Wister, Oklahoma facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wister, Oklahoma
Town
Location of Wister, Oklahoma
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Le Flore
Area
• Total	1.90 sq mi (4.92 km2)
• Land	1.89 sq mi (4.89 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	509 ft (155 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,031
• Density	545.79/sq mi (210.79/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	74966
Area code(s)	539/918
FIPS code	40-81750
GNIS feature ID	2413504

Wister is a small town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located near the city of Fort Smith. In 2010, about 1,102 people lived there. The town is named after Gutman G. Wister, who worked for a railroad company.

History of Wister, Oklahoma

Wister got its first post office on June 30, 1890. Back then, it was called Indian Territory. The community was named after a railroad official. Two important railroad lines crossed paths right here.

Early Days in the Choctaw Nation

When Wister was founded, it was part of the Choctaw Nation. This was a large area where the Choctaw people lived. It was specifically in Sugar Loaf County.

How Wister Got Its Name

Before it was called Wister, the settlement was known as Wister Junction. This was because it was a "junction" where two railroad routes met. One railroad, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad, went east and west. It connected Wister Junction to McAlester. This route also passed through towns with busy coal mines.

The other railroad was the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad. It ran north and south. This line connected Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris, Texas. After the town got its post office, its name had to change. Federal rules for post offices did not allow names like "Junction." So, the town became simply Wister.

Geography and Nature Around Wister

Wister is located about 55 miles (89 km) east of McAlester. It is also about 20 miles (32 km) west of the Oklahoma-Arkansas border.

Land and Water Areas

The town covers a total area of about 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a small part, about 0.04 square miles (0.10 square kilometers), is water.

Exploring Lake Wister

Wister is located right on Lake Wister. This lake is a popular spot for fishing. People often try to catch crappie, bass, and catfish here. Besides fishing, Lake Wister offers many fun activities. You can go camping, waterskiing, and swimming.

Population and People of Wister

In 2000, there were 1,002 people living in Wister. These people lived in 412 households. About 276 of these were families.

Diversity in Wister

Most of the people in Wister are White. About 84% of the population is White. About 11% are Native American. A small number of people are Asian or from other backgrounds. About 2% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

Households and Families

About 29% of households in Wister had children under 18 living there. Nearly half of the households were married couples. Some households had a female head without a husband. About 30% of all households were individuals living alone. Many people aged 65 or older lived by themselves. The average household had about 2.4 people. Families usually had about 3 people.

Age Groups in Town

The population in Wister is spread across different age groups. About 27% of the people are under 18 years old. About 8.5% are between 18 and 24. People aged 25 to 44 make up about 25% of the population. About 21% are between 45 and 64. Finally, about 19% of the people are 65 years or older. The average age in Wister is 37 years.

Education in Wister

Wister Public Schools is in charge of the public schools in the town. They provide education for the children of Wister.

See also

In Spanish: Wister (Oklahoma) para niños