Mayes County, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
 Pensacola Dam on theNeosho River in-betweenDisney andLangley onOklahoma State Highway 28, creatingGrand Lake o' the Cherokees. | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOklahoma | |
| Coordinates:36°18′N95°14′W / 36.3°N 95.24°W /36.3; -95.24 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oklahoma |
| Founded | November 16, 1907 |
| Named after | Samuel Houston Mayes |
| Seat | Pryor Creek |
| Largest city | Pryor Creek |
| Area | |
• Total | 684 sq mi (1,770 km2) |
| • Land | 655 sq mi (1,700 km2) |
| • Water | 28 sq mi (73 km2) 4.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 39,046 |
| • Density | 59.6/sq mi (23.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | mayes |
Mayes County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofOklahoma. As of the2020 census, the population was 39,046.[1] Itscounty seat isPryor Creek.[2] Named forSamuel Houston Mayes,Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899, it was originally created at the Sequoyah Convention in August 1905.[3]
According to theEncyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the area covered by what is now Mayes County has many prehistoric sites. There is evidence of human habitation dated before 6,000BC, plus 35 Archaic sites (6,000 BC to 1 AD), 25 Woodland sites (1 AD to 1,000 AD) and 31 Plains Village sites (1000 AD to 1500 AD).[3]
Frenchvoyageurs roamed the area in the early 18th Century, giving French names to many of the waterways and other local sites.Jean Pierre Chouteau established a trading post at the location of the present town ofSalina, where he chiefly traded with theOsage tribe that had settled in the vicinity. Union Mission, near the present day town ofChouteau, Oklahoma was established in 1820. Rev. Samuel Worcestor set up the first printing press in this part of the United States at Union Mission in 1835.[3]
In 1828, members of the WesternCherokee Nation began arriving in the area from their former lands inArkansas. The Eastern Cherokee, who were forced from their homes inTennessee,Georgia andNorth Carolina, followed during the 1830s. In 1841, the present Mayes County area became part of the Saline District of theCherokee Nation.[3]
This area of Oklahoma experienced some military activity during the Civil War. A 300-man Union Army force surprised an equally large Confederate unit near the present site of Locust Grove, Oklahoma in July 1862. The Union force prevailed and captured about one third of the Confederates, while the remainder escaped. In July 1863, Confederate GeneralStand Watie tried to capture a Union supply train headed to Fort Gibson. Federal forces under Colonel James Williams successfully defended the train and drove off Watie's men. This action was thereafter known as the First Battle of Cabin Creek. In September 1864, General Watie and General Richard Gano did capture a Union supply train in the same location. This was named the Second Battle of Cabin Creek. Colonel James Williams led a detachment that recovered the wagon train in a skirmish near Pryor Creek. The Confederate force escaped.[3]
After the Civil War, transportation improvements opened up the area's economy. The East Shawnee Trail, and early cattle trail followed the route of theGrand River. TheTexas Road came through later. In 1871 to 1872, theMissouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad built its track through the present county. The Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway (later, theKansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway) built a line in 1913 that joined the Katy system atStrang, Oklahoma.[3]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 684 square miles (1,770 km2), of which 655 square miles (1,700 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (4.1%) is water.[4]
The county is bisected by theGrand River. The eastern half of the county is on theOzark Plateau, with flat areas divided by deep stream valleys. The western half is in thePrairie Plains.[3]
The county contains several man-made major reservoirs, including:
Lake Spavinaw is owned by the city ofTulsa and is the principal source of water for the city. The other three reservoirs were built by the Federal Government primarily for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. They are managed by theGrand River Dam Authority (GRDA). GRDA also manages the GRDA Coal-fired power generation station.[3]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 13,596 | — | |
| 1920 | 16,829 | 23.8% | |
| 1930 | 17,883 | 6.3% | |
| 1940 | 21,668 | 21.2% | |
| 1950 | 19,743 | −8.9% | |
| 1960 | 20,073 | 1.7% | |
| 1970 | 23,302 | 16.1% | |
| 1980 | 32,261 | 38.4% | |
| 1990 | 33,366 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 38,369 | 15.0% | |
| 2010 | 41,259 | 7.5% | |
| 2020 | 39,046 | −5.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7] 1990-2000[8] 2010[9] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 39,046. Of the residents, 24.0% were under the age of 18 and 19.8% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.9 males.[10][11]
The racial makeup of the county was 61.3% White, 0.5%Black or African American, 21.1%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Asian, 1.1% from some other race, and 15.5% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.5% of the population.[11]
There were 15,219 households in the county, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[10]
There were 18,263 housing units, of which 16.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.2% were owner-occupied and 26.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%.[10]
As of the 2010 census, Mayes County had a population of 41,259. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 68.0% white, 0.4% black, 21.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.8% reporting some other race and 9.0% of the population reporting two or more races; 2.7% of the population reported being Hispanic or Latino of any race.[12]
As of thecensus[13] of 2000, there were 38,369 people, 14,823 households, and 10,820 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 58 people per square mile (22 people/km2). There were 17,423 housing units at an average density of 27 units per square mile (10/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.14%White, 0.30%Black orAfrican American, 19.10%Native American, 0.28%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.62% fromother races, and 7.55% from two or more races. 1.87% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 94.8% spokeEnglish, 2.1%Cherokee, 1.4%Spanish and 1.2%German as their first language.
There were 14,823 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% weremarried couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,125, and the median income for a family was $37,542. Males had a median income of $31,668 versus $20,573 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,350. About 11.20% of families and 14.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023[14] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 6,234 | 26.28% | |||
| Republican | 13,791 | 58.15% | |||
| Others | 3,698 | 15.59% | |||
| Total | 23,723 | 100% | |||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1908 | 1,021 | 45.28% | 1,186 | 52.59% | 48 | 2.13% |
| 1912 | 1,077 | 40.16% | 1,391 | 51.86% | 214 | 7.98% |
| 1916 | 1,229 | 40.55% | 1,574 | 51.93% | 228 | 7.52% |
| 1920 | 2,447 | 53.23% | 1,987 | 43.22% | 163 | 3.55% |
| 1924 | 2,317 | 47.40% | 2,246 | 45.95% | 325 | 6.65% |
| 1928 | 3,004 | 57.61% | 2,161 | 41.45% | 49 | 0.94% |
| 1932 | 1,596 | 26.42% | 4,444 | 73.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 2,690 | 40.62% | 3,920 | 59.19% | 13 | 0.20% |
| 1940 | 3,631 | 47.10% | 4,057 | 52.63% | 21 | 0.27% |
| 1944 | 3,822 | 49.82% | 3,830 | 49.93% | 19 | 0.25% |
| 1948 | 2,854 | 40.45% | 4,201 | 59.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 4,704 | 55.08% | 3,837 | 44.92% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 4,677 | 55.43% | 3,760 | 44.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 5,194 | 58.26% | 3,721 | 41.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 4,157 | 43.40% | 5,421 | 56.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 4,260 | 44.63% | 2,855 | 29.91% | 2,431 | 25.47% |
| 1972 | 7,535 | 72.08% | 2,656 | 25.41% | 263 | 2.52% |
| 1976 | 5,040 | 44.14% | 6,298 | 55.15% | 81 | 0.71% |
| 1980 | 6,633 | 53.67% | 5,344 | 43.24% | 381 | 3.08% |
| 1984 | 8,585 | 62.04% | 5,154 | 37.25% | 99 | 0.72% |
| 1988 | 6,115 | 47.40% | 6,691 | 51.86% | 95 | 0.74% |
| 1992 | 5,445 | 35.89% | 6,432 | 42.40% | 3,294 | 21.71% |
| 1996 | 5,268 | 39.59% | 6,377 | 47.92% | 1,663 | 12.50% |
| 2000 | 7,132 | 50.94% | 6,618 | 47.27% | 251 | 1.79% |
| 2004 | 9,946 | 58.93% | 6,933 | 41.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2008 | 10,234 | 64.03% | 5,749 | 35.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2012 | 9,637 | 66.65% | 4,823 | 33.35% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2016 | 11,555 | 73.52% | 3,423 | 21.78% | 739 | 4.70% |
| 2020 | 12,749 | 76.68% | 3,581 | 21.54% | 296 | 1.78% |
| 2024 | 13,514 | 77.78% | 3,529 | 20.31% | 331 | 1.91% |
Agriculture has long been the primary economic activity in the county. Important crops include: corn, soybeans, sorghum and hay. Cattle raising and dairy farming occur in the more rugged parts of the Ozark Plateau.[3]
Heavy industry came to the county in 1941 with the creation of the government-ownedOklahoma Ordnance Works, a munitions manufacturing plant near Pryor. The plant, which had been operated byduPont, closed after the end of World War II, and remained vacant for many years. In 1960, the former munitions plant was converted into theMidAmerica Industrial Park, which included plants manufacturing paper, cement and fertilizer.[3]
TheGrand River Dam Authority (GRDA) is a major employer. It operates several hydroelectric plants and two coal-fired electric power generators in the county.[3]
There is aGoogle data center in the county.[16]
Unified school districts include:[17]
There are two elementary school districts:Osage Public School andWickliffe Public School.[17]
TheBig Cabin School District covered parts of the county until its 1992 dissolution. It merged into the Vinita school district.[18]
The following sites in Mayes County are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places:
Places adjacent to Mayes County, Oklahoma | |
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Municipalities and communities ofMayes County, Oklahoma,United States | ||
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| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservations | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
36°18′N95°14′W / 36.30°N 95.24°W /36.30; -95.24
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