Muskogee, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Muskogee is a city
in Muskogee County
, Oklahoma
, United States. It is the county seat
of Muskogee County
, and home to Bacone College
. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma.
The city's current mayor is John Tyler Hammons
, first elected in 2008 at the age of 19.
The 1951 film Jim Thorpe
, All American, starring Burt Lancaster
, was filmed on the campus of Bacone Indian College
at Muskogee. Two feature films were recently shot in Muskogee: Salvation (2007) and Denizen (2010).
, north of Muskogee.
The Creek
Indians and their slaves relocated to the area after the passage of the Indian Removal Act
of 1830 under President Andrew Jackson
. Muskogee
became the site of the Indian Agency, a two-story stone building where the heads of the Five Civilized Tribes met. Today it serves as a museum at the top of Agency Hill, in Honor Heights Park, on the west side of Muskogee.
In 1872, the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was extended to the area. A federal court was established in the city in 1889 around the same time that Indian Territory was opened to settlers via land rushes. The city was incorporated on March 19, 1898.
Ohio native Charles N. Haskell
moved to the city in March 1901. He took a quiet town of more than 4,000 people to a center of business and industry with a population of more than 20,000 inhabitants. Haskell built the first five-story business block in Oklahoma Territory; he organized and built most of the railroads running into the city. He built and owned fourteen brick buildings in the city.
As Muskogee’s economic and business importance grew, so did its political power. When the Civilized Tribes met together to propose an Indian State, the State of Sequoyah
, they met on August 21, 1905 in Muskogee to draft its constitution. They planned to have Muskogee serve as the State's capital. Vetoed by US President
Theodore Roosevelt
, the proposed State of Sequoyah did not receive federal recognition. The US admitted the State of Oklahoma to the Union on November 16, 1907 as the 46th State.
Muskogee received national and international attention when, in May 2008, voters elected John Tyler Hammons
as mayor. Nineteen at the time of his election, Hammons is among the youngest mayors in American history.
, which is accessible from the Gulf of Mexico
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 38.8 square miles (100.5 km²), of which 37.3 square miles (96.6 km²) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) (3.69%) is water. Muskogee is near the confluence
of the Arkansas River
, Verdigris River
and Grand River
.
It is crossed by U.S. Route 62
, U.S. Route 64
, Oklahoma State Highway 2, Oklahoma State Highway 16 and Oklahoma State Highway 165.
Muskogee lies in the Arkansas River Valley and has a low, sea-level elevation compared to much of the rest of the state. The city is located on the boundary of the oak and hickory forest region of eastern Oklahoma and the prairie, Great Plains
region of northeastern Oklahoma. It is considered a suburban community of Tulsa.
The city's climate is considerably warmer and more humid than other parts of the state.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 38,310 people, 15,523 households, and 9,950 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,026.0 people per square mile (396.1/km²). There were 17,517 housing units at an average density of 469.1 per square mile (181.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.12% White, 17.90% African American, 12.34% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.57% from other races
, and 6.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.28% of the population.
There were 15,523 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples
living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,418, and the median income for a family was $33,358. Males had a median income of $28,153 versus $20,341 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,351. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
, a World War I
memorial park, notable for its azalea
s and the annual Azalea Festival held each April. During the winter, people from across all 50 states travel to Muskogee to see Honor Heights transformed into the Garden of Lights, a 132 acre (0.53418552 km²) Christmas lights display.
Muskogee has six museums: the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, a museum dedicated to preserving the art and culture of the Five Civilized Tribes; the U.S.S. Batfish and War Memorial Park, whose major attraction is the submarine USS Batfish; the Three Rivers Museum, dedicated to the history of the Three Rivers area and the railroads that helped create it; the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
, honoring Oklahoma musicians since 1997; the Thomas-Foreman Historic Home, an 1898 farm house preserved with the furnishings of the Indian Territory Judge John R. Thomas
and his daughter and son-in-law Grant and Carolyn Foreman, Oklahoma historians and authors; and Ataloa Lodge, on the campus of Bacone College.
Two feature films were recently shot in Muskogee through a tax incentive program offered by the state: Salvation (2007) and Denizen (2010). Both were produced by writer/director J.A. Steel
.
form of municipal government. The city manager is the administrative leader of the government and is appointed by the city council. The city's ceremonial head is the mayor, who is a voting, at-large member of the council with limited administrative power.
The current city manager, Greg Buckley, was appointed in February 2008. The current mayor is the Honorable John Tyler Hammons
, who, at the time of his election, was a 19-year-old University of Oklahoma
freshman. Hammons was elected with 70 percent of the vote on May 13, 2008, in an election against former Muskogee Mayor Hershel McBride. Hammons was re-elected on April 6, 2010.
The city is divided into four wards, with two members of the city council elected from each. Each member of the council is elected by the city as a whole but must reside in the ward he or she represents. Elections are held on the first Tuesday in April in each even-numbered year. All elections are non-partisan; the mayor and the members of the city council receive no salary or compensation for their services.
: State Representative Jerry McPeak representing House District 13 and State Representative George Faught
representing House District 14. District 13 includes the west side of Muskogee while District 14 includes the east half of Muskogee. The city is represented in the state senate
by State Senator Earl Garrison
(D-Muskogee), in Senate District 9, which includes all of Muskogee County, Oklahoma
.
Both former Attorney General of Oklahoma
Drew Edmondson
and former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Sandy Garrett
are Muskogee natives.
The city is part of Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district
, represented by U.S. Representative Dan Boren
(D-Muskogee). The state's senior U.S. Senator is James Inhofe (R-Tulsa), and the state's junior U.S. Senator is Tom Coburn
(R-Muskogee). Muskogee, along with Tulsa, Oklahoma
, is the only other city in Oklahoma to be the home of both a sitting US Congressman and sitting US Senator.
, in 2002, 2008 and 2009, no murders were committed for the entire year. However, on April 10, 2010, a deadly shooting broke out at the Arrowhead Mall injuring at least five people and leaving one dead; witnesses say that the shooting was gang related.
On Tuesday, November 9, 2010, authorities arrested a teenager, 18-year-old Aaron Laconsello, in the fatal slaying of 4-year-old Dakota Lane, stabbed 36 times, in the 700 block of North N Street during an armed home invasion, robbery, and assault. The boy's mother, Stephanie Lane, was eight months pregnant at the time and Dakota's 6-year-old brother was sleeping in another room at the time. The suspect, who is being held without bail, is eligible to face the death penalty on capital felony first degree murder, first-degree burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Muskogee County, Oklahoma
District Attorney
Larry Moore.
, which include the vast majority of the city limits and a large portion of Muskogee County
, and Hilldale Public Schools, which covers a small southern portion of the city limits and some parts of the County south of Muskogee. Additional smaller school districts serve the smaller communities of Muskogee County.
Muskogee is home to four institutions of higher education: the public four-year Northeastern State University
, the public two-year Connors State College
, the public Indian Capital Technology Center
and the private four-year Bacone College
, which is the oldest college in the state of Oklahoma.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Muskogee County
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
, 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. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Muskogee County
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
, and home to Bacone College
Bacone College
Bacone College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by Almon C. Bacone, Bacone College is the oldest continuously operated institution of higher education in Oklahoma...
. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma.
The city's current mayor is John Tyler Hammons
John Tyler Hammons
John Tyler Hammons is the 47th and current Mayor of Muskogee, a city of about 40,000 people in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He was elected on May 13, 2008, as a 19-year old freshman at the University of Oklahoma, after winning 70% of the vote in a runoff election against 70-year-old, three-time...
, first elected in 2008 at the age of 19.
The 1951 film Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
, All American, starring Burt Lancaster
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
, was filmed on the campus of Bacone Indian College
Bacone College
Bacone College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by Almon C. Bacone, Bacone College is the oldest continuously operated institution of higher education in Oklahoma...
at Muskogee. Two feature films were recently shot in Muskogee: Salvation (2007) and Denizen (2010).
History
French fur traders were believed to have established a temporary village near Muskogee in 1806, but the first permanent settlement was established in 1817 on the south bank of the Verdigris RiverVerdigris River
The Verdigris River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. It is about long...
, north of Muskogee.
The Creek
Muscogee (Creek) Nation
The Muscogee Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Muscogee people, also known as the Creek, based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. They are regarded as one of the historical Five Civilized Tribes and call themselves Este Mvskokvlke...
Indians and their slaves relocated to the area after the passage of the Indian Removal Act
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830.The Removal Act was strongly supported in the South, where states were eager to gain access to lands inhabited by the Five Civilized Tribes. In particular, Georgia, the largest state at that time, was involved in...
of 1830 under President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. Muskogee
Muskogee
Muskogee or Muscogee can refer to:*The Muscogee tribe, an American Indian people originally from Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, many of whom later relocated to Oklahoma*Muscogee Nation, a federally recognized Muscogee tribe in Oklahoma...
became the site of the Indian Agency, a two-story stone building where the heads of the Five Civilized Tribes met. Today it serves as a museum at the top of Agency Hill, in Honor Heights Park, on the west side of Muskogee.
In 1872, the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was extended to the area. A federal court was established in the city in 1889 around the same time that Indian Territory was opened to settlers via land rushes. The city was incorporated on March 19, 1898.
Charles N. Haskell
Charles Nathaniel Haskell was an American lawyer, oilman, and statesman who served as the first Governor of Oklahoma. Haskell played a crucial role in drafting the Oklahoma Constitution as well as Oklahoma's statehood and admission into the United States as the 46th state in 1907...
moved to the city in March 1901. He took a quiet town of more than 4,000 people to a center of business and industry with a population of more than 20,000 inhabitants. Haskell built the first five-story business block in Oklahoma Territory; he organized and built most of the railroads running into the city. He built and owned fourteen brick buildings in the city.
As Muskogee’s economic and business importance grew, so did its political power. When the Civilized Tribes met together to propose an Indian State, the State of Sequoyah
State of Sequoyah
The State of Sequoyah was the proposed name for a state to be established in the eastern part of present-day Oklahoma. In 1905, faced by proposals to end their tribal governments, Native Americans of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory proposed such a state as a means to retain some...
, they met on August 21, 1905 in Muskogee to draft its constitution. They planned to have Muskogee serve as the State's capital. Vetoed by US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, the proposed State of Sequoyah did not receive federal recognition. The US admitted the State of Oklahoma to the Union on November 16, 1907 as the 46th State.
Muskogee received national and international attention when, in May 2008, voters elected John Tyler Hammons
John Tyler Hammons
John Tyler Hammons is the 47th and current Mayor of Muskogee, a city of about 40,000 people in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He was elected on May 13, 2008, as a 19-year old freshman at the University of Oklahoma, after winning 70% of the vote in a runoff election against 70-year-old, three-time...
as mayor. Nineteen at the time of his election, Hammons is among the youngest mayors in American history.
Geography
Muskogee is an economic center for eastern Oklahoma and operates the Port of MuskogeePort of Muskogee
The Port of Muskogee is a regional port, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. It is a local hub for the transport of goods via trucks, railroad, and barges on the Arkansas River. It is one of the farthest inland, ice-free year-round, United States ports that can access the Gulf of Mexico.-External...
, which is accessible from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
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 38.8 square miles (100.5 km²), of which 37.3 square miles (96.6 km²) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) (3.69%) is water. Muskogee is near the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
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...
, Verdigris River
Verdigris River
The Verdigris River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. It is about long...
and Grand River
Grand River (Oklahoma)
The Grand River is an alternate name for the lower section of the Neosho River, a tributary of the Arkansas River in Oklahoma. "Grand River" refers to the section of river below the confluence of the Neosho and Spring rivers in Ottawa County near Miami...
.
It is crossed by U.S. Route 62
U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, U.S. Highway 62 runs diagonally across the state, from the Texas state line in far southwestern Oklahoma to the Arkansas state line near Fayetteville. US-62 spends a total of in the Sooner State. The highway passes through fifteen of Oklahoma's counties...
, U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles from eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 160 in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. The highway's eastern terminus is at NC 12 and U.S. Route...
, Oklahoma State Highway 2, Oklahoma State Highway 16 and Oklahoma State Highway 165.
Muskogee lies in the Arkansas River Valley and has a low, sea-level elevation compared to much of the rest of the state. The city is located on the boundary of the oak and hickory forest region of eastern Oklahoma and the prairie, Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
region of northeastern Oklahoma. It is considered a suburban community of Tulsa.
The city's climate is considerably warmer and more humid than other parts of the state.
Demographics
The population is one of the most diverse in the state. The population of Muskogee has remained relatively unchanged since the first half of the twentieth century. Twenty-four different nationalities are represented within in the city’s limits as well as 17 non-English languages being spoken as first languages.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 38,310 people, 15,523 households, and 9,950 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 1,026.0 people per square mile (396.1/km²). There were 17,517 housing units at an average density of 469.1 per square mile (181.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.12% White, 17.90% African American, 12.34% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.57% 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 6.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.28% of the population.
There were 15,523 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% 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, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,418, and the median income for a family was $33,358. Males had a median income of $28,153 versus $20,341 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 $15,351. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Muskogee is home to Honor Heights ParkHonor Heights Park
Honor Heights Park is a botanical garden and arboretum located at North Honor Heights Drive, Muskogee, Oklahoma. It is a public park operated by the City of Muskogee....
, a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
memorial park, notable for its azalea
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
s and the annual Azalea Festival held each April. During the winter, people from across all 50 states travel to Muskogee to see Honor Heights transformed into the Garden of Lights, a 132 acre (0.53418552 km²) Christmas lights display.
Muskogee has six museums: the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, a museum dedicated to preserving the art and culture of the Five Civilized Tribes; the U.S.S. Batfish and War Memorial Park, whose major attraction is the submarine USS Batfish; the Three Rivers Museum, dedicated to the history of the Three Rivers area and the railroads that helped create it; the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, honors Oklahoma musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert is held each year in Muskogee...
, honoring Oklahoma musicians since 1997; the Thomas-Foreman Historic Home, an 1898 farm house preserved with the furnishings of the Indian Territory Judge John R. Thomas
John R. Thomas
John Robert Thomas was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Mount Vernon, Illinois, Thomas attended the common schools and Hunter Collegiate Institute, Princeton, Indiana....
and his daughter and son-in-law Grant and Carolyn Foreman, Oklahoma historians and authors; and Ataloa Lodge, on the campus of Bacone College.
Two feature films were recently shot in Muskogee through a tax incentive program offered by the state: Salvation (2007) and Denizen (2010). Both were produced by writer/director J.A. Steel
J.A. Steel
J.A. Steel is an American writer, director, producer, editor, stunt person and actress best known for her role as C. Alexandra Jones in The Third Society....
.
Local government
Muskogee is governed by a council-managerCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
form of municipal government. The city manager is the administrative leader of the government and is appointed by the city council. The city's ceremonial head is the mayor, who is a voting, at-large member of the council with limited administrative power.
The current city manager, Greg Buckley, was appointed in February 2008. The current mayor is the Honorable John Tyler Hammons
John Tyler Hammons
John Tyler Hammons is the 47th and current Mayor of Muskogee, a city of about 40,000 people in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He was elected on May 13, 2008, as a 19-year old freshman at the University of Oklahoma, after winning 70% of the vote in a runoff election against 70-year-old, three-time...
, who, at the time of his election, was a 19-year-old University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
freshman. Hammons was elected with 70 percent of the vote on May 13, 2008, in an election against former Muskogee Mayor Hershel McBride. Hammons was re-elected on April 6, 2010.
The city is divided into four wards, with two members of the city council elected from each. Each member of the council is elected by the city as a whole but must reside in the ward he or she represents. Elections are held on the first Tuesday in April in each even-numbered year. All elections are non-partisan; the mayor and the members of the city council receive no salary or compensation for their services.
State and federal government
Muskogee is represented by two state representativesOklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
: State Representative Jerry McPeak representing House District 13 and State Representative George Faught
George Faught
George Faught is an American businessman and Republican politician from Oklahoma. Faught is the current Representative for District 14 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. House District 14 encompasses Muskogee, Fort Gibson, Braggs, Hulbert, and outlying areas...
representing House District 14. District 13 includes the west side of Muskogee while District 14 includes the east half of Muskogee. The city is represented in the state senate
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
by State Senator Earl Garrison
Earl Garrison
Earl Garrison is an Oklahoma Senator from District 9, which includes Muskogee and Wagoner counties, having served in that position since 2004. He succeed long-time State Senator Ben Robinson of Muskogee after Senator Robinson was prevented from seeking reelection due to term limits placed on him by...
(D-Muskogee), in Senate District 9, which includes all of Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
.
Both former Attorney General of Oklahoma
Attorney General of Oklahoma
The Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma. The Attorney General is responsible for providing legal advise to the various agencies and departments of...
Drew Edmondson
Drew Edmondson
William Andrew "Drew" Edmondson , is an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, Edmondson served as the 16th Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2011...
and former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Sandy Garrett
Sandy Garrett
Sandy Garrett is a retired American Democratic politician from the US state of Oklahoma. Garrett is the former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction....
are Muskogee natives.
The city is part of Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district
Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district
Oklahoma's Second Congressional District is one of five United States Congressional districts in Oklahoma and covers approximately one-fourth of the state in the east...
, represented by U.S. Representative Dan Boren
Dan Boren
Daniel David "Dan" Boren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. The district includes most of the eastern part of the state outside of Tulsa...
(D-Muskogee). The state's senior U.S. Senator is James Inhofe (R-Tulsa), and the state's junior U.S. Senator is Tom Coburn
Tom Coburn
Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. , is an American politician, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the junior U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills...
(R-Muskogee). Muskogee, along with Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, is the only other city in Oklahoma to be the home of both a sitting US Congressman and sitting US Senator.
Crime
Since 1995, crime rate has been reduced by 45 percent in Muskogee. According to records by the Oklahoma State Bureau of InvestigationOklahoma State Bureau of Investigation
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is an independent state law enforcement agency of the government of Oklahoma. The OSBI assists the city police departments of the state and is the primary investigative agency of the state government...
, in 2002, 2008 and 2009, no murders were committed for the entire year. However, on April 10, 2010, a deadly shooting broke out at the Arrowhead Mall injuring at least five people and leaving one dead; witnesses say that the shooting was gang related.
On Tuesday, November 9, 2010, authorities arrested a teenager, 18-year-old Aaron Laconsello, in the fatal slaying of 4-year-old Dakota Lane, stabbed 36 times, in the 700 block of North N Street during an armed home invasion, robbery, and assault. The boy's mother, Stephanie Lane, was eight months pregnant at the time and Dakota's 6-year-old brother was sleeping in another room at the time. The suspect, who is being held without bail, is eligible to face the death penalty on capital felony first degree murder, first-degree burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Larry Moore.
Education
There are two primary public school districts in the city of Muskogee: Muskogee Public SchoolsMuskogee Public Schools
The Muskogee Public School district is a the primary public school district in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Their mascot is the Rougher. The district is governed by a five member Muskogee Board of Education, with members being elected to serve staggered five year terms...
, which include the vast majority of the city limits and a large portion of Muskogee County
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...
, and Hilldale Public Schools, which covers a small southern portion of the city limits and some parts of the County south of Muskogee. Additional smaller school districts serve the smaller communities of Muskogee County.
Muskogee is home to four institutions of higher education: the public four-year Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University is a public university with its main campus located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States, at the foot of the Ozark Mountains. Northeastern's home, Tahlequah, is also the capital of the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma...
, the public two-year Connors State College
Connors State College
Connors State College is public college located in Warner and Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded as an agricultural high school in 1908, it was soon converted to a school of agriculture. In 1958, the Oklahoma State Legislature once again changed its designation: this time to junior college. The school...
, the public Indian Capital Technology Center
Indian Capital Technology Center
Indian Capital Technology Center is a technical school affiliated with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. Indian Capital is headquartered in Muskogee, Oklahoma....
and the private four-year Bacone College
Bacone College
Bacone College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by Almon C. Bacone, Bacone College is the oldest continuously operated institution of higher education in Oklahoma...
, which is the oldest college in the state of Oklahoma.
Points of interest
- Ataloa Lodge Museum
- Honor Heights ParkHonor Heights ParkHonor Heights Park is a botanical garden and arboretum located at North Honor Heights Drive, Muskogee, Oklahoma. It is a public park operated by the City of Muskogee....
- Five Civilized Tribes Museum
- USS Batfish (SS-310)USS Batfish (SS-310)USS Batfish , is a Balao-class submarine, the first vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the batfish, a small pediculate fish resembling the stingray.-Construction and commissioning:...
- Three Rivers Museum
- The Castle of Muskogee http://www.okcastle.com
- Azalea Festival
- Oklahoma Music Hall of FameOklahoma Music Hall of FameThe Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, honors Oklahoma musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert is held each year in Muskogee...
- Spaulding Park
- Farmers market
- Port of Muskogee
- Muskogee Public Library
- Civic Center
- Douglas Maxey Park
Muskogee in popular culture
- Muskogee was commemorated in the 1969 Merle HaggardMerle HaggardMerle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
song "Okie from MuskogeeOkie from Muskogee (song)"Okie from Muskogee" is an American country music song performed by its co-writer, Merle Haggard. Released in September 1969, the song became one of the most famous of his career.-Background:...
". - The Jerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
song "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother" is a satire of small-town life playfully aimed at Muskogee, which is made evident in the last line of the song: "Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.A." - In the sitcom Friends, Chandler becomes excited when he hears a mention of Muskogee, saying that it's "only four hours from Tulsa," where he resides.
Notable residents
- Louis Ballard, CherokeeCherokeeThe Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and OsageOsage NationThe Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
composer and inductee, Oklahoma Music Hall of FameOklahoma Music Hall of FameThe Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, honors Oklahoma musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert is held each year in Muskogee...
. - Keith BirdsongKeith BirdsongKeith Birdsong , is an Native American illustrator known best for illustrating covers of Star Trek novels, usually depicting the various actors of the Star Trek television series and movies in a realistic manner....
, illustrator known for his Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
novel covers - George C. ButteGeorge C. ButteGeorge Charles Butte was a jurist, educator, and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who was his party's gubernatorial nominee in 1924 against the controversial Democrat Miriam Wallace "Ma" Ferguson, one of the first two women governors in the United States.U.S...
, jurist and Texas politician, practiced law in Muskogee from 1904–1911 - Don ByasDon ByasCarlos Wesley "Don" Byas was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, long-resident in Europe.- Oklahoma and Los Angeles :...
, jazz musician - Eddie ChuculateEddie ChuculateEddie Chuculate is an American fiction writer of Muscogee and Cherokee descent. His first book, Cheyenne Madonna, was published in July 2010 by Black Sparrow Books, an imprint of David R. Godine, Publisher, in Boston. Chuculate won a PEN/O...
, author, graduate of Muskogee High School - Tom CoburnTom CoburnThomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. , is an American politician, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the junior U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills...
, current U.S. Senator from Oklahoma - Isaac N. CoggsIsaac N. CoggsIsaac N. Coggs was an American Democratic politician from Wisconsin.Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Coggs graduated from University of Wisconsin–Madison and served in the United States Army during World War II...
, Wisconsin State AssemblyWisconsin State AssemblyThe Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.... - Drew EdmondsonDrew EdmondsonWilliam Andrew "Drew" Edmondson , is an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, Edmondson served as the 16th Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2011...
, former Attorney General of Oklahoma - James E. EdmondsonJames E. EdmondsonJames E. Edmondson , is currently the Chief Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court. He was elected to this position by the other eight members of the Supreme Court in 2009 after he was appointed to the Court's District 7 seat by Governor Brad Henry in 2003.James Edmondson was born in Kansas City,...
, current Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice - George FaughtGeorge FaughtGeorge Faught is an American businessman and Republican politician from Oklahoma. Faught is the current Representative for District 14 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. House District 14 encompasses Muskogee, Fort Gibson, Braggs, Hulbert, and outlying areas...
, current Representative from Oklahoma State House District 14; first RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in state history to represent Muskogee-based district - Sandy GarrettSandy GarrettSandy Garrett is a retired American Democratic politician from the US state of Oklahoma. Garrett is the former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction....
, former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction and Hilldale Public School teacher - John Tyler HammonsJohn Tyler HammonsJohn Tyler Hammons is the 47th and current Mayor of Muskogee, a city of about 40,000 people in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He was elected on May 13, 2008, as a 19-year old freshman at the University of Oklahoma, after winning 70% of the vote in a runoff election against 70-year-old, three-time...
, mayor of Muskogee and one of youngest mayors in United States history - Charles N. HaskellCharles N. HaskellCharles Nathaniel Haskell was an American lawyer, oilman, and statesman who served as the first Governor of Oklahoma. Haskell played a crucial role in drafting the Oklahoma Constitution as well as Oklahoma's statehood and admission into the United States as the 46th state in 1907...
, noted lawyer, oilman, statesman, and the first governor of Oklahoma - James Robert JonesJames Robert JonesJames Robert "Jim" Jones is a lawyer, a Democratic politician, a retired U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma, and a former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico....
, U.S. Congressman for Oklahoma's 1st District (1973–1987), Chairman of the American Stock ExchangeAmerican Stock ExchangeNYSE Amex Equities, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange is an American stock exchange situated in New York. AMEX was a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was known as the New York Curb Exchange. On January 17, 2008, NYSE Euronext announced it would acquire the...
(1989 to 1993), U.S. Ambassador to Mexico (1993 to 1997) - L. R. KershawL. R. KershawLeroy Kershaw was an American attorney, banker, businessman, cattleman and political candidate.He is considered one of the pioneers of the Muskogee, Oklahoma, area and the founder of Morris, Oklahoma, in 1904...
, lawyer, banker, cattle breeder, real estate developer and candidate for governor - Clu GulagerClu GulagerClu Gulager is an American television and film actor. He is particularly noted for his co-starring role as William H. Bonney in the 1960–62 NBC TV series The Tall Man and for his role in the later NBC series The Virginian...
, actor - Barney KesselBarney KesselBarney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
, jazz guitarist - Leo KottkeLeo KottkeLeo Kottke is an acoustic guitarist. He is widely known for his innovative fingerpicking style, which draws on influences from blues, jazz, and folk music, and his syncopated, polyphonic melodies...
, acoustic guitarist - Robert E. LavenderRobert E. LavenderRobert E. Lavender is a former Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court, and was appointed to the Court's District 1 seat by Governor Henry Bellmon in 1966, and was retained by the voters later that year and subsequently in 1972, 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996, and 2002...
, former Oklahoma Supreme CourtOklahoma Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....
Justice - Roberta McCainRoberta McCainRoberta Wright McCain is the widow of Admiral John S. McCain, Jr. and mother of the Republican Arizona Senator and two-time Presidential candidate John S. McCain III.-Background:...
, mother of Senator John McCainJohn McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election.... - Jay McShannJay McShannJay McShann was an American Grammy Award-nominated jump blues, mainstream jazz, and swing bandleader, pianist and singer....
, jazz musician - Smokie NorfulSmokie NorfulRev. W.R. "Smokie" Norful, Jr. is an American gospel singer and pianist, best known for his 2002 album, I Need You Now and his 2004 release, Nothing Without You, which won a Grammy at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album in 2004.-Early life:Norful, a minister who...
, Gospel recording artist - Joe A. RectorJoe A. RectorJoe Rector was born, August 12, 1935 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, the heart of Indian country. He is of Cherokee ancestry.Joe started drawing at about the age of five....
, CreekCreek peopleThe Muscogee , also known as the Creek or Creeks, are a Native American people traditionally from the southeastern United States. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. The modern Muscogee live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida...
/SeminoleSeminoleThe Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
artist - Robert ReedRobert ReedRobert Reed was a prolific American character actor of stage, film and television. In his first big break, he played Kenneth Preston on the popular 1960s TV legal drama, The Defenders, alongside E. G. Marshall. But he was best remembered for portraying the father, Mike Brady, on the popular...
, actor who played the father on the Brady Bunch - Pee Wee RussellPee Wee RussellCharles Ellsworth Russell, much better known by his nickname Pee Wee Russell, was a jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but eventually focused solely on clarinet....
, jazz musician - Thomas RyanThomas Ryan (congressman)Thomas Ryan was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer from Kansas.-Biography:Born in Oxford, New York, Ryan moved to Bradford County, Pennsylvania with his parents, attended Dickinson Seminary in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1861...
, politician, lawyer, lived in Muskogee as a representative from the Secretary of the InteriorUnited States Secretary of the InteriorThe United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries... - Sarah VowellSarah VowellSarah Jane Vowell is an American author, journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio...
, author - Les WalrondLes WalrondLeslie Dale "Les" Walrond is a professional baseball pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.During his freshman and sophomore years in high school, Les played baseball at Booker T. Washington High School under the tutelage of Coach Corey Slagle. With Walrond anchoring the baseball...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - W. Richard West Jr., Director of the National Museum of the American IndianNational Museum of the American IndianThe National Museum of the American Indian is a museum operated under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution that is dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of the native Americans of the Western Hemisphere...
. - Claude "Fiddler" WilliamsClaude Williams (musician)Claude "The Fiddler" Williams was an American jazz violinist and guitarist.Williams was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, in 1908, and by 10 he had learned to play guitar, mandolin, banjo and cello. Upon hearing Joe Venuti play, he was inspired to take up the violin...
, jazz musician - Larry WingetLarry WingetLarry Winget is a professional motivational speaker, bestselling author and television personality. Winget markets himself as "the trademarked 'Pitbull of Personal Development' and 'World's Only Irritational Speaker'".-Early life and family:...
, speaker and author - Darnell HinsonDarnell HinsonDarnell Hinson is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the B-Meg Llamados in the Philippine Basketball Association.- Basketball career :...
basketball player for the Perth WildcatsPerth WildcatsThe Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth... - Carrie UnderwoodCarrie UnderwoodCarrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
, American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
Season 4 winner - Maurice R. BebbMaurice R. BebbMaurice R. Bebb was a notable etcher and printmaker of the American Midwest, whose best-known subjects were birds native to Oklahoma and Minnesota, where he spent his time. Not only an expert draftsman, Bebb was a master of color. Etching involves using copper plates on which an artist has etched...
, etcher and printmaker
External links
- City of Muskogee web site
- Muskogee Public Library
- Memoirs of Jeremiah Curtin in the Indian Territory ethnographer's narrative of 1883 visit to Muskogee's early settlement maintained by Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
, accessed January 15, 2007. - Photographic Record of Muskogee's Historic Homes
- City of Muskogee Chamber of Commerce
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Azalea Festival
- The Castle of Muskogee