Avoca, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Avoca
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 Avoca
Location in Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Pottawatomie |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Avoca was a small town, sometimes called a "ghost town", in Oklahoma. It was located in the southeastern part of the county. The town had a post office that opened in 1894 but closed permanently in 1906.
Contents
What Was Avoca Township?
Avoca was also the name of a much larger area called a 'township' in Pottawatomie County. This township was bigger than the small town of Avoca itself. It was located in the southeastern part of the county, next to Seminole County on the east and the South Canadian River to the south. The township covered about 75 square miles. Several small post offices were found in the Avoca Township area:
| Town | Post Office Dates |
|---|---|
| Sacred Heart Mission | 1879–1949 |
| Osmit | 1884–1887 |
| Avoca (later Asher) | 1894–present |
| Meanko | 1896–1901 |
| Boyer | 1897–1900 |
| Violet | 1899–1905 |
How Many People Lived in Avoca Township?
This table shows how the number of people living in Avoca Township changed over time. The population grew a lot between 1900 and 1910. After 1920, the number of people started to go down. This was likely because more people became interested in moving to the bigger city of Shawnee, OK.
| Year | Households | Individuals | Home owners | Home renters | Housing not specified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 390 | 2,156 | 178 | 212 | 0 |
| 1910 | 808 | 4,228 | 413 | 139 | 0 |
| 1920 | 628 | 3,204 | 288 | 272 | 68 |
Schools in the Township
Many schools were part of Avoca Township. Here is what we know about some of them:
- Asher (around 1913 – present). This was the only high school built in the township. You can learn more about it at Asher, Oklahoma.
- Avoca (1892 – ?). This school is discussed in more detail below.
- Cook (1892 – after 1920). This school started with one room in 1892. Later, a second, larger room was added. Between 1910 and 1920, the building was made new and bigger again. People think this school was near the border of Pottawatomie and Seminole counties.
- Gravel Hill School (1903 – ?). This school took the place of Lazell School.
- Lazzell (1895–1903). This school was in a log cabin. It was located about two and a half miles east of Asher, near Chisholm Springs. It opened in December 1895 and closed in April 1903. It closed because of money problems, and there was no school in 1899-1900. Gravel Hill School replaced it.
Teachers at Lazell School
| Teacher | Year |
|---|---|
| Miss Alice Shelton | 1895–1897 |
| Miss Mollie Ferrell | 1898 |
| Mr. Willis | 1898–1899 |
| J.G. Hudiburg | 1899 |
| No School | 1899–1900 |
| F. M. Forston | 1900–1903 |
- Sacred Heart. This school had only a few students.
The Story of Avoca Town
The small village of Avoca started in the mid-1800s. It was first known as Wewaukee Springs. "Wewaukee" is a Seminole word that means "tumbling water." The town was located along an important "Wagon Road" that crossed the territory from east to west.
Early residents of Avoca included both Seminole Indians and white settlers. By 1910, most Seminole people had moved away from the area. Pottawatomi Indians then made up most of the town's population.
Avoca School's History
The first school in Avoca opened in the summer of 1892. It was located near what is now the Avoca Cemetery. Some of the early teachers at this school were J.C. Fisher, B.C. Klepper, A. Floyd, F.M. Forston, Nora Kidd, Minnie Synder, A.C. Bray, and Wheeler Hendon.
The Avoca Post Office
The Avoca post office first opened on August 4, 1894. It was closed and moved to the nearby town of Asher two times. The first time was a temporary move on November 26, 1901. The second time, on September 26, 1906, it closed permanently.
Postmasters of Avoca
| Postmaster/mistress | Dates Served |
|---|---|
| Sallie T. Bess | August 4, 1894 – August 7, 1898 |
| George A. McCurry | August 8, 1898 – November 25, 1901 |
| No Office (moved to Asher) | November 26, 1901 – February 9, 1902 |
| James K. Polk | February 10, 1902 – September 26, 1906 |
Other Businesses in Avoca
Avoca had several important businesses. R. Perkins opened the town's first general store, where people could buy many different things. A Rutherford and J.B. Buckler built a cotton gin, which was a machine that separated cotton fibers from their seeds. M.F. Merrill started a blacksmith shop, where metal items were made and repaired. The town grew naturally because Wewoka Springs had always been a popular stopping place for travelers before the area was officially settled.
Why Avoca Disappeared
In 1901, a new train track, called "Old Beck", was built from Shawnee. This track was extended to a new, growing community called Asher, Oklahoma, which was just a few miles south of Avoca. This event was the main reason Avoca began to disappear.
In the winter of 1901, the postmaster, George A. McCurry, moved the Avoca post office and his store to the new community of Asher. This change happened officially on November 26, 1901. He did this without getting permission from the government, which left Avoca without a post office.
The post office in Avoca was reopened on February 10, 1902. However, many people and businesses had already moved to the growing Asher community. An Asher newspaper even reported "Avoca About Abandoned" on August 21, 1903. The Avoca post office was finally closed for good on October 31, 1906. The growth of Asher is often seen as the main reason Avoca faded away. Today, in the Avoca area, you can find the Avoca Church of Christ, a cemetery, and a few homes.
