Disney, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Disney is a town in Mayes County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. The population was 311 at the 2010 census
. Despite its name, it is in no affiliation with the Walt Disney Company or Disney himself.
Disney is also known as "Disney Island" because it sits on an island at the southern shore of Grand Lake O the Cherokees. Oklahoma State Highway 28 is the only road into and out of Disney. To get into Disney from the west, one must drive across the 1-mile long Pensacola Dam. To continue out of Disney, two more small dams with spillway gates must be crossed. The northern part of Disney is lake-front. The southern part boundaried by a wide stream. The spillways from the two small dams join this stream.
Disney has a herd of "island deer" that, while wild and not kept in an enclosure, act more like dogs... sauntering across mainstreet (HwY 28) and nibbling on lawns, shrubs, and flowers.
Today there is a convenience store, a bait shop, a post office, 2 drive-ins, and a sporting goods / lake apparel store in the historic "Dam Hotel" building. There are also offices for construction firms, a gift shop, two churches, and a church camp facility.
When the dam was built in the early 30s, Disney was a different place—hundreds of workers, bosses, engineers, truck drivers, and all the services a large workforce would require were based in and near Disney. The Rogers Cabins motel is the former "superintendents" quarters. About 10 WPA era rock cabins, remodeled as motel rooms, are avaialble at reasonable rates. It's one of the few, if not the only, hotels / B&Bs, etc. on the southeast part of the lake.
Disney's growth is limited by the size of the island and the technical difficulties with bringing municipal services across the dams, so Disney has its own water plant, no public sewer system (all septic), and no natural gas service to houses.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (10.49%) is water.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 226 people, 124 households, and 56 families residing in the town. The population density
was 175.6 people per square mile (67.6/km²). There were 252 housing units at an average density of 195.8 per square mile (75.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 80.53% White, 0.44% African American, 9.29% Native American, and 9.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.
There were 124 households out of which 10.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.7% were married couples
living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.8% were non-families. 46.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 28.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.82 and the average family size was 2.59.
In the town the population was spread out with 14.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,417, and the median income for a family was $36,875. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $25,750 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,975. About 21.4% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 21.3% of those sixty five or over.
Mayes County, Oklahoma
Mayes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was named for Samuel Houston Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899. According to the 2010 census the population was 41,259, a 7.5 percent increase from 2000, when the population was 38,369...
, 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...
. The population was 311 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. Despite its name, it is in no affiliation with the Walt Disney Company or Disney himself.
Disney is also known as "Disney Island" because it sits on an island at the southern shore of Grand Lake O the Cherokees. Oklahoma State Highway 28 is the only road into and out of Disney. To get into Disney from the west, one must drive across the 1-mile long Pensacola Dam. To continue out of Disney, two more small dams with spillway gates must be crossed. The northern part of Disney is lake-front. The southern part boundaried by a wide stream. The spillways from the two small dams join this stream.
Disney has a herd of "island deer" that, while wild and not kept in an enclosure, act more like dogs... sauntering across mainstreet (HwY 28) and nibbling on lawns, shrubs, and flowers.
Today there is a convenience store, a bait shop, a post office, 2 drive-ins, and a sporting goods / lake apparel store in the historic "Dam Hotel" building. There are also offices for construction firms, a gift shop, two churches, and a church camp facility.
When the dam was built in the early 30s, Disney was a different place—hundreds of workers, bosses, engineers, truck drivers, and all the services a large workforce would require were based in and near Disney. The Rogers Cabins motel is the former "superintendents" quarters. About 10 WPA era rock cabins, remodeled as motel rooms, are avaialble at reasonable rates. It's one of the few, if not the only, hotels / B&Bs, etc. on the southeast part of the lake.
Disney's growth is limited by the size of the island and the technical difficulties with bringing municipal services across the dams, so Disney has its own water plant, no public sewer system (all septic), and no natural gas service to houses.
Geography
Disney is located at 36°28′39"N 95°1′13"W (36.477501, -95.020272).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 town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (10.49%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census Disney had a population of 311. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 73.0% white, 17.0% Native American, 0.3% from some other race, 9.6% reporting two or more races and 0.6% Hispanic or Latino from any race.As of the census
Census
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 226 people, 124 households, and 56 families residing in the town. 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 175.6 people per square mile (67.6/km²). There were 252 housing units at an average density of 195.8 per square mile (75.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 80.53% White, 0.44% African American, 9.29% Native American, and 9.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.
There were 124 households out of which 10.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.7% 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, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.8% were non-families. 46.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 28.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.82 and the average family size was 2.59.
In the town the population was spread out with 14.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,417, and the median income for a family was $36,875. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $25,750 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 town was $16,975. About 21.4% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 21.3% of those sixty five or over.