Okmulgee County, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
_Nation_Council_House.jpg) Muscogee (Creek) Council House in downtownOkmulgee. | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOklahoma | |
| Coordinates:35°38′N95°58′W / 35.64°N 95.97°W /35.64; -95.97 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Oklahoma |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Seat | Okmulgee |
| Largest city | Okmulgee |
| Area | |
• Total | 702 sq mi (1,820 km2) |
| • Land | 697 sq mi (1,810 km2) |
| • Water | 5.0 sq mi (13 km2) 0.7% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 36,706 |
| • Density | 52.7/sq mi (20.3/km2) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
Okmulgee County is acounty in theU.S. state ofOklahoma. As of the2020 census, the population was 36,706.[1] Thecounty seat isOkmulgee.[2] Located within theMuscogee Nation Reservation, the county was created at statehood in 1907. The name Okmulgee is derived from the Hitchita (Lower Creek) wordokimulgi, meaning "boiling waters".[3]
Okmulgee County is included in theTulsa, OKmetropolitan statistical area.
TheCreek Nation was removed into this part of Indian Territory along theTrail of Tears after signing treaties exchanging their land in Georgia and Alabama in 1826 and 1832. The actual move occurred over the period from 1827 to 1836. TheCreek Nation government, led by chiefSamuel Checote, revised its constitution in 1867 and designated Okmulgee as its capital in 1868. The U.S. Post Office opened in Okmulgee on April 29, 1869. TheCreek Nation built its capitol, a log building, in 1869. The building was rebuilt of stone in 1878.[3]
Okmulgee County was formed on July 16, 1907, from Muskogee land, with a population of 14,362. County government offices were located in theCreek Council House until 1916, when the present Okmulgee County Courthouse was built. The former council building was then repurposed. The county's population was 21,115 in 1910 and increased to a high of 56,558 by 1930.[3]
Railroads came to the area in 1900, when the St. Louis, Oklahoma and Southern Railway (later theSt. Louis and San Francisco Railway or Frisco) built a line fromSapulpa, Oklahoma via Okmulgee to a place near theRed River. The Shawnee, Oklahoma and Missouri Coal and Railway (later also acquired by the Frisco) built a line fromMuskogee to Okmulgee in 1902–03. It was abandoned in 1973. The Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway (purchased by theKansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway in 1919) ran throughDewar, Oklahoma beginning in 1909, and the Okmulgee Northern Railway operated between Okmulgee and Deep Fork from 1916 to 1964.[3]
In 1918, the boundary between Okmulgee County andMcIntosh County was realigned, moving the towns ofGrayson[4] andHoffman[5] from McIntosh into Okmulgee County.
TheCreek Council House still stands today. While ownership of the building changed over the years, the City of Okmulgee in November 2010 sold the building back to the tribe for $3.2 million.[6] The building currently houses the Creek Council House Museum, with artifacts and exhibits about the history of theMuscogee tribe and the arts and crafts of other Native American tribes.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 702 square miles (1,820 km2), of which 697 square miles (1,810 km2) is land and 5.0 square miles (13 km2) (0.7%) is water.[7] Lake Henryetta,Okmulgee Lake, Nichols Lake, most ofDripping Springs Lake, and the tip of Oklahoma's largest lake,[8]Lake Eufaula, lie within the county.[9] TheDeep Fork of the North Canadian River is the principal waterway in the county.[3] The eastern part of the county is within the Eastern Lowlands physiographic region and the western part is in the Osage Plains.Okmulgee Park andDripping Springs Park lie west and southwest of the city of Okmulgee.Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge lies within the southern part of the county.[9] The area known as the High Spring Mountains is in the eastern part of the county south ofEram, and extending further south intoMcIntosh County in theHitchita vicinity.[10]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 21,115 | — | |
| 1920 | 55,072 | 160.8% | |
| 1930 | 56,558 | 2.7% | |
| 1940 | 50,101 | −11.4% | |
| 1950 | 44,561 | −11.1% | |
| 1960 | 36,945 | −17.1% | |
| 1970 | 35,358 | −4.3% | |
| 1980 | 39,169 | 10.8% | |
| 1990 | 36,490 | −6.8% | |
| 2000 | 39,685 | 8.8% | |
| 2010 | 40,069 | 1.0% | |
| 2020 | 36,706 | −8.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010[15] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 36,706. Of the residents, 23.1% were under the age of 18 and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.8 males.[16][17]
The racial makeup of the county was 60.2% White, 7.5%Black or African American, 16.7%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, 1.7% from some other race, and 13.4% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.7% of the population.[17]
There were 14,134 households in the county, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 29.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[16]
There were 16,624 housing units, of which 15.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.2% were owner-occupied and 29.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.6%.[16]
As of the2000 census, there were 39,685 people, 15,300 households, and 10,694 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 22/km2 (57/mi2). There were 17,316 housing units at an average density of 10/km2 (26/mi2). The racial makeup of the county was 69.73%White, 10.20%Black orAfrican American, 12.85%Native American, 0.19%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.61% fromother races, and 6.40% from two or more races. 1.95% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.[18]
There were 15,300 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% weremarried couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.06.[18]
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males.[18]
The median income for a household in the county was $27,652, and the median income for a family was $33,987. Males had a median income of $29,935 versus $20,861 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,065. About 14.90% of families and 18.90% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.90% of those under age 18 and 15.50% of those age 65 or over.[18]
Okmulgee County government has three commissioners, one for each of the three Districts.[19] County services, including the District Court, Assessor, County Clerk, Jail, and Sheriff's office, are all located between 6th and 8th St, and Alabama and Seminole Avenues, in the City of Okmulgee.[20]
Despite a wide Democratic registration advantage as recently as the late 2010s, the county—like every Oklahoma county since 2000—has favored the Republican candidate for president in every election since 2000, with the Republican margin of victory increasing with every election.
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023[21] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Democratic | 7,282 | 35.20% | |||
| Republican | 9,870 | 47.69% | |||
| Others | 3,542 | 17.12% | |||
| Total | 20,694 | 100% | |||
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1908 | 1,400 | 50.00% | 1,103 | 39.39% | 297 | 10.61% |
| 1912 | 1,140 | 38.68% | 1,243 | 42.18% | 564 | 19.14% |
| 1916 | 1,860 | 36.91% | 2,406 | 47.75% | 773 | 15.34% |
| 1920 | 5,367 | 51.33% | 4,495 | 42.99% | 593 | 5.67% |
| 1924 | 6,015 | 46.85% | 5,927 | 46.17% | 896 | 6.98% |
| 1928 | 9,149 | 60.77% | 5,834 | 38.75% | 73 | 0.48% |
| 1932 | 4,762 | 29.67% | 11,287 | 70.33% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 4,975 | 29.11% | 12,061 | 70.56% | 57 | 0.33% |
| 1940 | 6,696 | 37.63% | 11,016 | 61.90% | 84 | 0.47% |
| 1944 | 5,430 | 35.74% | 9,737 | 64.09% | 25 | 0.16% |
| 1948 | 4,368 | 29.44% | 10,467 | 70.56% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 6,717 | 39.91% | 10,115 | 60.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 6,703 | 46.78% | 7,626 | 53.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 7,107 | 49.46% | 7,262 | 50.54% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 4,704 | 31.57% | 10,195 | 68.43% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 4,709 | 34.81% | 6,089 | 45.02% | 2,728 | 20.17% |
| 1972 | 8,706 | 63.82% | 4,494 | 32.94% | 442 | 3.24% |
| 1976 | 5,333 | 38.19% | 8,499 | 60.87% | 131 | 0.94% |
| 1980 | 6,652 | 46.57% | 7,236 | 50.65% | 397 | 2.78% |
| 1984 | 8,704 | 53.76% | 7,380 | 45.59% | 105 | 0.65% |
| 1988 | 5,674 | 40.52% | 8,262 | 59.00% | 68 | 0.49% |
| 1992 | 4,586 | 29.74% | 7,767 | 50.37% | 3,068 | 19.89% |
| 1996 | 4,246 | 31.84% | 7,555 | 56.65% | 1,536 | 11.52% |
| 2000 | 5,797 | 43.99% | 7,186 | 54.53% | 195 | 1.48% |
| 2004 | 8,363 | 53.17% | 7,367 | 46.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2008 | 8,727 | 58.50% | 6,191 | 41.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2012 | 7,731 | 58.73% | 5,432 | 41.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2016 | 8,944 | 64.12% | 4,385 | 31.44% | 620 | 4.44% |
| 2020 | 9,668 | 67.55% | 4,357 | 30.44% | 288 | 2.01% |
| 2024 | 10,100 | 70.39% | 3,979 | 27.73% | 270 | 1.88% |
The following sites in Okmulgee County are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places:
Places adjacent to Okmulgee County, Oklahoma | |
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Municipalities and communities ofOkmulgee County, Oklahoma,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Counties |  | |
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| Principal city | ||
| Cities over 20k | ||
| Cities 10k-20k | ||
| Cities 5k-10k | ||
| Cities and towns 1k-5k | ||
35°38′N95°58′W / 35.64°N 95.97°W /35.64; -95.97
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