Wilburton, Oklahoma
| Wilburton, Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| City | |
 Location of Wilburton, Oklahoma |
|
| Coordinates: 34°55′6″N 95°18′38″W / 34.91833°N 95.31056°WCoordinates: 34°55′6″N 95°18′38″W / 34.91833°N 95.31056°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Latimer |
| Government | |
| • Type | Aldermanic |
| • Mayor | Stephen Brinlee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.0 sq mi (7.7 km2) |
| • Land | 3.0 sq mi (7.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 659 ft (201 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 2,843 |
| • Density | 950/sq mi (370/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 74578 |
| Area code(s) | 539/918 |
| FIPS code | 40-81000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1099754 |
| Website | cityofwilburton |
Wilburton is a city in Latimer County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Latimer County. The city had a population of 2,843 at the 2010 census, a decline of 4.3 percent from 2,972 in 2000.Robbers Cave State Park is 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Wilburton.
The community now known as Wilburton was originally established in 1890 as a stop for the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach. According to the Oklahoma Encyclopedia of History and Culture, it was likely named for Will Burton, a contractor and surveyor who was involved in platting the townsite and building the Choctaw Coal and Railway Company line from Wister to McAlester. According to Oklahoma Place Names, it was named after Elisha Wilbur, who was the president of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The post office was established in 1891.
A tornado struck Wilburton on May 5, 1960, and injured more than a hundred people and killed thirteen.
Initially, the local economy was based on cattle production and shipping. Then, during the 1890s and early 20th century, coal mining became the largest industry. In 1909, the state established the Oklahoma School of Mines and Metallurgy in Wilburton. The school name was later changed to Eastern Oklahoma A&M College, and is now known as Eastern Oklahoma State College.
Wilburton is located at 34°55′6″N 95°18′38″W / 34.91833°N 95.31056°W (34.918379, -95.310645). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2), of which 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2) is land and 0.33% is water.
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