Atoka, Oklahoma

Atoka is a city located in Atoka County, Oklahoma. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,988. It is the county seat of Atoka CountyTemplate:GR.

Geography

Location of Atoka, Oklahoma

Atoka is located at 34°23'3" North, 96°7'39" West (34.384206, -96.127577)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.0 km² (8.5 mi²). 21.8 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.71% water.

History

Atoka was named after Captain Atoka, a leader of the Choctaw Nation and the signer of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, which began the process of re-locating the Choctaw people from Mississippi to Oklahoma in 1830. He was buried near the town of Farris.

The city was founded by a Baptist Missionary named J.S. Murrow in 1867 and quickly replaced the dying town of Boggy Depot as the chief city in Atoka County. A small Civil War confrontation occurred on February 13, 1864. The skirmish occurred just north of the city where the Confederate Memorial Museum stands today. A cemetery with the graves of close to a hundred persons, many of whom died in the battle, is located on the museum grounds. There is also a section of the old Butterfield Stage on the museum grounds that visitors can explore.

The town is the sight of the oldest Catholic parish in Indian Territory, the oldest chapter of the Freemasons in Oklahoma, and the oldest chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Oklahoma.

In recent years, the town has been expiriencing a cultural and economic revival. Court (Main) Street has been restored and numerous new businesses, including KFC, Quizno's, etc., have filled formerly vacant lots. The population has continued to grow and is now in the range of 3,100, a large town for southeastern Oklahoma.

Historical sites in Atoka (also in Atoka County) include the Atoka Armory Building, the Isaac Billy Homestead and Family Cemetery, the First Methodist Church Building, the Captain Charles LeFlore House, the Old Masonic Temple Building, the Middle Boggy Battefield Site and Confederate Museum, Old Atoka State Bank, the Pioneer Club Building, the Joe Ralls House, the Captain James S. Stanley House, and the Waddel's Station Site, all of which are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Government

The Atoka city government operates under the common council-manager form of municipal government. The City Council has six elected members (including the mayor, who is also the presiding officer of the council, and the vice-mayor). The city council appoints a city manager (currently Don Walker) who handles the day-to-day business of running the city.

The current mayor is Charles McCall III, who was elected to fill the seat vacated by retiring mayor Coby Sherrill in 2005. The current vice-mayor is Jay Voto. Another mayoral election is scheduled for 2007.

Atoka is included in Oklahoma's 2nd House Congressional District, of which Dan Boren is the representative. The city is also included in State House District 20 and State Senate District 5, of which State Representative Paul D. Roan and Senator Jeff Rabon represent respectively in the state legislature.

Atoka is traditionally a Democratic city, although the Republican Party has made siginificant gains in the city elections over the past few years.

Economy

Atoka is traditionally a ranching and farming community with its economic base firmly planted in agriculturally related venues. However, in recent years, efforts have been made the Chamber of Commerce, the City Council, and various other local businesses and leaders to create new industrial jobs in Atoka and Atoka County.

Currently, an industrial park is open for development north of the city on U.S. Highway 69 and is currently being used by Ethan Allen Furniture, the county's largest employer.

Atoka is located along U.S. Highway 69, a major transportation artery that travels from Texas to Minnesota, thus making it a convenient stop for motorists traveling either north or south.

In addition to revenue generated at convenience stores, fast-food restaurants, etc., Atoka (and Atoka County) is a popular hunting and fishing area; as well, tourism plays a small, albeit important role in city growth and employer popularity.

Education

Being the largest in the county and having the best opportunities for education, the Atoka Public Schools System has students from all over Atoka County, although there are three other small high schools in Caney, Stringtown, and Tushka. The current superintendent is Mark McPherson.

The Atoka High School campus is located on the west side of the town and enrollment averages between 300 to 400 students from grades 9 to 12. Besides offering the basic courses, Atoka High School offers classes in Spanish, Choir, Agricultural Education (i.e. FFA; the Atoka FFA Chapter was named the number one chapter in the state in 2005), Mock Trial (currently undefeated in eight years), Drama, etc. The current principal is Brian Armstrong. As of December, 2005, construction began on a new cafetorium for the high school and middle schools.

McCall Middle School (named for Charles McCall I) is located due south of the high school campus. The middle or junior high school averages between 200 and 250 in enrollment. The current principal is Chad Graham.

The Atoka Elementary School is located on the old campus of the Atoka High School. The current principal is Mary Rains.

The Faith Christian school is a small, private, non-denominational Christian academy that is under the supervision of Dwayne Sherriff Ministries of Durant, Oklahoma. The school has classes for Pre-K to the eighth grade. After students graduate from the eighth grade, they may choose to attend the Atoka High School, or to attend Victory Life Academy in Durant, Oklahoma, also under the supervision of Dwayne Sherriff Ministries.

Also, the Atoka Kiamichi Technology Center campus offers courses in Business Computers, Computer Repair, Cosmetology, Child Care, Nursing, Auto Mechanics, and Carpentry.

Trivia

The Atoka Public Schools mascot is the Wampus cat.

The third Governor of Oklahoma and first Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, R. L. Williams, moved to Atoka (then a part of the old Indian Territory) in 1896 from Troy, Alabama.

Atoka has a newspaper, the Atoka County Times, which is published weekly on Wednesdays county-wide.

According to legend, an old Indian chief stood on top of a hill overlooking Atoka and blessed the town so that it would never be devastated by a tornado or other severe weather. To date, numerous tornados have touched down in Atoka County, yet none have struck the town.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 2,988 people, 1,277 households, and 735 families residing in the city. The population density is 137.0/km² (354.7/mi²). There are 1,499 housing units at an average density of 68.7/km² (178.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 72.86% White, 11.51% African American, 10.27% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 4.99% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 1,277 households out of which 26.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% are married couples living together, 15.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% are non-families. 39.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 21.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.22 and the average family size is 2.99.

In the city the population is spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 78.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 74.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $18,361, and the median income for a family is $22,344. Males have a median income of $25,431 versus $19,495 for females. The per capita income for the city is $12,017. 25.3% of the population and 19.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 34.9% of those under the age of 18 and 17.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External links

• Official Website