Vinita, Oklahoma Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Vinita, Oklahoma
City
Downtown Vinita in 2008
Nickname(s): "Crossroads to Green Country"
Location of Vinita within Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Craig
Founded	1870
Incorporated	1898
Founded by	Elias Cornelius Boudinot
Named for	Vinnie Ream
Area
• Total	5.79 sq mi (15.00 km²)
• Land	5.79 sq mi (15.00 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Elevation	709 ft (216 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	5,193
• Density	896.89/sq mi (346.27/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74301
Area code(s)	539/918
FIPS code	40-77550
GNIS ID	2412159

Vinita is a city in Oklahoma, United States. It is the main town of Craig County. In 2020, about 5,193 people lived there.

Vinita is known as the "Crossroads to Green Country." This is because it sits in a beautiful part of Oklahoma with lots of green land.

History of Vinita
Geography and Location
Population Changes
Economy and Jobs
Education in Vinita
Getting Around (Transportation)
- Airports Near Vinita
Famous People from Vinita
Historic Places in Vinita
Gallery
See also

History of Vinita

The unique McDonald's restaurant built over Interstate 44 (2008)

Vinita was started in 1870 by a man named Elias Cornelius Boudinot. It was first called "Downingville." Most of the people living there were Native American.

Later, the town was renamed "Vinita." This name honored Vinnie Ream, a sculptor who was a friend of Boudinot. In 1898, Vinita officially became a city in what was then called Indian Territory.

Vinita was the very first city in Oklahoma to have electricity!

Many years ago, important trails passed through Vinita. These included the Texas Road, used for moving cattle, and the Jefferson Highway. Today, U.S. Route 69 follows a similar path.

The first bank, First National Bank, opened in 1892. Newspapers like the Vinita Indian Chieftain started in 1882. The Vinita Daily Journal has been printed since 1907.

In 1912, Eastern State Hospital was built. It was a large mental health facility. For many years, it was one of the biggest employers in the county.

One of Vinita's most famous spots is the Will Rogers Archway. It's a service station built right over Interstate 44. It used to have the world's largest McDonald's restaurant. It was built in 1957 and was the world's first restaurant built over a highway! It was updated in 2014 and is now a bit smaller.

Geography and Location

Vinita is in the northeastern part of Oklahoma. This area is called Green Country because it's very green and scenic. The town is located where the Ozark Highlands begin. It has a mix of open grasslands and forests.

The city covers about 15.5 square kilometers (5.79 square miles) of land. Vinita is in a valley.

Vinita is about 64 miles (103 km) northeast of Tulsa. It's also about 51 miles (82 km) southwest of Joplin, Missouri. Both cities can be reached using Interstate 44.

Population Changes

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	2,339	—
1910	4,082	74.5%
1920	5,010	22.7%
1930	4,263	−14.9%
1940	5,685	33.4%
1950	5,518	−2.9%
1960	6,027	9.2%
1970	5,847	−3.0%
1980	6,740	15.3%
1990	5,804	−13.9%
2000	6,472	11.5%
2010	5,743	−11.3%
2020	5,193	−9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, Vinita had 6,472 people living there. About 2,381 households were in the city. The population density was about 1,487 people per square mile.

About 28.9% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.29 people. The average family had 2.97 people.

The median age in the city was 40 years old. This means half the people were younger than 40 and half were older.

Economy and Jobs

In the early days, Vinita's economy relied a lot on cattle ranching. When Craig County was formed, Vinita became its county seat. This meant city and county jobs became important.

The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) was created in 1935. GRDA built its main office in Vinita. It is still one of the largest employers in the city. Other important employers include trucking companies and tower-building companies.

In 2023, a company announced plans for a huge new project. It's a $2 billion, 1,000-acre development. It will include a 125-acre theme park, similar to Disneyland. This land is just east of Vinita. The city voted to add this area to Vinita in October 2023. Work began in November 2023 on the first part of the project. This first part is a large RV park with cabins.

Education in Vinita

Attucks School (2010)

Most of Vinita is served by Vinita Public Schools.

Education has been important in Vinita since its early days. Worcester Academy opened in 1883. Willie Halsell College opened in 1888. It was originally called Galloway College. It was renamed after Willie Halsell, whose father helped the school financially. However, this college closed in 1908.

The Roman Catholic Church also ran Sacred Heart Academy. This was a boarding school that operated from 1897 until 1968.

Getting Around (Transportation)

Airports Near Vinita

Vinita Municipal Airport (FAA Identifier H04) has served the city since 1965. It is about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of downtown Vinita. This airport is right next to the famous McDonald's that spans over the Will Rogers Turnpike. Pilots can fly in and walk to the McDonald's!

This airport is owned by the city. It is mainly used for personal or chartered planes. Fuel is available 24 hours a day.

South Grand Lake Regional Airport (FAA Identifier 1K8) is a bit further southeast of Vinita. It started as a grass runway in 2005. Now it has a hard runway and lights for all-weather flying.

During World War II, there was a temporary airfield called Theldor Airfield. It was about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Vinita. It closed after the war.

Famous People from Vinita

Jim Beauchamp (1939-2007) — A professional baseball player.
Bryan Burk (1968-present) — A television producer.
Yvonne Chouteau (1929-2016) — A famous ballerina.
Jim Edgar (1946-present) — Former governor of Illinois.
Phil McGraw (1950-present) — Also known as Dr. Phil, a TV personality and psychologist.
Tom Threepersons (1889-1969) — A lawman and inventor.

Historic Places in Vinita

Nine historic places in Vinita are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important for their history. Some of them include: