Okmulgee, Oklahoma | |
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City | |
Elks Lodge and Water Tower in Okmulgee, Oklahoma
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Location of Okmulgee, Oklahoma |
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Location in the United States | |
Coordinates: 35°37′28″N 95°57′48″W / 35.62444°N 95.96333°WCoordinates: 35°37′28″N 95°57′48″W / 35.62444°N 95.96333°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Oklahoma |
County | Okmulgee |
Government | |
• Type | Council-Manager |
Area | |
• Total | 12.8 sq mi (33.2 km2) |
• Land | 12.8 sq mi (33.2 km2) |
• Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
Elevation | 686 ft (209 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 12,321 |
• Density | 962.6/sq mi (371.1/km2) |
Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
• Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
ZIP code | 74447 |
Area code(s) | 539/918 |
FIPS code | 40-55150 |
GNIS feature ID | 1096218 |
Website | okmulgeeonline.com |
Okmulgee is a city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population at the 2010 census was 12,321 a loss of 5.4 percent since the 2000 census figure of 13,022. It has been the capital of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation since the United States Civil War. The name is from the Creek word oki mulgee which means "boiling waters" in English. Other translations put it as "babbling brook" or 'Effluvium'. The site was chosen because of the nearby rivers and springs. Okmulgee is 38 miles south of Tulsa and 13 miles north of Henryetta via US-75.
Okmulgee was founded in 1868, when the Creek Nation began restoring order after the Civil War. In 1869, a post office (originally spelled Okmulkee) was established, with Captain Frederick B. Severs as the first postmaster. The name of the post office was officially changed to the present spelling on November 15, 1883. The Creeks initially built a two-story log council house to serve as their capital. This building burned in 1878 and was replaced with a stone building that stands today. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and now serves as a local history museum.
The St. Louis, Oklahoma and Southern Railway (later absorbed by the Frisco railroad) arrived in 1900 and triggered a building boom. By the time of statehood in 1907, the town had 2,322 residents and had been named the seat of Okmulgee County. The present county court house was built in 1916. The discovery of oil nearby in 1907, further expanded Okmulgee, and brought several new industries to town. These included three glass factories, a bottle factory, foundry and machine shops. The population was 4,176 in the 1920 census.
Okmulgee is located at 35°37′28″N 95°57′48″W / 35.62444°N 95.96333°W (35.624558, -95.963254). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.8 square miles (33.2 km²), all of its land. It is located in the heart of Oklahoma's "Green Country", in the North East Quadrant of Oklahoma.