Coweta, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Coweta is a city in Wagoner County
, Oklahoma
, United States
and is a suburb
of Tulsa. As of 2010, the population was 9,943.
were moved to Oklahoma
from the Eastern United States, the area that is now Coweta became part of the Creek Nation. Coweta was named after a Creek Indian war town on the Chattahoochee River
in southwestern Georgia
and was first settled by American Indians about 1840. In 1843 Robert Loughridge arrived in the area and established a mission, named "Koweta
".
In 1867 after the Civil War
, the Creek Indians adopted a constitution which divided their nation into six districts. Everything northeast of the Arkansas River
, including Tulsa, became the Coweta district. The political center of this district was located in a log courthouse on Coweta Creek, about a quarter mile west from the modern day center of the downtown Coweta. The Post Office was established on May 24, 1897, and took its name from Koweta Mission
. As a result of negotiations with the Congress appointed Dawes Commission
regarding the allotment of tribal lands in 1898, the Creek courts’ jurisdiction was turned over to the Federal government.
Many notable events occurred in 1903. Along with the arrival of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
, Coweta’s first newspaper, The Courier, was started, the first school was built, and a telephone line was installed.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.7 square miles (19.9 km²), of which, 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.56%) is water.
of 2000, there were 7,139 people, 2,582 households, and 1,988 families residing in the city. The population density
was 942.1 people per square mile (363.6/km²). There were 2,827 housing units at an average density of 373.1 per square mile (144.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.78% White, 4.08% African American, 11.85% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races
, and 6.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.80% of the population.
There were 2,582 households out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples
living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.9% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,255, and the median income for a family was $41,786. Males had a median income of $32,348 versus $21,772 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,960. About 6.2% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
in the state and as of October 2007 the district had 3,161 pre kindergarten through 12th grade
students enrolled in 6 different schools, the district is also the largest in Wagoner County.
Coweta is home to two sites on the National Register of Historic Places
list. The first is the Koweta Mission Site
. The mission was added to the NRHP in 1973, today only a cemetery remains. The second historical site located in Coweta is the First Presbyterian Church of Coweta
, commonly known as the Mission Bell Museum. The Mission Bell Museum was added to the NRHP in 2003 and is owned and operated by the city of Coweta.
Wagoner County, Oklahoma
Wagoner County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 73,085. Its county seat is Wagoner.-Early History:The area of Wagoner County was settled by the Creek after their forced removal in Alabama in the 1820's...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Tulsa. As of 2010, the population was 9,943.
History
Before statehood, when the Five Tribes or Five Civilized TribesFive Civilized Tribes
The Five Civilized Tribes were the five Native American nations—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole—that were considered civilized by Anglo-European settlers during the colonial and early federal period because they adopted many of the colonists' customs and had generally good...
were moved to Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
from the Eastern United States, the area that is now Coweta became part of the Creek Nation. Coweta was named after a Creek Indian war town on the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
in southwestern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and was first settled by American Indians about 1840. In 1843 Robert Loughridge arrived in the area and established a mission, named "Koweta
Koweta Mission Site
Koweta Mission Site is a NRHP site.In 1843, white missionaries arrived in Coweta to teach the Indian children. Reverend Robert Loughridge and his wife, Olivia, bought an empty cabin for ten dollars and began teaching. He named the mission "Koweta"....
".
In 1867 after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the Creek Indians adopted a constitution which divided their nation into six districts. Everything northeast of the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
, including Tulsa, became the Coweta district. The political center of this district was located in a log courthouse on Coweta Creek, about a quarter mile west from the modern day center of the downtown Coweta. The Post Office was established on May 24, 1897, and took its name from Koweta Mission
Koweta Mission Site
Koweta Mission Site is a NRHP site.In 1843, white missionaries arrived in Coweta to teach the Indian children. Reverend Robert Loughridge and his wife, Olivia, bought an empty cabin for ten dollars and began teaching. He named the mission "Koweta"....
. As a result of negotiations with the Congress appointed Dawes Commission
Dawes Commission
The American Dawes Commission, named for its first chairman Henry L. Dawes, was authorized under a rider to an Indian Office appropriation bill, March 3, 1893...
regarding the allotment of tribal lands in 1898, the Creek courts’ jurisdiction was turned over to the Federal government.
Many notable events occurred in 1903. Along with the arrival of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
, Coweta’s first newspaper, The Courier, was started, the first school was built, and a telephone line was installed.
Geography
Coweta is located at 35°57′47"N 95°39′42"W (35.963155, -95.661586).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.7 square miles (19.9 km²), of which, 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.56%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,139 people, 2,582 households, and 1,988 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 942.1 people per square mile (363.6/km²). There were 2,827 housing units at an average density of 373.1 per square mile (144.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.78% White, 4.08% African American, 11.85% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 6.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.80% of the population.
There were 2,582 households out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.9% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,255, and the median income for a family was $41,786. Males had a median income of $32,348 versus $21,772 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,960. About 6.2% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
The Coweta Public School District is the 29th largest school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
in the state and as of October 2007 the district had 3,161 pre kindergarten through 12th grade
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
students enrolled in 6 different schools, the district is also the largest in Wagoner County.
Media
Coweta has one newspaper, the Coweta American. The paper is published every Wednesday. It is owned by Community Publishers, a newspaper and Internet publisher and commercial printer that serves Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas. Coweta has a community website, N2Coweta that provides everyone in the community a free place to discuss local topics, share status updates, blog, list events, participate in discussions, and share photos and videos.Historical Sites
Coweta is home to two sites on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
list. The first is the Koweta Mission Site
Koweta Mission Site
Koweta Mission Site is a NRHP site.In 1843, white missionaries arrived in Coweta to teach the Indian children. Reverend Robert Loughridge and his wife, Olivia, bought an empty cabin for ten dollars and began teaching. He named the mission "Koweta"....
. The mission was added to the NRHP in 1973, today only a cemetery remains. The second historical site located in Coweta is the First Presbyterian Church of Coweta
First Presbyterian Church of Coweta
The First Presbyterian Church was built in 1907 and is located just one block west of the current downtown business district in Coweta, Oklahoma. The building was added to the NRHP in 2003.-History:...
, commonly known as the Mission Bell Museum. The Mission Bell Museum was added to the NRHP in 2003 and is owned and operated by the city of Coweta.
Notable residents
- Junior BarnardJunior BarnardJunior Barnard was a pioneering American electric guitarist. He is best known for his work with Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys...
, (December 17, 1920 - April 15, 1951) guitarist with Bob WillsBob WillsJames Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
and His Texas Playboys - Bill BrightBill BrightWilliam R. "Bill" Bright was an American evangelist. The founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, he wrote The Four Spiritual Laws in 1952 and produced the Jesus Film in 1979.-Early life:...
, William R. "Bill" Bright (October 19, 1921 – July 19, 2003), founder of Campus Crusade - Rick BryanRick BryanRick Don Bryan was an American football defensive tackle who played for the Oklahoma Sooners and the Atlanta Falcons. He was a consensus All-American in 1982 and 1983 and the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in 1982, and Academic All-Conference 1981-1983, he played for the Atlanta Falcons...
, (March 20, 1962 - July 25, 2009) American Football defensive lineman for the Oklahoma SoonersOklahoma SoonersThe University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
and the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Crooked XCrooked XCrooked X is a Christian hard rock band from Coweta, Oklahoma, USA, consisting of members Kevin Currie , Jesse Cooper , Boomer Simpson , and Bradd Johnson .-Biography:...
, a rock band discovered on the CBS morning TV show, The Early ShowThe Early ShowThe Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...