Skiatook, Oklahoma
| Skiatook, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Nickname(s): Gateway to the Osage | |
| Motto: "Live Work Play Skiatook" | |
 Location of within Tulsa County, and the state of Oklahoma |
|
| Coordinates: 36°22′2″N 96°2′50″W / 36.36722°N 96.04722°WCoordinates: 36°22′2″N 96°2′50″W / 36.36722°N 96.04722°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Counties | Osage, Tulsa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 16.38 sq mi (42.42 km2) |
| • Land | 16.22 sq mi (42.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2) |
| Elevation | 646 ft (197 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 7,397 |
| • Density | 472.4/sq mi (182.0/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 74070 |
| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-67850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1098093 |
| Website | www.townofskiatook.com |
Skiatook (Skī·ǎ·tōōk or Skī·ǎ·tǒǒk versus Skī·tōōk or Skī·tǒǒk) is a city in Osage and Tulsa counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in the northeastern part of the state, about twenty miles north and west of Tulsa, it is a suburb of Tulsa. The population was 7,397 at the 2010 census, an increase of 37.1 percent from 5,396 at the 2000 census.
William C. Rogers, last hereditary Chief of the Cherokees, founded Skiatook in 1872, when he established a trading post in the Cherokee Nation just to the south of Bird Creek where the stream was easily crossed. When a post office was established in Rogers' store in the 1880s, the place was named Ski-a-took. An Osage Indian, Skiatooka, was a frequent trader at the post, so it has been suggested this may be the connection which resulted in the town's name. In 1892, the name was changed from Ski-a-took to its present form.
Historical records have conflicting data as to the origin of Skiatook's name. One story is that the town was founded on land which was the home of a prominent Osage Indian, Skiatooka, and the community around his home was called Skiatooka's Settlement.
Another story is that the name was Cherokee in origin meaning either "big injun me" or describing a large man or a vast tract of land.
Yet another story, told by local natives of Osage descent, is that after a tornado struck the settlement in its early years, while trying to describe to white settlers what had happened in broken English, natives used the phrase "sky-a-took". Literally meaning, the sky had taken the settlement. This story is at least four generations old – and in native tradition – handed down by word of mouth.
The first deed in town was granted to the Skiatook Bank, later known at the First National Bank, on December 18, 1904. Lumber was hauled in to build the bank building and in January 1905, the bank opened. Immediately after this day, despite the harsh winter, active construction began, and many buildings replaced shacks and tents.
Also in 1904, the Midland Valley Railroad was built through the area and weekly newspaper, The Skiatook Sentinel (now known as the Skiatook Journal), was first published. The town became incorporated during the summer of 1905, with A.E. Townsend as its first mayor. By the fall of 1906, the residents had the conveniences of natural gas and public telephones.
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