Pauls Valley, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pauls Valley, Oklahoma
City
Water tower in Pauls Valley
Location of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Garvin
Area
• Total	8.49 sq mi (21.99 km2)
• Land	8.32 sq mi (21.56 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.43 km2)
Elevation	873 ft (266 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,992
• Density	719.85/sq mi (277.94/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	73075
Area code(s)	405
FIPS code	40-57550
GNIS feature ID	2411387

A Kerr-McGee Service Station in Pauls Valley, 1982

Pauls Valley is a city in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. It is also the main city, or county seat, of Garvin County. In 2020, about 5,992 people lived there.

The city is named after Smith Paul. He was from North Carolina and married a Chickasaw woman. He became a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation before the American Civil War. The city's economy mainly relies on farming and making oil.

History of Pauls Valley

The area that became Pauls Valley was one of the first places settled by European-Americans in what was then called Indian Territory. Smith Paul, born in 1809, found this rich land while traveling to California. He said the land had tall grass where a person on horseback could almost hide.

In 1837, this land became part of the Chickasaw Nation. Smith Paul moved with the Chickasaw people and married Ela-Teecha, a Chickasaw woman. In 1847, the Pauls started a large farm where Rush Creek met the Washita River. People called it "Smith Paul's Valley." Mail was often sent to "Smith Paul's Large Farm."

By 1871, a post office opened in the area. It was called "Paul's Valley, Arkansas," because Indian Territory was managed by Arkansas at that time.

How the Railroad Helped Pauls Valley Grow

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built tracks through the community in 1887. They shortened the name to "Paul's Valley." The railroad connected Kansas to the Gulf Coast. This railway helped Pauls Valley grow and become successful.

The first newspaper was printed in 1887. The city's layout was planned in 1892. A U.S. courthouse was built in 1895. The first school for white children in Indian Territory was also started here. Downtown, brick buildings were built. In 1909, the streets were paved with bricks. Today, Pauls Valley has more brick streets than any other city in the United States. It has about 17,986 square yards of them!

Sports and Museums in Pauls Valley

From 1948 to 1954, Pauls Valley had a minor league baseball team called the Pauls Valley Raiders. They were part of the Class D Sooner State League. They played at Wacker Park.

The old train station, built in 1905, was no longer used after 1979. In 1985, the railroad wanted to tear it down. Adrienne Grimmet, who led the Pauls Valley Historical Society, worked to save it. The city bought the building and gave it to the historical society to turn into a museum. People volunteered their time, and local businesses helped with materials. Renovations started in 1991.

In 1999, Amtrak started its Heartland Flyer train service. It travels between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, stopping in Pauls Valley. The city built a new waiting room for Amtrak passengers next to the old station. The new Pauls Valley station has a warm waiting area and restrooms. It does not sell tickets or handle luggage. It also has a parking lot. The new building looks like the old Santa Fe-style station.

The Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame opened in Pauls Valley in 2005. It is located inside the Toy and Action Figure Museum.

Geography and Location

Pauls Valley is located in the eastern part of Garvin County. It is about 57 miles (92 km) south of Oklahoma City. It sits where Interstate 35 and State Highway 19 meet.

The city covers about 8.7 square miles (22.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water. The Washita River, which flows into the Red River, goes through the city north of downtown.

Pauls Valley City Lake

The Pauls Valley City Lake is about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of the city center. It's a great place for fun activities! You can go fishing, camping, swimming, and Jet Skiing there. There's also a pavilion for groups to use.

Population and People

In 2000, there were over 6,000 people living in Pauls Valley. About 2,475 households were in the city. The population was a mix of different groups. Most people were White, with smaller groups of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. Some people were from other races or had mixed backgrounds. About 7.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in the city was 38 years old. About 24% of the people were under 18.

Economy and Jobs

Farming is the main way people make money in the Pauls Valley area. Farmers grow corn, wheat, hay, and cotton. Raising cattle is also a big activity. The oil industry is the second largest business. The nearby Golden Trend oil and gas field still produces a lot of oil in Oklahoma.

Recently, some light manufacturing factories, like those making plastic products, have opened in the town.

The Pauls Valley Chamber of Commerce started in 1921. It helps businesses in the city grow. It works with companies along the I-35 highway in central Oklahoma. Pauls Valley is located near Exits 70 and 72 on I-35.

Major employers in Pauls Valley include:

• Walmart Distribution Center
• Walmart Supercenter
• Pauls Valley Public Schools
• Amor Flexibles North America
• Seth Wadley Auto Group
• Covercraft
• Garvin County Community Living Center
• The City of Pauls Valley

Pauls Valley is also home to Field's Pies. These pies are sold in grocery stores across Oklahoma and nearby states.

Education in Pauls Valley

Pauls Valley Public Schools provides education from elementary school through high school.

Public schools in Pauls Valley are:

• Pauls Valley High School
• Pauls Valley Junior High School
• Pauls Valley Elementary School
• Pauls Valley Intermediate School

Transportation

Railroad Travel

The Pauls Valley station is one of only five Amtrak train stations still open in Oklahoma. It shares space with the old Santa Fe Railroad station, built in 1905. The Amtrak station handles two trains each day, which are part of the Heartland Flyer service. Amtrak does not sell tickets or handle luggage at this station.

Air Travel

The Pauls Valley Municipal Airport (PVJ) is owned by the city. It is a general aviation airport, meaning it's for private planes, not big passenger jets. It is located 2 miles (3 km) south of downtown Pauls Valley. The airport is open Monday through Friday.

Bus Travel

You can also travel to and from Pauls Valley by bus using:

• Greyhound Lines
• Delta Public Transit

Famous People from Pauls Valley

Many notable people were born in or lived in Pauls Valley:

• Roger Eason (1918–1998), a player in the National Football League.
• Joseph Glasco (1925–1996), a famous painter and sculptor.
• Sippia Paul Hull (1852–1937), a Chickasaw woman and daughter of Smith Paul, who founded Pauls Valley.
• Jennings Poindexter (1910–1983), a pitcher in Major League Baseball.
• T. J. Rushing (born 1983), a player in the National Football League.
• Jean Shepard (1933–2016), a well-known country singer and songwriter.
• G. D. Spradlin (1920–2011), a movie and TV actor.
• Ben T. Williams (1910–1982), a justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
• Alma Wilson (1917–1999), the first woman to be a justice and later the first female chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Images for kids

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  Water tower in Pauls Valley

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  Location of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

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  A Kerr-McGee Service Station in Pauls Valley, 1982

See also

In Spanish: Pauls Valley (Oklahoma) para niños