Weleetka, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Weleetka, Oklahoma
Town
Buildings on Main Street in 2008
Location of Weleetka, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Okfuskee
Area
• Total	0.66 sq mi (1.71 km2)
• Land	0.66 sq mi (1.71 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	728 ft (222 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	806
• Density	1,221.21/sq mi (471.78/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74880
Area code(s)	405/572
FIPS code	40-79800
GNIS feature ID	2413463

Weleetka is a small town located in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Okemah, which is the county seat. The name "Weleetka" comes from a Creek word that means "running water." In 2020, the town had a population of 806 people.

History of Weleetka

How Weleetka Started

The town of Weleetka was founded by three newspaper businessmen in 1899. These men, George F. Clarke, Lake Moore, and John Jacobs, were looking for a new place to start a successful business. They learned that two different railroads were building new lines. The St. Louis and San Francisco Railway (often called "Frisco") was building south from Sapulpa. The Fort Smith and Western Railway was building west from Indian Territory.

The partners decided to create a new town where these two railroad lines would meet. They chose a spot on a hill north of the Canadian River. This land belonged to Martha Lowe, a Creek Indian. Someone suggested naming the new town "Weleetka," which means "running water" in the Creek language.

Early Days and Growth

The partners started selling land lots in Weleetka on February 10, 1902. They quickly sold enough lots to pay for the land and their other costs. The very next day, the First Bank of Weleetka opened. By the end of that first day, it had $3,000 in deposits. Business was very good, and a post office was set up in Weleetka on March 14, 1902.

The area around Weleetka was mostly farmland. Farmers grew crops like cotton, wheat, oats, and various fruits and vegetables. Later, the region also became known for producing oil and natural gas. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Weleetka had 1,020 residents. By 1930, its population had grown to 2,042. The town also had two hotels, three cotton gins, an opera house, and several other businesses.

Weleetka as a Railroad Hub

Weleetka was once a very important railroad town. It was a main stop for the Fort Smith and Western Railway. This railroad operated in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Its main line stretched 217 miles from Fort Smith, Arkansas, through Weleetka, to Guthrie, Oklahoma.

All train crews would change in Weleetka. The town also had large shops and repair facilities for the steam locomotives. This meant Weleetka was vital for the railroad's operations. Trains coming from the east would be reorganized in Weleetka. They could then be sent northwest to Oklahoma City, Guthrie, or El Reno. This allowed one train to become two trains heading in different directions.

The railroad brought a lot of business to Weleetka's hotels and shops. It offered regular passenger service, including special sleeping cars to and from St. Louis and Oklahoma City. The Fort Smith and Western Railway mostly served coal mining areas in eastern Oklahoma. It also connected towns like Okemah, Boley, and Prague.

Decline of the Railroad

A lot of the railroad's freight was coal from mines near McCurtain. When coal mining slowed down, an oil discovery near Okemah helped the railroad for a while. However, the railroad faced financial problems. In January 1939, it lost its right to use tracks between Fallis and Oklahoma City. The Fort Smith and Western Railway stopped operating completely on February 9, 1939. This was a big loss for Weleetka, as the railroad was its main employer.

Recent History

After 1930, both cotton farming and railroad services declined. This led to a steady decrease in Weleetka's population throughout the 20th century. Even so, Weleetka remained a local trading center. In 2000, there were 1,014 residents. The town had ten churches, a school system, and a weekly newspaper called the Weleetkan. The Weleetka Town Hall and Jail are important historical buildings. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma. By 2010, the population had dropped to 998.

Geography of Weleetka

Weleetka is located about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Okemah, the county seat. The town is built on a horseshoe-shaped bend of the North Canadian River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Weleetka covers a total area of about 0.7 square miles (1.71 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no water.

Population Data

In 2000, Weleetka had 1,014 people living in 368 households. About 235 of these were families. The population density was about 1,464 people per square mile (565 per square kilometer). There were 450 housing units in the town.

The racial makeup of Weleetka in 2000 was:

• 60.36% White
• 6.31% African American
• 23.77% Native American
• 0.10% Asian
• 1.08% from other races
• 8.38% from two or more races

About 2.66% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Of the households, 26.9% had children under 18 living with them. About 41.0% were married couples living together. About 18.2% had a female head of household with no husband present. The average household size was 2.51 people, and the average family size was 3.20 people.

The population's age spread was:

• 25.9% under 18
• 8.3% from 18 to 24
• 22.3% from 25 to 44
• 23.4% from 45 to 64
• 20.1% who were 65 or older

The average age in the town was 40 years.

Notable Person

• Weleetka is the hometown of country singer Amber Hayes.

See also

In Spanish: Weleetka (Oklahoma) para niños