Pottawatomie County
County
Pottawatomie County Courthouse in Shawnee
Pottawatomie County Courthouse in Shawnee
Map of Oklahoma highlighting Pottawatomie County
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Map of the United States highlighting Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°12′N 96°56′W / 35.2°N 96.94°W / 35.2; -96.94
Country United States
State Oklahoma
Founded1891
Named forPotawatomi people
SeatShawnee
Largest cityShawnee
Area
 • Total793 sq mi (2,050 km2)
 • Land788 sq mi (2,040 km2)
 • Water5.7 sq mi (15 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total72,454
 • Density91/sq mi (35/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district5th
Websitepottawatomiecountyok.com

Pottawatomie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,454.[1] Its county seat is Shawnee.[2]

Pottawatomie County is part of the Shawnee, OK micropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Oklahoma City–Shawnee, OK combined statistical area.

History

Pottawatomie County was carved out of land originally given to the Creek and Seminole after their forced removal from Georgia and Florida. After the Civil War, the Creek and Seminole were forced to cede their lands back to the federal government, and the area of Pottawatomie County was used to resettle the Iowa, Sac and Fox, Absentee Shawnee, Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes.[3]

Non-Indian settlement began on September 22, 1891, when all the tribes except the Kickapoo agreed to land allotment, where communal reservation land was divided and allotted to individual members of the tribes. The remaining land was opened to settlement.[3]

During the land run, Pottawatomie County was organized as County "B" with Tecumseh as the county seat. In 1892, the voters of the county elected to rename County "B" as Pottawatomie County after the Potawatomi Indians.

In 1895, the Kickapoo gave up their land rights and their land was given away to white settlers in the last land run in Oklahoma.

In 1930, Shawnee, now bigger in size than Tecumseh, was approved by the voters to become the new county seat. The Pottawatomie County Court House was built in 1934 by the Public Works Administration. The court house project cost $250,000 to complete.[3]

On May 19, 2013, during an outbreak of tornadoes, a mobile home park was nearly destroyed, killing a 79-year-old man and injuring at least six others as well as damaging at least 35 structures. Frame and brick homes west of Shawnee were also affected.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 793 square miles (2,050 km2), of which 788 square miles (2,040 km2) is land and 5.7 square miles (15 km2) (0.7%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
190026,412—
191043,59565.1%
192046,0285.6%
193066,57244.6%
194054,377−18.3%
195043,517−20.0%
196041,486−4.7%
197043,1344.0%
198055,23928.1%
199058,7606.4%
200065,52111.5%
201069,4426.0%
202072,4544.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2019[10] 2020 census[1]
Age pyramid for Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.

As of the census of 2010,[11] there were 69,442 people, 25,911 households, and 18,227 families residing in the county. The population density was 34/km2 (88/sq mi). There were 29,139 housing units at an average density of 14/km2 (36/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 76.3% white, 2.9% black or African American, 12.9% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 6.3% from two or more races. About 4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, while 9% were of American, 17% German, 14% Irish and 10% English ancestry. About 90.6% spoke English and 4.2% Spanish as their first language. At the 2020 census, its population grew to 72,454.[1]

As of 2010, there were 25,911 households, out of which 34.5% included children under the age of 18, 51.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.7% were non-families. About a quarter of households consisted of a single individual and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88 males.

As of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $41,332, and the median income for a family was $50,399. Males had a median income of $39,580 versus $27,495 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,700. About 14% of families and 18% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over. According to 2021 census estimates, its median household income was $54,896 and the county had a poverty rate of 14.4%.[1]

Government and infrastructure

The Pioneer Library System operates branch libraries in nine cities in Pottawatomie, Cleveland, and McClain counties.[12]

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections operates the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in an unincorporated area in the county, near McLoud.[13]

Politics

Voter registration and party enrollment as of June 30, 2023[14]
Party Number of Voters Percentage
Republican 22,585 55.94%
Democratic 10,447 25.88%
Others 7,341 18.18%
Total 40,373 100%
United States presidential election results for Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 20,240 71.81% 7,275 25.81% 670 2.38%
2016 17,848 70.12% 6,015 23.63% 1,589 6.24%
2012 16,250 69.33% 7,188 30.67% 0 0.00%
2008 17,753 69.18% 7,910 30.82% 0 0.00%
2004 17,215 66.59% 8,638 33.41% 0 0.00%
2000 13,235 59.31% 8,763 39.27% 318 1.42%
1996 9,802 45.06% 9,141 42.02% 2,810 12.92%
1992 10,350 40.47% 8,616 33.69% 6,606 25.83%
1988 12,099 57.15% 8,873 41.92% 197 0.93%
1984 16,143 69.40% 6,966 29.95% 152 0.65%
1980 12,466 57.05% 8,526 39.02% 858 3.93%
1976 9,090 44.19% 11,255 54.71% 226 1.10%
1972 13,308 71.30% 4,822 25.84% 534 2.86%
1968 6,899 39.44% 6,721 38.42% 3,873 22.14%
1964 6,841 38.60% 10,884 61.40% 0 0.00%
1960 9,421 53.87% 8,067 46.13% 0 0.00%
1956 8,496 48.85% 8,895 51.15% 0 0.00%
1952 10,099 51.65% 9,455 48.35% 0 0.00%
1948 4,760 31.78% 10,220 68.22% 0 0.00%
1944 6,486 41.42% 9,130 58.31% 43 0.27%
1940 6,776 35.83% 12,058 63.76% 78 0.41%
1936 4,703 27.72% 12,187 71.82% 78 0.46%
1932 4,063 25.27% 12,013 74.73% 0 0.00%
1928 8,478 68.57% 3,797 30.71% 89 0.72%
1924 4,040 38.81% 5,072 48.73% 1,297 12.46%
1920 5,355 47.56% 5,310 47.16% 595 5.28%
1916 2,042 31.55% 3,276 50.61% 1,155 17.84%
1912 2,107 33.75% 3,082 49.37% 1,054 16.88%

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

The Shawnee Regional Airport is located 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) northwest from the central business district of Shawnee. It is classified as a general aviation airport.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Education

School districts include:[16]

K-12:

  • Asher Public Schools
  • Bethel Public Schools
  • Dale Public Schools
  • Earlsboro Public Schools
  • Harrah Public Schools
  • Konawa Public Schools
  • Little Axe Public Schools
  • Macomb Public Schools
  • Maud Public Schools
  • McLoud Public Schools
  • Meeker Public Schools
  • North Rock Creek Public School
  • Prague Public Schools
  • Shawnee Public Schools
  • Strother Public Schools
  • Tecumseh Public Schools
  • Wanette Public Schools

Elementary only:

  • Grove Public School
  • Pleasant Grove Public School
  • South Rock Creek Public School

NRHP Sites

The following sites in Pottawatomie County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

  • Aldridge Hotel, Shawnee
  • Barnard Elementary School, Tecumseh
  • Beard Cabin, Shawnee
  • Bell Street Historic District, Shawnee
  • Billington Building, Shawnee
  • H. T. Douglas Mansion and Garage, Shawnee
  • Governors Mansion, Shawnee
  • Kerfoot House, Shawnee
  • Nuckolls House, Shawnee
  • Old Santa Fe Railroad Bridge, Wanette

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Oklahoma
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 Willam H. Mullins, "Pottawatomie County," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Accessed April 4, 2015.
  4. ↑ Lackey, Katharine; Welch, William M. (May 19, 2013). "Tornadoes hit Plains, Midwest; 1 dead in Okla". USA Today. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  8. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  10. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Pioneer Library System to buy Borders bookstore building in Norman". NewsOK. The Oklahoman. September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Mabel Bassett Correctional Center Archived December 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Retrieved on November 22, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County". OK.gov. January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  15. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  16. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Pottawatomie County, OK" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022. - Text list

35°12′N 96°56′W / 35.20°N 96.94°W / 35.20; -96.94

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