Choctaw, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Choctaw, Oklahoma
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Choctaw City Hall
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| Motto(s):
"Celebrating the Past, Enjoying the Present, & Preparing for the Future."
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Location in Oklahoma County and the state of Oklahoma
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 Choctaw, Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Oklahoma |
| Area | |
| • Total | 27.16 sq mi (70.34 km2) |
| • Land | 27.12 sq mi (70.25 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,155 ft (352 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,182 |
| • Density | 449.14/sq mi (173.42/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
73020
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| Area code(s) | 405 |
| FIPS code | 40-14200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409457 |
| Website | http://www.choctawcity.org |
Choctaw is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2020, about 12,182 people lived there. This was a 9.3% increase from 2010. It is the oldest official town in Oklahoma Territory. The city is about 10 miles (16.1 km) east of Oklahoma City. It is part of the larger Oklahoma City area.
Choctaw started as a community in 1890. It became an official town in 1893. This happened when a governor was chosen for Oklahoma Territory. The town celebrated its 100th birthday in 1993.
In 1950, Choctaw was mostly a farming area. Only 355 people lived there then. Even though it's called Choctaw, the town has no special ties to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The Choctaw Nation's main offices are in Durant, Oklahoma. Their yearly festival is in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma.
Before Choctaw became a town, the area was part of William McClure's 7C Ranch. It was known for a trading post and a good camping spot near a spring. A community grew on land claimed by John S. Muzzy in 1889. It got a post office in 1890.
The town officially became a city in April 1904. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Choctaw had 230 residents. It had four churches, a school, a bank, a newspaper, and telephone service. By 1909, the town had three cotton gins. The number of people living there did not grow much during the Great Depression.
Contents
Exploring Choctaw's Location
Choctaw is a city located just east of Oklahoma City. The total area of Choctaw is about 27.1 square miles (70.3 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Natural Areas and Tourist Spots
Choctaw is in the Cross Timbers ecoregion. This area has a mix of forests and grasslands. It is also part of the Frontier Country tourism region. This region offers many fun places to visit.
Choctaw's Weather and Climate
Choctaw has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. The city is in an area called Tornado Alley. This area often sees cold and warm air masses meet. This can cause severe weather, including many tornadoes. On average, about 54 tornadoes hit Oklahoma each year.
| Climate data for Choctaw, Oklahoma | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 50 (10) |
54 (12) |
63 (17) |
72 (22) |
79 (26) |
87 (31) |
93 (34) |
93 (34) |
84 (29) |
74 (23) |
62 (17) |
51 (11) |
72 (22) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25 (−4) |
29 (−2) |
37 (3) |
46 (8) |
57 (14) |
65 (18) |
70 (21) |
69 (21) |
60 (16) |
48 (9) |
37 (3) |
28 (−2) |
48 (9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.55 (39) |
2.26 (57) |
3.11 (79) |
3.38 (86) |
5.44 (138) |
5.73 (146) |
2.58 (66) |
2.81 (71) |
4.56 (116) |
4.54 (115) |
2.69 (68) |
2.11 (54) |
40.76 (1,035) |
Who Lives in Choctaw?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 230 | — | |
| 1910 | 242 | 5.2% | |
| 1920 | 199 | −17.8% | |
| 1930 | 242 | 21.6% | |
| 1940 | 289 | 19.4% | |
| 1950 | 355 | 22.8% | |
| 1960 | 623 | 75.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,750 | 662.4% | |
| 1980 | 7,520 | 58.3% | |
| 1990 | 8,545 | 13.6% | |
| 2000 | 9,377 | 9.7% | |
| 2010 | 11,146 | 18.9% | |
| 2020 | 12,182 | 9.3% | |
| Sources: | |||
Arts and Culture in Choctaw
The town has a small museum. It is dedicated to beer steins. This collection is called the Stramski Collection.
Learning and Education
Most of Choctaw is part of the Choctaw-Nicoma Park School District. Choctaw High School is the main high school for this district.
Choctaw High School has a very good Varsity Academic Team. They were ranked 1st in Oklahoma in 2017. They have won the 6A State Championship. This team has been invited to many national competitions. Choctaw public schools spend about $4,133 per student. The average in the U.S. is $6,058. There are about 15 students for every teacher in Choctaw.
Students who graduate from Choctaw High School can join the "Ticket to Rose" program. This program is at Rose State College. It gives a scholarship for tuition and fees to all Choctaw High School graduates.
Other parts of Choctaw are in Jones Public Schools and Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS). Schools in the OKCPS area include:
- Willow Brook Elementary School (Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 1)
- Spencer Elementary School (Grades 2-4)
- Rogers Intermediate School (Grades 5-6)
- Star Spencer Mid-High School
Choctaw also has a career technology school. It is called the Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center. Here, students can learn skills for different jobs.
Famous People from Choctaw
Many interesting people have connections to Choctaw:
- Lyle Boren – A former U.S. Congressman. He was the father of David L. Boren.
- Gary Haught – A former pitcher in Major League Baseball.
- Louis L'Amour – A well-known author.
- Becka Leathers – A talented wrestler.
- Michael Maples – A race car driver.
- Ryan Merriman – An actor.
- Greg Jennings – A musician.
Images for kids
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Choctaw City Hall
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Location in Oklahoma County and the state of Oklahoma
See also
In Spanish: Choctaw (Oklahoma) para niños
