Love County, Oklahoma Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Love County
U.S. county
Love County Courthouse in October 2014
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1907
Named for	Overton Love, a judge of the Chickasaw Nation
Seat	Marietta
Largest city	Marietta
Area
• Total	532 sq mi (1,380 km²)
• Land	514 sq mi (1,330 km²)
• Water	18 sq mi (50 km²) 3.5%%
Population (2020)
• Total	10,146
• Density	19.071/sq mi (7.364/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th

Love County is a county located in the southern part of Oklahoma, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 10,146 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Marietta.

Love County was officially created in 1907 when Oklahoma became a state. It was named after Overton Love. He was an important leader, farmer, and businessman from the Chickasaw Nation.

For visitors, the Oklahoma Department of Tourism calls Love County part of 'Chickasaw Country'. It is also part of the Texoma region, which is near Lake Texoma.

History of Love County

Early Days and Native American Lands

In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase added a huge amount of land to the United States. This land included almost all of what is now Oklahoma. Explorers and traders soon began traveling through the area. They hoped to find new trade routes.

The Quapaw people were the main Native American group living south of the Canadian River. In 1818, the Quapaws gave their land to the U.S. government. The Choctaw people then moved into this area in the early 1830s. A few years later, the Chickasaw people were given land in the middle of the Choctaw territory. This happened between 1837 and 1838.

Overton Love and Early Settlements

Overton Love was one of the first Chickasaw people to settle in what is now Love County. He was 20 years old when he arrived in the area in 1843. He had traveled from Mississippi. His settlement became known as Love's Valley. This area is about 6 miles (9.7 km) east of the modern town of Marietta.

Overton Love became a very successful farmer and cattle rancher. He owned a large amount of land near the Red River. He also became an important political leader for the Chickasaw Nation. He served as a judge and was a member of their government council.

Before Oklahoma became a state, this area was part of Pickens County. This was in the Chickasaw Nation, which was part of Indian Territory. There were three main towns: Marietta (founded 1887), Leon (established 1883), and Thackerville (established 1882). There were also smaller communities like Burneyville and Overbrook.

Geography of Love County

Land and Water Features

Love County covers about 532 square miles (1,378 km²). Most of this area, about 514 square miles (1,331 km²), is land. The remaining 18 square miles (47 km²) is water. This means about 3.5% of the county is covered by water. Love County is one of the smallest counties in Oklahoma by land area.

The county is located in a region called the Red River Plains. The land here is gently rolling or hilly. The Red River flows through the county. Other smaller rivers and streams like Simon Creek, Walnut Bayou, Hickory Creek, and Mud Creek also drain the area. Two important lakes are partly in Love County: Lake Murray is on the northeastern border, and Lake Texoma is on the southern border.

Water tower in Love County

Neighboring Counties

Love County shares borders with several other counties:

Carter County (to the north)
Marshall County (to the east)
Cooke County, Texas (to the south)
Montague County, Texas (to the southwest)
Jefferson County (to the northwest)

Population of Love County

How Many People Live Here?

The population of Love County has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived there during different census counts:

1910: 10,236 people
1920: 12,433 people
1930: 9,639 people
1940: 11,433 people
1950: 7,721 people
1960: 5,862 people
1970: 5,637 people
1980: 7,469 people
1990: 8,157 people
2000: 8,831 people
2010: 9,423 people
2020: 10,146 people

In 2000, there were 8,831 people living in Love County. There were 3,442 households, which are groups of people living together. About 31.7% of these households had children under 18 years old. The average age of people in the county was 39 years old.

Economy of Love County

Main Industries and Jobs

Love County is home to the Winstar World Casino. This large casino is located near the border with Texas. The Chickasaw Nation operates the casino. It is the biggest private employer in Love County, meaning it provides the most jobs.

Farming and ranching have always been very important to the county's economy. People have been growing crops and raising animals here since the county was first settled. The county also produces natural gas, which is used for energy.