Red Oak, Oklahoma facts for kids

Red Oak is a small town in Latimer County, Oklahoma, in the United States. In 2020, about 537 people lived there. It's known as "Tha Oak" by locals, and its motto is "We are Red Oak."

Quick facts for kids Red Oak, Oklahoma Nusʋpi Homma  (Choctaw)
Town
Nickname(s):  Tha Oak
Motto(s):  We are Red Oak
Location of Red Oak, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Latimer
Area
• Total	1.18 sq mi (3.05 km2)
• Land	1.17 sq mi (3.03 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	587 ft (179 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	537
• Density	458.97/sq mi (177.15/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74563
Area code(s)	539/918
FIPS code	40-62550
GNIS feature ID	1097108

History of Red Oak

The land around Red Oak has been home to people for a very long time. About 11,000 years ago, people from the Fourche Maline Culture lived here. They were descendants of the first Native Americans who came from Asia across a land bridge called the Bering Land Bridge.

Early Settlements

Archaeologists have found proof of these early people at places like the McCutchan-McLaughlin site. They built burial mounds, which are special hills where they buried their dead. Sadly, by the early 1400s, these cultures disappeared because of sickness and long periods without rain.

When European explorers like Francisco Vasquez de Coronado arrived in the mid-1500s, they found only small signs of these old cultures.

Choctaw Nation and Edwards Store

In the 1830s, members of the Choctaw tribe began to settle in the Red Oak area. They were moved here as part of the Trail of Tears, a difficult journey where many Native American tribes were forced to leave their homes.

In 1858, an English immigrant named Thomas Edwards married Nancy Hardaway, a Choctaw woman. They opened a store called Edwards Store on Nancy's land. This store was on the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, a famous path for mail coaches. The community that grew around the store was named "Red Oak" after a large red oak tree nearby. This was a Choctaw tradition, naming places after people or important features. Edwards Store also became the first post office in Red Oak.

Growth with the Railroad

Later, a railroad called the Choctaw Coal and Railway was built about nine miles away. Because of the railroad, the town of Red Oak moved to its current spot. Being close to the railroad helped Red Oak grow and become a busy town in the early 1900s.

Some of the buildings from that time are still standing today. These include the Red Oak Library (which used to be the post office) and other shops on Main Street like Rustic Customs and Fields Hardware.

Red Oak Schools

Before 1900, the first schools were held in people's homes. The first high school building was built in 1909. In 1921, Red Oak High School moved to a new building made of local sandstone. This unique, five-sided building is now on the Oklahoma Historic Register.

In 1938, a new elementary school was built by workers from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. This building was also made of sandstone. The current high school building was built in 1950. All three school buildings are still used today and have been updated.

Geography

Red Oak is located at 34°57′6″N 95°4′51″W / 34.95167°N 95.08083°W / 34.95167; -95.08083. The town covers about 0.9 square miles (2.3 square kilometers) of land.

Population Changes

The number of people living in Red Oak has changed over the years. Here's how the population has looked:

In 2000, there were 581 people living in Red Oak. About 27% of the households had children under 18. The average age of people in the town was 38 years old.

Education in Red Oak

Red Oak has schools for elementary, junior high, and high school students. In the 2018–2019 school year, about 314 students were enrolled. This was a big increase in students over ten years!

High School Achievements

Red Oak High School was named one of America's Best High Schools in 2017 by U.S. News & World Report. The school uses a lot of technology, with one device for every student. They have programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), as well as clubs like 4-H, FCCLA, and FFA.

Sports and Activities

Red Oak is very proud of its sports teams. The softball teams have won 14 state championships, and the baseball teams have won 11 championships! The boys' basketball teams have also won three state championships. You can often find out about their achievements on the Red Oak School's website: redoak.k12.ok.us.

Other activities at the school include cross country running and an academic team. The archery team, which is part of the OKNASP program, has won two state championships.

Utilities

Telephone and Internet services in Red Oak are provided by Hilliary Communications.

Historic Sites

There are several important historic places in and around Red Oak. These include Holloway's Station, Edwards Store, and the Edwards-Hardaway Homestead and Cemetery.

Notable People

• Lane Adams – A professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball.
• Troy Walker – A former professor at Eastern Oklahoma State College.

See also

In Spanish: Red Oak (Oklahoma) para niños