Krebs is a city in
Pittsburg County,
Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,053 at the 2010 census, a slight increase from 2,051 in 2000.
[Spearman, Pat. "Krebs." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture''](_blank)
Accessed May 2, 2016. Its nickname is "Little Italy." Krebs was founded before Oklahoma statehood as a coal-mining town in the
Choctaw Nation
The Choctaw Nation (Choctaw: ''Chahta Okla'') is a Native American territory covering about , occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest federally recognized tribe in the United St ...
of
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans who held aboriginal title to their land as a sovereign ...
.
History
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/St._Joseph%27s_Catholic_Church%2C_Krebs%2C_OK.jpg)
A post office was established at Krebs, Indian Territory on February 10, 1886. At the time of its founding, Krebs was located in
Tobucksy County, a part of the
Moshulatubbee District
Moshulatubbee District was one of three administrative super-regions comprising the former Choctaw Nation in the Indian Territory. Also called the First District, it encompassed the northern one-third of the nation. In some historic records it is ...
of the
Choctaw Nation
The Choctaw Nation (Choctaw: ''Chahta Okla'') is a Native American territory covering about , occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest federally recognized tribe in the United St ...
. Krebs began as a coal-mining camp housing European immigrants who came to work coal mines in the surrounding area.
The town is named after Judge Edmond Folsom Krebs (1821-1893), a county judge in Tobucksy County. Judge Krebs was born of mixed German and Choctaw ancestry in
Winston County, Mississippi
Winston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. In the 2010 census, the population was 19,198. Its county seat is Louisville. The county is named for Louis Winston (1784–1824), a colonel in the militia, a prominent lawy ...
.
["History of Krebs." Krebs History Museum. undated.](_blank)
Accessed August 30, 2017.
1892 mining explosion
An explosion in the Osage Coal & Mining Company’s No. 11 mine on January 7, 1892 killed about 100 workers and injured another 150,
["Disaster: Mine explodes in Oklahoma." This Day in History.](_blank)
Accessed May 6, 2016 but mining continued to prosper. By 1895, there were 15 mines operating nearby. The first local of the United Mine Workers in Indian Territory was founded in the town in 1898. Krebs was linked to McAlester by the Choctaw Railway and Lighting Company
interurban
The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...
railroad.
Early Krebs
Krebs was incorporated in the Choctaw Nation in 1903, with Mel D. Reed elected as the first mayor and Bob Miller as the first chief of police. The current St. Joseph's Catholic Church was constructed in 1903. It and an opera house were the first two brick buildings in town. An earlier church and the first opera house, both built of wood, had previously burned down.
The Krebs school system was organized in 1907, the same year that the Choctaw Nation and Indian Territory governments were replaced by the new State of Oklahoma.
The
Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railway was a Class I railroad company in the United States, with its last headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Established in 1865 under the name Union Pacific Railway, Southern Branch, it came to serve an extensive ra ...
(also known as the MKT or "Katy") built a branch from McAlester to
Wilburton
Wilburton is a small village of just over 1,000 inhabitants, situated in Cambridgeshire, England. It is 6 miles south west of Ely. While nominally an agricultural village, many of the inhabitants work in Cambridge, Ely or London.
History
Wil ...
, on which it ran a two-coach train known affectionately as "Nellie." The Katy station was in downtown Krebs. Later, another station was built south of town on the East-West line to serve the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (a.k.a. CRI&P or Rock Island.) For a time, there was also an electric
interurban
The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...
line from McAlester through Krebs to
Hartshorne.
Geography
Krebs is located at (34.929538, -95.721064).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.29% is water. Krebs is east of
McAlester, the county seat, on
U.S. Route 270 and
State Highway 31.
Attractions
Krebs is famous throughout
Oklahoma for its many
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
restaurants. ''Isle of Capri'', "Pete's Place", and ''Roseanna's'' have been active for generations. Authentic Italian fare available in Krebs that is lacking in chain restaurants includes "
Lamb Fries
Lamb fries are lamb testicles used as food. Historically they were parboiled, cut in half, and seasoned. Lamb testicles are served in a variety of cuisines, including Italian, Basque, breaded and fried in some barbecue restaurants, Chinese, ...
" (fried sheep
testicles
A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testostero ...
).
Krebs is situated along
Route 69 and at one time had a restaurant named Speed Trap BBQ, located at 403 East 270 Highway Krebs, OK 74554.
The restaurant was named for the way that speed limits dropped very quickly from around the area where the town overlaps the highway. The speed trap is infamous because it lies along a very boring stretch of road and has been policed very aggressively, so it has annoyed a large number of travelers who otherwise might have visited the town to enjoy the restaurants and other activities.
Pete's Place is now a licensed
brewery
A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of bee ...
and markets its "Choc" (short for "Choctaw")
beer
Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...
, as well as several other varieties, statewide.
Perhaps even more widely known is "Lovera’s Family Grocery", a small, authentic
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
market famous throughout the state and beyond for their lightly smoked
sausage
A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.
...
and handmade
caciocavallo cheese.
The city of Krebs maintains a city park which includes a
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
park, a one-kilometer (0.6-mile) walking track, picnic facilities, a two-story replica of the gazebo that had stood in the town square, and will include playground equipment. The park stands on a portion of the old fairground/racetrack site of a hundred years ago. The original racetrack was a , banked oval track where horses, sulkys, and early autos were raced. The Krebs Italian Band played many festivals or 'festas' at the park in bygone simpler times. For years during the 1990s, "The Ethnic Festival" was a popular attraction on
Labor Day weekend, taking place on this Historical Site. Games such as
bocce
(, or , ), sometimes anglicized as bocce ball, bocci or boccie, is a ball sport belonging to the boules family. Developed into its present form in Italy, it is closely related to British bowls and French , with a common ancestry from ancie ...
ball and
morra were played by all for fun.
Also taking place at this location was the
Terrapin
Terrapins are one of several small species of turtle (order Testudines) living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae.
The name ...
Derby, originated in 1929 when Mayor J.T. Sadler visited the Miller Brothers Shows in
Ponca City, Oklahoma
Ponca City ( iow, Chína Uhánⁿdhe) is a city in Kay County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The city was named after the Ponca tribe. Ponca City had a population of 25,387 at the time of the 2010 census- and a population of 24,424 in the 2020 ...
. Mayor Sadler brought the idea back to Krebs as a fundraising idea. The derby was a success, and enough money was raised to purchase a new truck for the city. Over the years the derby raised funds that provided vehicles and equipment for one of the finest volunteer fire departments in the region.
Krebs had an Italian Band that played in a double-decker
bandstand
A bandstand (sometimes music kiosk) is a circular, semicircular or polygonal structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts. A simple construction, it both creates an orname ...
in downtown Krebs. There were at least five bandstands between
McAlester and
Hartshorne that the band played at on weekends, providing entertainment for families from all over. Many families rode the street car to these sites for picnics and festivals.
Krebs had five newspapers at different times: Krebs ''Eagle'', Krebs ''Cyclone'', Krebs ''Banner'', Krebs ''Advertiser'', and ''The Oklahoma Miner.''
The Krebs
Opera House
An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets.
While some venues are constructed specifically fo ...
was re-built as a brick structure in 1903, after the first one had been destroyed by fire the previous year. It and the St. Joseph's
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
were the first brick buildings to go up in Krebs. It was the only place for miles around that featured stage shows. Many fine road shows played here, and moving pictures were shown in the Opera House, also. The Dreamland Theater, owned and operated by Mr. & Mrs. David Holstead, later became the popular
movie theater in Krebs.
The original wooden St. Joseph's Church also burned in 1902, and was replaced by a brick church in 1903. It has been completely refurbished in recent years.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 2,051 people, 858 households, and 560 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 601.6 people per square mile (232.2/km). There were 949 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.40%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 1.17%
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
, 13.60%
Native American, 0.44%
Asian, 0.49% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 5.90% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.66% of the population.
There were 858 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were
married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,514, and the median income for a family was $31,641. Males had a median income of $27,321 versus $17,235 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $13,042. About 16.6% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Krebs has a mayor-council form of government. The current mayor is Bobby Watkins. The city has four council persons.
Krebs has a small police force with four officers.
In popular culture
Krebs is featured prominently in ''
The Hot Kid
''The Hot Kid'' is a 2005 novel by Elmore Leonard.
Plot summary
This fictional story is set during The Great Depression and follows the career of Carl (Carlos) Webster, a crack shot, well respected, and mannerful lawman who killed his first ...
'', a fictional novel by
Elmore Leonard about 1930s-era
gangsters
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
and lawmen.
See also
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
References
External links
Spearman, Pat. "Krebs." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture''"Oklahoma miner" newspaper hosted by th
Gateway to Oklahoma History
White, Kathryn Jenson. "''Ciao'' Down in Oklahoma's Little Italy." ''Oklahoma Today''. pp. 10 – 13. May-June 1986.
{{authority control
Cities in Oklahoma
Cities in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma
Italian-American culture
Little Italys in the United States