Salina, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Salina, Oklahoma
Town
Motto(s):  The Little Town Behind the Dikes
Location of Salina, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Mayes
Area
• Total	1.18 sq mi (3.06 km2)
• Land	1.07 sq mi (2.78 km2)
• Water	0.11 sq mi (0.28 km2)
Elevation	640 ft (200 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,085
• Density	1,011.18/sq mi (390.39/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74365
Area code(s)	539/918
FIPS code	40-64950
GNIS feature ID	2413250

Salina (pronounced sə-LY-nə) is a town in Mayes County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2020, about 1,085 people lived there. This was a bit less than the 1,396 people counted in 2010.

Discovering Salina's Past: A Journey Through Time

For thousands of years, different groups of indigenous peoples lived along the rivers in this area. By the time Europeans arrived, the Osage was a main tribe here. Their land stretched from the Missouri River west into parts of what is now Arkansas.

Early Explorers and Traders

In 1541, the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto traveled through the area. Later, in 1721, Bernard de la Harpe also explored here. They gave Spanish names to many streams, even though the Osage people already had names for them.

In 1796, Jean Pierre Chouteau, a French trader from St. Louis, set up the first trading post. It was located where the Grand/Neosho River met Saline Creek. He traded with the Osage. This trading post is known as one of the first permanent European-American settlements in what is now Oklahoma. At that time, the area was part of Spanish Louisiana. The United States gained control of this land, including Salina, with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Growing as a Trading Hub

By 1817, large boats called keelboats were bringing goods to Salina from Ft. Smith, Arkansas. This area was part of what was called "Indian Territory" in the United States. In 1817, Chouteau's son, Auguste Pierre, and his partner, Joseph Revoir, got a special permit from Spain to trade only with the Osage. In 1820, the Spanish government took away this special right. Chouteau then convinced the Osage tribe, led by Cashesgra ("Big Trek"), to move closer to the trading post. This helped his business survive.

Missions and New Arrivals

In 1820, the United States Department of War allowed Epaphras Chapman to start the Union Mission. It was near the mouth of Chouteau Creek. Its goal was to educate the Osage and teach them about Christianity. This mission had the first printing press in what is now Oklahoma. The U.S. government also began moving Native American tribes from the Southeast to the Territory. This was part of a plan called Indian Removal.

The Importance of Salt Springs

Native Americans used to boil salt from water that came from limestone rock about a mile south of the trading post. There were even hot water geysers that shot boiling water 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3.0 meters) into the air. Chouteau gained control of these springs in a treaty in 1825. He then sold them to Sam Houston in 1830.

A Cherokee man named Captain John Rogers started making salt from the springs. He called them Grand Saline and built his home nearby. Washington Irving visited the springs on October 6, 1832, with Sam Houston. In 1838, the government began moving Cherokee people to the area. This was part of the Indian Removal Act.

Salt Production and Oil Discovery

By 1839, Rogers was using 115 salt kettles. In 1844, he lost the salt works to the Cherokee Nation because of a new law about their land. The Cherokee Nation then rented the salt works to Lewis Ross. He was the brother of Chief John Ross. Ross built a house there and ran the salt business using the forced labor of enslaved African Americans.

In 1859, while drilling for salt water, Ross accidentally found the first oil in Indian Territory (Oklahoma). It produced about 10 barrels of oil a day for a year! He also ran two stores in Salina.

Salina During the Civil War

In 1862, during the American Civil War, Union soldiers came down the Grand River to Salina. They freed all the enslaved people. The soldiers also searched Ross's home, had the formerly enslaved people load everything onto wagons, and took the goods to the free state of Kansas.

In 1872, the Cherokee Nation bought the Ross home for $26,000. They used it for many years as the Cherokee Orphan Asylum. A fire destroyed it in 1899. It was rebuilt and is now used as a gym.

Modern Developments and Celebrations

In 1906, the Cherokee chief Samuel Houston Mayes started a ferry service and a store on the Grand River.

The opening of the Old Chouteau Trading Post at Salina is celebrated every year. The first celebration was on October 10–11, 1938. Many important people spoke at this event.

Geography: Where Salina is Located

Salina is located on the eastern shore of Lake Hudson. This lake was formed by damming the Grand River.

The town covers about 1.1 square miles (2.8 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 1.0 square mile (2.6 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 square kilometers), is water.

Population: Who Lives in Salina

In 2010, Salina had 1,396 people. Most of the people were white (52.0%) or Native American (37.5%). A small number were African American (0.1%), Asian (0.1%), or from other races (0.1%). About 10.2% of people reported having two or more races. About 1.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, there were 1,422 people living in Salina. There were 562 households and 351 families. The average household had 2.40 people, and the average family had 3.10 people.

Historic Site: The Spring House

The Spring House is a very old building in Salina. It is located off Oklahoma State Highway 20. It is important because it is one of the oldest buildings in Oklahoma. It is also linked to Lewis Ross, the brother of Cherokee chief John Ross. Lewis Ross moved to the area around 1838. He built a home and, in 1844, an eight-sided spring house. His home later became an orphanage but was destroyed by fire in 1903. However, the Spring House survived and is still standing today.

Education: Schools in Salina

Most of Salina is part of the Salina Public Schools district. A small part of the town, on the other side of Lake Hudson, is in the Pryor Public Schools district.

Notable People from Salina

• Carl Belew, a country music singer-songwriter
• Gary Condit, a former U.S. Representative (a person elected to represent their state in the U.S. Congress)

See also

In Spanish: Salina (Oklahoma) para niños