Rattan, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rattan, Oklahoma
Town
Location of Rattan, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Pushmataha
Area
• Total	3.99 sq mi (10.34 km2)
• Land	3.95 sq mi (10.24 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2)
Elevation	459 ft (140 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	276
• Density	69.80/sq mi (26.95/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74562
Area code(s)	580
FIPS code	40-61950
GNIS feature ID	2412531

Rattan is a small town located in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, in the United States. In 2020, the town had a population of 276 people.

Geography of Rattan

Rattan is found in the southern part of Pushmataha County. It sits where two main roads, Oklahoma routes 3 and 93, meet.

Just west of the town, you'll find Rock Creek flowing by. To the south, in nearby Choctaw County, is Hugo Lake. The southwestern edge of the Ouachita Mountains is located to the north of Rattan.

The United States Census Bureau reports that Rattan covers about 4.0 square miles (10.34 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the town's boundaries.

History of Rattan

Rattan was established around 1910. It was named after a town in Texas called Rattan, Texas. Many of the first white settlers in Oklahoma's Rattan came from that Texas town.

Early Days and Naming

The Texas town of Rattan got its name from a postal officer in 1893. After Oklahoma became a state in 1907, several families from Delta County, Texas, moved to the new Pushmataha County. Some of these families included the Akins, Akards, and Helms.

At first, Rattan was not as important as a nearby settlement called Belzoni, Oklahoma. Belzoni was a successful farming area. Rattan did not even get its own United States Post Office until December 12, 1910. Moses A. Fleming was its first postmaster.

Belzoni's success meant Rattan grew slowly. But when Belzoni started to decline, Rattan became the main town in the southeastern part of the county.

Sulphur Springs: Rattan's Predecessor

Before it was called Rattan, the area was known as Sulphur Springs, Indian Territory. Sulphur Springs was about three-quarters of a mile south-southeast of where Oklahoma routes 3 and 93 meet today.

Sulphur Springs was the county seat for Cedar County, Choctaw Nation. The Choctaw Nation established it in 1860. Like most Choctaw county seats, it was a legal and political center, but not a large town. It had very few stores.

The County court met there once a month. It was called Probate Court, but it was more like today's county courts. The court met in a large log house. This building was used as both an Indian Methodist church and a courthouse.

White settlers tore down the Cedar County Court House after Oklahoma became a state in 1907. It was located about 200 yards north of the Sulphur Springs and a quarter-mile west of Rattan Cemetery.

The name Sulphur Springs came from several sulphur springs nearby. Choctaw families living around the courthouse used these springs. Visitors to the court also used them.

Old Roads and Resources

An important military road, built in 1839, passed along the east side of Rattan. This road connected Fort Smith to Fort Towson. The U.S. Army used this wagon road a lot from 1839 to 1848. It remained the main road through Cedar County until a railroad was built in 1887.

Natural resources helped Rattan grow in its early years. Many settlers were farmers. Timber from the Kiamichi Mountains to the north also helped the town.

Logging companies built special railroad lines, called trams, into the mountains. Large groups of loggers and their families lived along these tracks for months. These moving communities had small schools, physicians offices, and general stores. Most residents lived in railroad cars that moved with the logging crews.

Modern Developments

During the Great Depression, Rattan received a new public school. The Works Progress Administration built it using local stone. This school is still in use today.

In the 1990s, Rattan officially became a town. It now provides basic public services to its residents.

Rattan Students Make History

In 2000, students from Rattan Public School made international news. During World War II, two British planes crashed near Moyers, Oklahoma. British pilots were training from a Royal Air Force base in Texas. Four crew members died in these crashes. A third plane made a successful crash-landing nearby.

These events were mostly forgotten until a history class at Rattan Public School started researching them. Their research led them to honor the fallen pilots. On February 20, 2000, the AT6 Monument was dedicated at the crash site.

Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony. The story of the monument and Rattan's determined students was shared by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers worldwide.

You can find more information about Rattan, Sulphur Springs, the AT6 Monument, and the Kiamichi River valley at the Pushmataha County Historical Society.

Population Changes in Rattan

The population of Rattan has changed over the years. In 1980, there were 332 people living in the town. By 2000, the population had decreased to 241. However, it grew again to 310 by 2010 before slightly decreasing to 276 in 2020.

In 2000, there were 241 people living in Rattan. Most residents were White (81.74%), with a significant number of Native American residents (12.86%). About 22% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age in the town was 45 years.

Notable Person

• Tobias W. Frazier, a member of the famous Choctaw code talkers

See also

In Spanish: Rattan (Oklahoma) para niños