recreation including camping, fishing, swimming and hiking.
History
Okmulgee State Park is on land that was at the bottom of a vast inland sea 200 to 350 million years ago. The rocks at the park date back to the Pennsylvanian Period. Okmulgee and neighboring Dripping Springs State ParkDripping Springs State Park
Dripping Springs State Park is a Oklahoma state park located in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma. It is located near the city of Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Recreational opportunities at Dripping Springs State Park include RV camping, tent camping, swimming, fishing, and boating...
s are two of the very few places in the world where the rare fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
, Gymnophyllum wardi also known as "button coral", can be found.
The Muscogee Indians were forced from their homes in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in the 1830s. They relocated in what was then known as Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
under the authority of President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
and settled on an spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
which they named, Okmulgee, meaning bubbling or boiling water.
When Jackson was elected president in 1829 the government stance toward Indians changed. Jackson abandoned the policy of his predecessors of treating different Indian groups as separate nations. Instead, he aggressively pursued plans to move all Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to what is now 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...
.
At Jackson's request, the United States Congress opened a debate on an Indian Removal Bill. In the end, the bill passed, but the vote was close. The Senate passed the measure 28 to 19, while in the House it passed by, 102 to 97. Jackson signed the legislation into law June 30, 1830.
Following the Indian Removal Act, in 1832 the Creek National Council signed the Treaty of Cusseta
Treaty of Cusseta
The Treaty of Cusseta was a treaty between the government of the United States and the Creek Nation signed March 24, 1832. The treaty ceded all Creek claims east of the Mississippi River to the United States.-Origins:...
, ceding their remaining lands east of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to the U.S., and accepting relocation to the Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
. Most Muscogee were removed to Indian Territory during the Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
in 1834, although some remained behind. The Muscogee that settled in Oklahoma live near what is now Okmulgee State Park. They consider the nearby city of Okmulgee to be their capital."
The facilities of Okmulgee and Dripping Springs State Parks were constructed by the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
and Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
. The WPA and CCC were work relief programs for men from unemployed families, established during the Great Depression. As part of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
legislation, they were designed to combat unemployment during the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
. The WPA and CCC operated in every U.S. state
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...
. The men of the WPA and CCC replaced an earthen dam at Okmulgee Lake which was built in 1927. They also built a spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
and many of the park facilities that are still in use today.
Okmulgee State Park became an Oklahoma state park when management of the park was transferred from the city of Okmulgee
Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Okmulgee is a city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population at the 2010 census was 12,321 a loss of 5.4 percent since the 2000 census figure of 13,022. It has been the capital of the Muscogee Nation since the United States Civil War. Okmulgee means "boiling waters" in the Creek...
to the state in 1963. The park expanded in 1988 when Dripping Springs Lake was leased to the state by the city.
Recreation
Okmulgee State Park is open for year-round recreation. Okmulgee Lake is open to fishing, boating and swimming. The lake which was built in 1926 to provide water for the city of Okmulgee is considered to be an "old fishing lake." The lake bottom features large boulders and thick oak tree trunks. Common game fish found in the lake are crappieCrappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, white bass
White bass
The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...
, sunfish
Lepomis
Lepomis is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The most recognizable species of the sixteen in this genus is the Bluegill....
, largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, and channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
. Okmulgee Lake has been designated as an Oklahoma "Trophy Bass Lake." In addition to fishing the lake is open to boating, kayaking, swimming, and water-skiing. There are 75 RV
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
camping sites and 50 tent camping sites at the park. The boat ramps are lit. Okmulgee State Park also features a 3 miles (4.8 km) hiking trail and extensive picnic facilities. Hunting is not permitted within the park, but a public hunting area is located on the north and west side of the lake.