Stigler, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stigler, Oklahoma
City
Haskell County Courthouse in 2015
Stigler, Oklahoma Location in Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Haskell
Area
• Total	2.74 sq mi (7.09 km2)
• Land	2.70 sq mi (6.99 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2)
Elevation	571 ft (174 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,703
• Density	1,000.74/sq mi (386.42/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74462
Area code(s)	539/918
FIPS code	40-70250
GNIS feature ID	2411981

Stigler is a city in Oklahoma, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Haskell County. In 2020, about 2,703 people lived there.

History of Stigler

When Stigler was first started, it was called Newman. It was part of the Choctaw Nation in a place called Indian Territory. This was before Oklahoma became a state. A post office opened in Newman in 1892. The town was named after Dr. Martin W. Newman, who was a doctor and an early settler.

A person named Joseph Stigler is thought to have founded the town in 1889. He knew the area well because he used to work as a deputy marshal. This meant he helped keep the peace for a federal judge named Isaac Parker. Judge Parker's court in Fort Smith, Arkansas, had power over Indian Territory.

The post office name changed to Stigler in 1893. This happened because the old name, Newman, was too similar to another town called Norman.

In 1904, the Midland Valley Railroad came to Stigler. This brought more people and businesses to the town. By 1905, Stigler became an official town. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Stigler was chosen as the county seat for the new Haskell County.

Stigler is home to the Haskell County Courthouse. Years ago, there was a discussion about some stone plaques. These plaques had the Ten Commandments and the Mayflower Compact written on them. They were placed on the courthouse lawn. Some people felt this was not allowed because it mixed government and religion. A court decided the plaques should be moved. They were moved a short distance away, but they are still near the courthouse.

Where is Stigler Located?

Stigler is in the middle of Haskell County. Oklahoma State Highway 9 is the main road in the city. It goes east about 12 miles to Keota and west about 6 miles to Whitefield. Oklahoma State Highway 82 goes south from Stigler about 11 miles to Lequire. The city of Muskogee is about 43 miles north. Fort Smith, Arkansas is about 49 miles to the east.

Stigler covers a total area of about 2.74 square miles (7.09 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water.

People and Population in Stigler

Award-winning painter Norma Howard (Choctaw) is from Stigler.

In 2000, there were 2,731 people living in Stigler. These people lived in 1,096 households, and 697 of these were families. The city had about 1,238 people per square mile.

Most people in Stigler were White (78.76%). About 15.45% were Native American, and a small number were African American or Asian. About 2.67% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

About 32.4% of households had children under 18. About 47.6% were married couples living together. Many households (33.9%) were made up of just one person. About 20.3% of these single-person households were people aged 65 or older.

The average age of people in Stigler was 36 years old. About 26.3% of the population was under 18. About 21.3% of the population was 65 or older.

In 2000, the average income for a household in Stigler was $19,594. For families, the average income was $28,839. About 25.8% of the people in Stigler lived below the poverty line. This included 33.1% of children under 18.

Stigler's Economy

In the early 1900s, Stigler's economy relied on farming, especially cotton and corn. However, during the Great Depression in the 1930s, farming became very difficult. With help from the government, local farmers started raising livestock, like cattle.

After World War II, two large lakes were built nearby: Eufaula Lake and Robert S. Kerr Reservoir. These projects created many jobs in construction. They also led to more tourism in the area. Stigler also managed to attract several small factories.

The Stigler Industrial Park is owned by the city. It covers about 35 acres and is located near State Highway 9. It is home to seven businesses that employ a total of 194 people.

Education in Stigler

Public Schools

The Stigler Board of Education manages the Stigler School System. This system includes one grade school, one middle school, and one high school. The Board of Education has five members who meet every month.

Kiamichi Technology Center

One campus of the Kiamichi Technology Center (KTC) is located in Stigler. This center offers training programs for different jobs. These include car service, construction, beauty care (cosmetology), emergency medical services, health science, and welding.

Getting Around Stigler

Air Travel

Stigler Regional Airport is about 3 miles northeast of the city. It is owned by the city of Stigler. This airport opened in 1997 for private airplanes. It does not have a control tower or scheduled airline flights. The main runway is 4,296 feet long and 60 feet wide.

Roads and Public Transport

Stigler is located where Oklahoma State Highway 9 and Oklahoma State Highway 82 meet.

The KI BOIS Area Transit System (KATS) is a public transportation service. It has over 200 buses and vans. These vehicles help people get to places like senior centers, grocery stores, doctor's offices, and work. KATS serves many counties in Oklahoma, and its main office is in Stigler.

How Stigler is Governed

Stigler uses a council-manager form of government. This means a city council makes decisions, and a city manager handles the day-to-day running of the city.

Here are some of the city officials:

• Founder of Stigler - Joseph Stigler
• Mayor - Larry Godfrey
• Vice Mayor - Brad Martin
• Council Member - Brian Morrison
• Council Member - William "Bill" Allen
• Council Member - Rebecca "Becky" Bumpers
• City Manager - Bobby Mouser
• Sheriff - Tim Turner

City Departments

• Police Department: Gary Balinger is the police chief. Kenny Medlock is the 911 Director. The department has 9 full-time and 4 part-time police officers. It also has 4 full-time and 1 part-time dispatchers who answer 911 calls.
• Fire Department: The Fire Department is led by Fire Chief Jim Hays. It has 25 volunteer firefighters who help keep the community safe.

Stigler in the News

Stigler has had several newspapers over the years. Some of these include the Stigler Beacon, the State Sentinel, the Haskell County Leader, and the Stigler News-Sentinel.

Famous People from Stigler

• Norma Howard: She is a well-known contemporary painter from the Choctaw Nation.
• Ted Risenhoover (1934-2006): He was born in Stigler and graduated from Stigler High School in 1952. He became a newspaper publisher and later represented Oklahoma in the U. S. Congress from 1975 to 1979.
• William G. Stigler (1891-1952): He lived and is buried in Stigler. He was the son of the town's founder, Joseph Stigler. After studying law, he became a lawyer and also represented Oklahoma in the U. S. Congress from 1944 to 1952.

See also

In Spanish: Stigler (Oklahoma) para niños