Oklahoma State Highway 63
Encyclopedia
State Highway 63 is a 96.7 mile (155.6 km) state highway
in southeastern Oklahoma
. It runs from U.S. Highway 69 in Kiowa
to the Arkansas state line. SH-1 forms a concurrency
with SH-63 for 37.8 miles (60.8 km), nearly forty percent of the highway's length. SH-63 has one spur route, designated as SH-63A.
SH-63 was added to the state highway system on November 6, 1935 as a short link highway between Talihina and SH-2. The highway was gradually extended to its present length between then and 1960. When the current incarnation of SH-1 was established, the middle of SH-63 was turned over to the new highway, leaving SH-63 in two separate parts. The two sections were connected via a concurrency in the early 1980s.
and crossing under the Indian Nation Turnpike
near Blanco
. In Haileyville
, it meets US-270/SH-1 and begins a concurrency
with them. After passing through Hartshorne
, US-270 splits off. Seven miles (11 km) later, the highways pass through unincorporated Higgins, then continues east for 9 miles (14.5 km), where they meets State Highway 2
and the two highways concur with it.
The SH-1/2/63 concurrency heads south for six miles (10 km). West of Buffalo Valley, SH-2 splits off to the south as SH-1/63 head east. In Talihina
, the highways meet US-271, which SH-1 joins. SH-63 heads east alone, passing through Whitesboro
and Muse
. In Big Cedar, it crosses U.S. Highway 259. It then enters Ouachita National Forest
and ends at the state line. Arkansas Highway 8 continues on to Mena
.
The highway was extended west for the first time on August 4, 1952, when SH-63's western terminus was set at US-270 near Hartshorne. The highway was extended further west on January 29, 1960, bringing it to US-69 in Kiowa. The SH-63 of 1960 had the same basic route as that of the present day. Minor realignments to the highway occurred on September 6, 1962 northwest of the northern SH-2 junction, and through Haileyville and Hartshorne on August 3, 1964.
The current State Highway 1 was designated on February 5, 1968. The portion of highway between Haileyville and Talihina was made solely part of SH-1. This left SH-63 in two discontinuous sections, one between Kiowa and Haileyville and one from Talihina to the Arkansas line. This situation would persist for fifteen years. On July 7, 1983, SH-63 was restored between the two segments, forming the SH-1/63 concurrency. No further changes have occurred to the highway since.
SH-63 has one lettered spur, SH-63A. SH-63A begins at SH-1/63 two miles (3 km) west of Talihina. It heads north for ¼ mile before forking into two separate highways. The west fork goes to the Choctaw Nation hospital, while the east fork goes to the Oklahoma Veterans Center. The west fork is exactly 1 miles (1.6 km) long, and the southern and eastern forks together are 1.4 miles (2.3 km), for a total combined length of 2.4 miles (3.9 km).
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in southeastern 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...
. It runs from U.S. Highway 69 in Kiowa
Kiowa, Oklahoma
Kiowa is a town in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 693 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kiowa is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
to the Arkansas state line. SH-1 forms a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with SH-63 for 37.8 miles (60.8 km), nearly forty percent of the highway's length. SH-63 has one spur route, designated as SH-63A.
SH-63 was added to the state highway system on November 6, 1935 as a short link highway between Talihina and SH-2. The highway was gradually extended to its present length between then and 1960. When the current incarnation of SH-1 was established, the middle of SH-63 was turned over to the new highway, leaving SH-63 in two separate parts. The two sections were connected via a concurrency in the early 1980s.
Route description
SH-63 heads northeast from Kiowa, passing through PittsburgPittsburg, Oklahoma
Pittsburg is a town in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 280 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pittsburg is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 280...
and crossing under the Indian Nation Turnpike
Indian Nation Turnpike
The Indian Nation Turnpike is a toll road in southeastern Oklahoma. It is the longest tollway in the state.-Route description:The Indian Nation turnpike is built to parkway-like design standards, omitting a center barrier and left-hand shoulders for a slightly mounded grassy median that is flush...
near Blanco
Blanco, Oklahoma
Blanco is a rural unincorporated community located on State Highway 63 in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The post office opened August 31, 1901. The ZIP code is 74528. The community was named for Ramón Blanco y Erenas, one-time governor general of Cuba. Gene Stipe, the longest-serving...
. In Haileyville
Haileyville, Oklahoma
Haileyville is a city in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 891 at the 2000 census.Located in Pittsburg County, Haileyville lies at the junction of U.S. Highway 270/State Highway 1 and State Highway 63, fourteen miles east of McAlester and a little more than one mile west...
, it meets US-270/SH-1 and begins a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with them. After passing through Hartshorne
Hartshorne, Oklahoma
Hartshorne is a city in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,102 at the 2000 census. Baseball player Warren Spahn is buried here. Currently, serving as Mayor is Mark Day.-Geography:...
, US-270 splits off. Seven miles (11 km) later, the highways pass through unincorporated Higgins, then continues east for 9 miles (14.5 km), where they meets State Highway 2
State Highway 2 (Oklahoma)
State Highway 2, abbreviated SH-2 or OK-2, is a designation for two distinct highways maintained by the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Though they were once connected, the middle section of highway was concurrent with three different U.S. highways, so the middle section was decommissioned for reasons of...
and the two highways concur with it.
The SH-1/2/63 concurrency heads south for six miles (10 km). West of Buffalo Valley, SH-2 splits off to the south as SH-1/63 head east. In Talihina
Talihina, Oklahoma
Talihina is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States, its name originating from two Choctaw words, tully and hena, meaning iron road. Iron road is reference to the railroad that the town was built around. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, the highways meet US-271, which SH-1 joins. SH-63 heads east alone, passing through Whitesboro
Whitesboro, Oklahoma
Whitesboro is a small, unincorporated community located in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. The post office was established April 14, 1909....
and Muse
Muse, Oklahoma
Muse is an unincorporated community in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. Muse is located along Oklahoma State Highway 63 southeast of Talihina....
. In Big Cedar, it crosses U.S. Highway 259. It then enters Ouachita National Forest
Ouachita National Forest
The Ouachita National Forest is a National Forest that lies in the western portion of Arkansas and portions of eastern Oklahoma.-History:The Ouachita National Forest is the oldest National Forest in the southern United States. The Forest encompasses , including most of the scenic Ouachita Mountains...
and ends at the state line. Arkansas Highway 8 continues on to Mena
Mena, Arkansas
Mena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to...
.
History
State Highway 63 was first established on November 6, 1935 as a connection between SH-2 and US-271 in Talihina. On April 1, 1936, the highway was extended east to end at the Arkansas state line. This remained the highway's extent for the remainder of the 1930s and the 1940s.The highway was extended west for the first time on August 4, 1952, when SH-63's western terminus was set at US-270 near Hartshorne. The highway was extended further west on January 29, 1960, bringing it to US-69 in Kiowa. The SH-63 of 1960 had the same basic route as that of the present day. Minor realignments to the highway occurred on September 6, 1962 northwest of the northern SH-2 junction, and through Haileyville and Hartshorne on August 3, 1964.
The current State Highway 1 was designated on February 5, 1968. The portion of highway between Haileyville and Talihina was made solely part of SH-1. This left SH-63 in two discontinuous sections, one between Kiowa and Haileyville and one from Talihina to the Arkansas line. This situation would persist for fifteen years. On July 7, 1983, SH-63 was restored between the two segments, forming the SH-1/63 concurrency. No further changes have occurred to the highway since.
Junction list
SH-63A