Ada, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ada, Oklahoma
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Ada City Hall (2018)
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Location in the state of Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Pontotoc |
| Founded | 1891 (post office) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 20.20 sq mi (52.32 km2) |
| • Land | 20.14 sq mi (52.17 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 1,011 ft (308 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 16,481 |
| • Density | 815.89/sq mi (315.00/km2) |
| • Demonym | Adan |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
74820-74821
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| Area code | 580 |
| FIPS code | 40-00200 |
| GNIS ID | 2409660 |
Ada is a city in Oklahoma, United States. It's the main city, or county seat, of Pontotoc County. In 2020, about 16,481 people lived there.
The city was named after Ada Reed, the daughter of one of the first people to settle in the area. Ada became an official city in 1901. It is home to East Central University and is also the capital of the Chickasaw Nation. Ada is known as an Oklahoma Main Street City and a Tree City USA member, which means it cares about its downtown and trees.
Contents
History of Ada
In the late 1880s, the Daggs family from Texas were the first white settlers in the area now known as Ada. It used to be called Daggs Prairie.
In 1889, Jeff Reed, a relative of the Daggs family, was asked to deliver mail between two small communities. He built a log house and opened "Reed's Store" in a good spot between them. Other families soon moved nearby.
In 1891, a post office was set up and named "Ada" after Reed's oldest daughter. The town grew quickly when the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway line arrived in 1901. Later, other railroads like the Santa Fe Railroad and the Oklahoma Central Railway also came to Ada.
In 1909, women in Ada worked hard to create a school for teachers, called a normal school. This led to the start of East Central College, which is now East Central University.
Ada also became a place for manufacturing. In 1910, the Portland Cement Company built the first cement clinker factory in Oklahoma. Later, a company called American Glass Casket Company made glass caskets, but it didn't last. Hazel Atlas Glass bought the factory in 1928 and made glass products there until 1991.
Geography and Climate
Ada is located in the rolling hills of southeastern Oklahoma. It is about 88 miles (142 km) from Oklahoma City and 122 miles (196 km) from Tulsa. It's also about 133 miles (214 km) from Dallas, Texas.
The city covers about 15.8 square miles (40.9 km2). Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water.
Ada's Weather
Ada has a climate with warm summers and mild winters. It gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Ada, Oklahoma | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 84 (29) |
90 (32) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
100 (38) |
106 (41) |
109 (43) |
116 (47) |
109 (43) |
98 (37) |
88 (31) |
85 (29) |
116 (47) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 51 (11) |
56 (13) |
65 (18) |
75 (24) |
80 (27) |
89 (32) |
94 (34) |
94 (34) |
87 (31) |
76 (24) |
64 (18) |
54 (12) |
74 (23) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 30 (−1) |
34 (1) |
41 (5) |
50 (10) |
59 (15) |
67 (19) |
71 (22) |
70 (21) |
63 (17) |
52 (11) |
40 (4) |
33 (1) |
51 (11) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −10 (−23) |
1 (−17) |
3 (−16) |
23 (−5) |
34 (1) |
42 (6) |
55 (13) |
50 (10) |
34 (1) |
19 (−7) |
11 (−12) |
— | −10 (−23) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.1 (53) |
2.1 (53) |
2.7 (69) |
4 (100) |
5.9 (150) |
4.4 (110) |
2.8 (71) |
3.2 (81) |
3.4 (86) |
3.6 (91) |
2.4 (61) |
2.3 (58) |
38.8 (990) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.7 (6.9) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.8 (2.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
5.4 (14) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
People of Ada
The population of Ada has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 4,349 | — | |
| 1920 | 8,012 | 84.2% | |
| 1930 | 11,261 | 40.6% | |
| 1940 | 15,143 | 34.5% | |
| 1950 | 15,995 | 5.6% | |
| 1960 | 14,347 | −10.3% | |
| 1970 | 14,859 | 3.6% | |
| 1980 | 15,902 | 7.0% | |
| 1990 | 15,820 | −0.5% | |
| 2000 | 15,691 | −0.8% | |
| 2010 | 16,810 | 7.1% | |
| 2020 | 16,481 | −2.0% | |
| Sources: | |||
2020 Census Information
In 2020, Ada had 16,481 people living in 6,611 households. About 3,552 of these were families.
Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Ada in 2020:
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 8,942 | 54.26% |
| Black or African American | 696 | 4.22% |
| Native American | 2,777 | 16.85% |
| Asian | 301 | 1.83% |
| Pacific Islander | 8 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,476 | 15.02% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,281 | 7.77% |
2010 Census Information
In 2010, Ada had 16,810 residents. The city had about 999 people per square mile.
- About 22.3% of the people were under 18 years old.
- About 17.5% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- About 17.0% were 65 years or older.
The average age in Ada was 33 years.
Many people in Ada speak English. It's also estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 residents speak the Chickasaw language.
Culture in Ada
Ada has a rich cultural scene.
- The McSwain Theatre is a historic place that opened in 1920. It's a great spot for entertainment.
Ada's Economy
Ada has a diverse economy, meaning many different types of jobs and businesses. In the past, Ada was a big center for making things. Factories produced items like Wrangler jeans, car parts, cement, plastic goods, and more.
Since the early 2000s, many manufacturers have invested in new technology and expanded their businesses.
- In 1975, the Chickasaw Nation opened its main offices in Ada. The Nation brings a lot of money into the area, helping the local economy.
- The Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center, a large water research lab run by the Environmental Protection Agency, opened in 1966.
- LegalShield, a company that provides pre-paid legal services, has its main office in Ada.
- Oil and natural gas are also important to the region's economy.
Some of the biggest employers in Ada and the surrounding area include:
- Ada City Schools
- Chickasaw Nation
- East Central University
- Pontotoc County Technology Center
- Dart Container (makes food and drink containers)
- Flex-N-Gate (makes auto parts)
- Holcim Inc. (makes cement)
- LegalShield
- Power Lift Foundation Repair
- State of Oklahoma
- Walmart
- Kerr Lab
- Mercy Hospital Ada
- City of Ada
Education in Ada
Ada offers many educational opportunities for students of all ages.
Colleges and Universities
East Central University (ECU) is a public four-year college in Ada. It started in 1909 and serves about 4,500 students. ECU is famous around the world for its cartography program, which is the study of making maps. Only a few such programs exist.
ECU also has an Environmental Health Science Program. This program is one of only 30 in the country that is officially recognized for its quality.
Schools for Kids
Most of Ada is part of the Ada Public Schools district.
Ada Public Schools has six schools for younger students and teenagers:
- Glenwood Early Childhood Center
- Hayes Grade Center
- Washington Grade Center
- Willard Grade Center
- Ada Junior High School
- Ada High School
Some parts of Ada are also served by other school districts, including Byng Public Schools, Latta Public Schools, and Stonewall Public Schools. Latta district has one high school: Latta High School.
Technical Training
Pontotoc Technology Center (also known as Pontotoc Area Vo-Tech) is located in Ada. It offers technical training for different careers.
Transportation and Infrastructure
Ada has important transportation links that help people and goods move around.
Major Roads
The main highways that pass through Ada are:
- Oklahoma State Highway 3
- U.S. Route 377
Train Services
Train freight services in Ada are handled by BNSF and a Union Pacific shoreline.
Ada Regional Airport
The Ada Regional Airport (FAA Identifier: ADH) is owned by the City of Ada. It is located two miles north of downtown. The airport is home to two major aviation companies: General Aviation Modifications, Inc. and Tornado Alley Turbo. From the 1950s to the 1960s, the airport also had passenger flights from Central Airlines.
Media in Ada
Ada has several radio stations that serve the community.
AM Radio Stations
- KADA/1230: Plays rock music, also known as "Pirate Radio." It also broadcasts on an FM translator (K272FW).
FM Radio Stations
- KAJT/88.7: Plays religious programs, called "Son Life Radio."
- KAKO/91.3: Plays religious programs from American Family Radio.
- KOUA/91.9: A public radio station that is part of NPR.
- KADA-FM/99.3: Plays oldies music, known as "Cool 99.3."
FM Translators
These smaller stations help broadcast the main stations to more areas:
- K212FZ/90.3: Religious music from "K-Love."
- K250AU/97.9: Relays the public radio station KOUA.
- K272FW/102.3: Relays the rock music station KADA (AM).
- K286BB/105.1: Religious music from "The Gospel Station."
Notable People from Ada
Many well-known people have connections to Ada, Oklahoma. Here are a few:
- Bill Anoatubby – The Governor of the Chickasaw Nation since 1987.
- Nick Blackburn – A former Minnesota Twins starting pitcher in baseball.
- Harry Brecheen – A former Major League Baseball All Star pitcher. He graduated from Ada High School.
- Jeff Carpenter – A musician and songwriter for the Native American orchestral rock band Injunuity.
- Dan Cody – A former Baltimore Ravens linebacker in the NFL. He was born in Ada.
- John Daversa – A Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter and composer.
- Douglas Edwards – The first television network news anchor.
- Josh Fields – A former Major League Baseball infielder. He was born in Ada.
- Mark Gastineau – A National Football League star who graduated from ECU.
- Monte Hale – A Western-genre film star. He was born in Ada.
- Johny Hendricks – A former UFC Welterweight Champion in mixed martial arts.
- Robert S. Kerr – A former Oklahoma Governor and a long-time U.S. Senator. He was born in Ada.
- Louise S. Robbins – A librarian and former mayor of Ada. She was the first woman city council member and mayor.
- Oral Roberts – A famous evangelist and founder of Oral Roberts University. He was born near Ada.
- Blaine Saunders – An actress known for her role in The Middle.
- Blake Shelton – A very popular country music singer and a coach on The Voice.
- Jeremy Shockey – A former NFL tight end. He was born and grew up in Ada.
- Leon Polk Smith – An abstract artist known for his geometric paintings. He graduated from East Central University.
- Jerry Walker – A major league pitcher and a front office executive.
See also
In Spanish: Ada (Oklahoma) para niños
