Rattan, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Rattan is a town in Pushmataha County
, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 241 at the 2000 census
.
, the town has a total area of 4 square miles (10.4 km²), all of it land.
Rattan, Texas—located in Delta County, thirty miles south of Paris, Texas
--was named for local postal officer Clarence V. Rattan in 1893. Following Oklahoma's statehood in 1907 a number of Delta County families relocated to the new Pushmataha County, among them Akins, Akards, and Helms. The Delta County family (or families) apparently establishing itself in Rattan has not been identified.
Originally overshadowed by the nearby white settlement of Belzoni, Oklahoma
, Rattan did not become economically successful enough to merit its own United States Post Office until December 12, 1910. Belzoni’s success as a farming hub sapped Rattan of much of its potential vitality, and it was not until the latter’s decline that Rattan emerged as the population center of southeastern area of the county.
Prior to establishment of its post office
with the name “Rattan”, the area was called Sulphur Springs, Indian Territory
. Sulphur Springs, located 3/4 mile south-southeast of the present-day Rattan crossroads, was county seat of Cedar County, Choctaw Nation
. It was established by the Choctaws’ Doaksville Constitution of 1860 and, in the manner of most Choctaw county seats, served a part-time role as legal and political center. It was never a sizeable permanent settlement and boasted almost no mercantile or retail stores.
County court
met on the first Monday of each month and was called Probate Court, even though it was more similar to modern-day county court proceedings than a modern probate court. The court met in a large log house, constructed of long, straight logs, serving as both an Indian Methodist church and court house. The Cedar County Court House was torn down by white settlers sometime after Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907, after which it ceased serving any legal use.
Sulphur Springs took its name from several sulphur springs
located in the vicinity. A number of Choctaw families living around the Cedar County Court House used them as well as visitors to court.
Natural resources
were key to Rattan’s early growth. Many of its settlers were farmers. Timber, logged in the Kiamichi Mountains
north of the community, also fueled growth. A number of logging trams, or railroad lines, were built into the mountains and large camps of loggers and their dependents lived along the tracks for months on end. These mobile, rolling communities were sizeable enough to feature small schools, physicians offices, and general stores. Most of their residents lived in railroad cars which traveled along with the work crews as they logged deeper into the mountains.
Rattan became the Great Depression
-era recipient of a handsome public school built by the Works Progress Administration
. Constructed of native stone brought from nearby fields
, it continues in use today.
During the 1990s Rattan incorporated as a town, and offers rudimentary public services.
School students from Rattan made news headlines during 2000 as they initiated a series of events with international repercussions. During World War II the Moyers area was the site of two lethal air crashes. British pilots operating from a Royal Air Force
base in Texas crashed into White Rock Mountain and Big Mountain, killing four crew men. Two planes were destroyed. A third plane crash-landed successfully a few miles northwest at Jumbo
.
These events had receded from memory and were generally forgotten until a history class in the Rattan Public School began pursuing information about them. Their research led them to commemorate the events. On February 20, 2000 the AT6 Monument
was dedicated in the fliers' honor at the crash site on Big Mountain. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony, and the story of it and Rattan's intrepid young scholars was carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers around the world.
At this writing Rattan features a café, two or three stores, and several churches. Many residents shop in Antlers, Oklahoma
and Hugo, Oklahoma
—particularly in the large Wal-Mart
store located in the latter town. Rattan also is the home of a world-famous PacMan gamer, Blake Pillars.
More information on Rattan, Sulphur Springs, the AT6 Monument, and the Kiamichi River valley may be found in the Pushmataha County Historical Society
.
was 60.6 people per square mile (23.4/km²). There were 127 housing units at an average density of 31.9 per square mile (12.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.74% White, 12.86% Native American, 1.24% Pacific Islander, and 4.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.49% of the population.
There were 111 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,357, and the median income for a family was $29,167. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $24,500 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,819. About 17.6% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 17.8% of those sixty five or over.
Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
-Administrative History:* Ca. 1000-1500: Caddoan Mississippian civilization at Spiro Mounds* 1492-1718: Spain* 1718-1763: France* 1763-1800: Spain* 1800-1803: France* 1803–present: United States...
, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 241 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
Geography
Rattan is located at 34°12′8"N 95°24′39"W (34.202167, -95.410914). According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 4 square miles (10.4 km²), all of it land.
History
Established in approximately 1910, Rattan was named for Rattan, Texas, from which a number of its early white settlers came.Rattan, Texas—located in Delta County, thirty miles south of Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas
Paris, Texas is a city located northeast of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in Lamar County, Texas, in the United States. It is situated in Northeast Texas at the western edge of the Piney Woods. Physiographically, these regions are part of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. In 1900, 9,358 people lived...
--was named for local postal officer Clarence V. Rattan in 1893. Following Oklahoma's statehood in 1907 a number of Delta County families relocated to the new Pushmataha County, among them Akins, Akards, and Helms. The Delta County family (or families) apparently establishing itself in Rattan has not been identified.
Originally overshadowed by the nearby white settlement of Belzoni, Oklahoma
Belzoni, Oklahoma
Belzoni is an area of Pushmataha County, Oklahoma formerly home to a thriving community. Located several miles southwest of Rattan, Oklahoma, it continues as a place name....
, Rattan did not become economically successful enough to merit its own United States Post Office until December 12, 1910. Belzoni’s success as a farming hub sapped Rattan of much of its potential vitality, and it was not until the latter’s decline that Rattan emerged as the population center of southeastern area of the county.
Prior to establishment of its post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
with the name “Rattan”, the area was called Sulphur Springs, Indian Territory
Sulphur Springs, Indian Territory
Sulphur Springs was a Choctaw Indian community formerly existing in the Choctaw Nation of Indian Territory. It was located at the approximate location of present-day Rattan, in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma....
. Sulphur Springs, located 3/4 mile south-southeast of the present-day Rattan crossroads, was county seat of Cedar County, Choctaw Nation
Cedar County, Choctaw Nation
Cedar County was a political subdivision of the Choctaw Nation in the Indian Territory. The county formed part of the nation’s Apukshunnubbee District, or Second District, one of three administrative super-regions....
. It was established by the Choctaws’ Doaksville Constitution of 1860 and, in the manner of most Choctaw county seats, served a part-time role as legal and political center. It was never a sizeable permanent settlement and boasted almost no mercantile or retail stores.
County court
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
met on the first Monday of each month and was called Probate Court, even though it was more similar to modern-day county court proceedings than a modern probate court. The court met in a large log house, constructed of long, straight logs, serving as both an Indian Methodist church and court house. The Cedar County Court House was torn down by white settlers sometime after Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907, after which it ceased serving any legal use.
Sulphur Springs took its name from several sulphur springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
located in the vicinity. A number of Choctaw families living around the Cedar County Court House used them as well as visitors to court.
Natural resources
Natural Resources
Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...
were key to Rattan’s early growth. Many of its settlers were farmers. Timber, logged in the Kiamichi Mountains
Kiamichi Mountains
The Kiamichi Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern Oklahoma. A subrange within the larger Ouachita Mountains that extend from Oklahoma to western Arkansas, the Kiamichi Mountains sit within Le Flore, Pushmataha, and McCurtain counties near the towns of Poteau and Albion...
north of the community, also fueled growth. A number of logging trams, or railroad lines, were built into the mountains and large camps of loggers and their dependents lived along the tracks for months on end. These mobile, rolling communities were sizeable enough to feature small schools, physicians offices, and general stores. Most of their residents lived in railroad cars which traveled along with the work crews as they logged deeper into the mountains.
Rattan became the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
-era recipient of a handsome public school built by the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
. Constructed of native stone brought from nearby fields
Field (agriculture)
In agriculture, the word field refers generally to an area of land enclosed or otherwise and used for agricultural purposes such as:* Cultivating crops* Usage as a paddock or, generally, an enclosure of livestock...
, it continues in use today.
During the 1990s Rattan incorporated as a town, and offers rudimentary public services.
School students from Rattan made news headlines during 2000 as they initiated a series of events with international repercussions. During World War II the Moyers area was the site of two lethal air crashes. British pilots operating from a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
base in Texas crashed into White Rock Mountain and Big Mountain, killing four crew men. Two planes were destroyed. A third plane crash-landed successfully a few miles northwest at Jumbo
Jumbo, Oklahoma
Jumbo is a community in western Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, 10 miles north of Miller, Oklahoma.- History :A United States Post Office was established for Jumbo, Indian Territory on November 8, 1906...
.
These events had receded from memory and were generally forgotten until a history class in the Rattan Public School began pursuing information about them. Their research led them to commemorate the events. On February 20, 2000 the AT6 Monument
AT6 Monument
The AT6 Monument is a granite memorial to Royal Air Force cadets who were killed while on a training flight during World War II. It stands on Big Mountain, north of Moyers, Oklahoma, and was dedicated on February 20, 2000—the 58th anniversary of the deadly crashes.- Background :The United Kingdom...
was dedicated in the fliers' honor at the crash site on Big Mountain. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony, and the story of it and Rattan's intrepid young scholars was carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers around the world.
At this writing Rattan features a café, two or three stores, and several churches. Many residents shop in Antlers, Oklahoma
Antlers, Oklahoma
Antlers is a city in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. The population was 2,552 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pushmataha County.-Geography:Antlers is located at...
and Hugo, Oklahoma
Hugo, Oklahoma
Hugo is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, bordering Texas. Hugo is the county seat for Choctaw County and has a population of 5,395 as of 2009 estimates. The city serves as winter quarters for some circus performers...
—particularly in the large Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
store located in the latter town. Rattan also is the home of a world-famous PacMan gamer, Blake Pillars.
More information on Rattan, Sulphur Springs, the AT6 Monument, and the Kiamichi River valley may be found in the Pushmataha County Historical Society
Pushmataha County Historical Society
The Pushmataha County Historical Society is a historical society devoted to collecting and preserving the history of Pushmataha County, Oklahoma...
.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 241 people, 111 households, and 65 families residing in the town. The population densityPopulation 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 60.6 people per square mile (23.4/km²). There were 127 housing units at an average density of 31.9 per square mile (12.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.74% White, 12.86% Native American, 1.24% Pacific Islander, and 4.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.49% of the population.
There were 111 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,357, and the median income for a family was $29,167. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $24,500 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 $11,819. About 17.6% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 17.8% of those sixty five or over.
External links
- http://www.rattan.bizyok.com Rattan OK Visitors Guide