Sequoyah County, Oklahoma

Sequoyah County, Oklahoma

The Sequoyah County Courthouse in Sallisaw.
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Sequoyah County
Location in the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Map of the United States highlighting Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location in the U.S.
Founded 1907
Seat Sallisaw
Largest city Sallisaw
Area
 • Total 714 sq mi (1,849 km2)
 • Land 673 sq mi (1,743 km2)
 • Water 41 sq mi (106 km2), 5.7%
Population (est.)
 • (2013) 41,218
 • Density 58/sq mi (22/km²)
Congressional district 2nd

Sequoyah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 42,391.[1] The county seat is Sallisaw.[2] Sequoyah County was created in 1907 when Oklahoma became a state. It was named after Sequoyah, who created the Cherokee syllabary.[3]

Sequoyah County is part of the Fort Smith, AR-OK Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Archaeological sites within the borders of the present county date to the Archaic Period (6000 BC to 1 AD). A slightly smaller number of sites date to the Plains Village Period (1000 to 1500 AD).[3]

text
Sequoyah's Cabin in 2004

French traders came to this area in the 1700s, but Spain claimed the area until 1800, when France asserted control. The Louisiana Purchase passed control to the United States. The area was actually inhabited by the Osage Nation until 1816, when Lovely's Purchase occurred, allowing Western Cherokees to settle there before their compulsory removal. The area was then known as Lovely County, Arkansas Territory. However, the Cherokee were removed from Arkansas in 1829 and came to the present Sequoyah County. Sequoyah was among those who moved at the time, building a cabin that still stands. Dwight Mission was also moved to a site on Sallisaw Creek. It also still stands.[3]

text
Dwight Mission in October 1969

The Cherokee Nation established their first capital at a place they called Tahlonteskee (Tahlontuskey), near the present town of Gore, Oklahoma. Tahlonteskee remained the capital until 1839, when it was superseded by Talequah. It continued as a meeting place for "Old Settlers."[3]

This area, then known as the Sequoyah District became a hot bed of Confederate sympathizers during the Civil War. The only combat occurred when Stand Watie and his Confederate troops captured a Union steamboat on the Illinois River June 69, 1864.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 714 square miles (1,850 km2), of which 673 square miles (1,740 km2) is land and 41 square miles (110 km2) (5.7%) is water.[4]

The county is divided between the Ozark Plateau in the north and the Ouachita Mountains in the south. The Cookson Hills are in the northwest part of the county. The Arkansas River forms the southern border. Other major waterways are the Illinois River and Robert S. Kerr Reservoir.[3]

Major highways

Interstate 40 runs east and west through Sequoyah county. US-59 runs north and south through the county.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

State protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
191025,005—
192026,7867.1%
193019,505−27.2%
194023,13818.6%
195019,773−14.5%
196018,001−9.0%
197023,37029.8%
198030,74931.6%
199033,82810.0%
200038,97215.2%
201042,3918.8%
Est. 201541,153[5]−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[1]
Age pyramid for Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 38,972 people, 14,761 households, and 10,982 families residing in the county. The population density was 22/km² (58/mi²). There were 16,940 housing units at an average density of 10/km² (25/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.12% White, 1.86% Black or African American, 19.64% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 9.39% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 95.8% spoke English, 2.1% Cherokee and 1.7% Spanish as their first language.

There were 14,761 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out with 27.40% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,615, and the median income for a family was $32,673. Males had a median income of $26,613 versus $19,751 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,405. About 16.10% of families and 19.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.80% of those under age 18 and 18.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Sequoyah County Sheriff's Office
Agency overview
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction* County (US) of Sequoyah in the state of Oklahoma, United States
Legal jurisdiction As per operations jurisdiction.
General nature
Operational structure
Agency executives
  • Ron Lockhart, Sheriff
  • Roger Fuller, Undersheriff
Facilities
Stations 1
Jails 1
Boats 1
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The county law enforcement is the Sequoyah County, Oklahoma Sheriff's Office. The department patrols all of the county's rural areas and provides at least three investigators in the department. The current sheriff is Ron Lockhart, a 21-year veteran of the Fort Smith, Arkansas police department.

Politics

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of January 15, 2016[11]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Democratic 12,627 62.31%
Republican 5,724 28.25%
Unaffiliated 1,914 9.44%
Total 20,265 100%
Presidential election results[12]
Year Republican Democrat
2012 69.55% 9,578 30.45% 4,193
2008 68.00% 9,466 32.00% 4,454
2004 60.00% 8,865 40.00% 5,910
2000 53.97% 6,614 44.27% 5,425

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

NRHP sites

The following sites in Sequoyah County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

  • Baker "A" Archeological Site (34SQ269), Short
  • Citizen's State Bank, Marble City
  • Dwight Mission, Marble City
  • Ellison No. 2 Site (34SQ85), Short
  • Judge Franklin Faulkner House, Sallisaw
  • Fears Site (34SQ76), Nicut
  • First Presbyterian Church, Sallisaw

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 William L. Anderson, "Sequoyah County." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Accessed May 23, 2012.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  5. ↑ "County Totals Dataset: Population, Population Change and Estimated Components of Population Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  8. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  10. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. ↑ https://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/20160115%20-%20Registration%20By%20County%20%28vr2420%29.pdf
  12. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved 2016-03-18.
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Coordinates: 35°30′N 94°45′W / 35.50°N 94.75°W / 35.50; -94.75

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