Marietta is a city and
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
in
Love County,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, United States.
The population was 2,626 at the 2010 census, a 7.4 percent increase from the figure of 2,445 in 2000. Marietta is part of the
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Ardmore is the county seat of Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,283, with an estimated population of 24,698 in 2019. The Ardmore micropolitan statistical area had an estimated ...
,
Micropolitan Statistical Area. For tourism purposes, the
Oklahoma Department of Tourism includes it in
'Chickasaw Country'. It is also a part of the
Texoma
Texoma is an interstate region in the United States, split between Oklahoma and Texas. The name is a portmanteau of Texas and Oklahoma. Businesses use the term in their names to describe their intended service area. This includes 8 counties with ...
region.
History
Settlers were attracted by the fertile land near the Red River, which was conducive to agriculture and cattle raising. Cotton quickly became the principal crop. William "Bill" Washington had the largest cattle ranch in Pickens County,
Chickasaw Nation
The Chickasaw Nation (Chickasaw language, Chickasaw: Chikashsha I̠yaakni) is a federally recognized tribes, federally recognized Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe, with its headquarters located in Ada, Oklahoma in th ...
,
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...
. Bill's brother, Jeremiah Calvin Washington(Jerry), who lived about a mile north of present-day Marietta on the Washington Ranch which has a historical marker and is lived in by a Washington descendant's extended family, became the town's first postmaster when the post office opened on December 20, 1887. He was a banker and gentleman rancher. A local story claims that the town was named for Jerry's wife, Marietta Love Washington.
[ Tommie L. Horn, "Marietta," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.](_blank)
Retrieved October 20, 2013.
At the time of its founding, Marietta was located in
Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation Pickens County was a political subdivision of the Chickasaw Nation in the Indian Territory from 1855, prior to Oklahoma being admitted as a state in 1907. The county was one of four that comprised the Chickasaw Nation. Following statehood, its terr ...
.
[Charles Goins, ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2006), p. 105.]
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway (later the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison, Kansas, Atchison and Top ...
) laid its rail line in early 1887, stimulating economic growth for the future town of Marietta, Indian Territory. The first train ran July 28, 1887.
Marietta had 1,391 settlers at the time of Oklahoma Statehood in 1907. The
Love County Courthouse
The Love County Courthouse, located at 100 S. 4th St. in Marietta, Oklahoma, was built in 1907–10 to serve Love County. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Unite ...
, one of four sites in the town listed on the
NRHP
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, was the first built after statehood in Oklahoma and was completed in 1910. There were 1,546 residents in the 1910 census, and the town was served by at least three banks, three churches and 24 retail establishments.
Geography
Marietta is located at (33.935551, -97.119867).
It is north of the
Red River and south of
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
.
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 the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and 0.42% is water.
Demographics
As of the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, there were 2,626 people, 983 households, and 670 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,029.2 people per square mile (396.6/km). There were 1,115 housing units at an average density of 461 per square mile (178/km). The racial makeup of the city was 64.4%
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 on ...
, 4.7%
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 ens ...
, 5.8%
Native American, 0.7%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 18.5% 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 5.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
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 25.9% of the population.
There were 983 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. Twenty-eight percent of households were made up of individuals, and 2.3% of the population was institutionalized. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.7.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,198, and the median income for a family was $37,188. Males had a median income of $28,900 versus $25,556 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 $13,625. About 20% of families and 26% 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 ...
.
Economy
Downtown Marietta suffered when
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
was built on the edge of town. By the turn of the 21st Century, the main employers were the Marietta Bakery (400 workers) and
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
Dematic (65 workers). In January 2004, the bakery declared bankruptcy and closed. Soon after, the Siemens plant closed. Months later the Chickasaw Nation bought the Siemens plant and rehired many of the former employees. That facility now builds and repairs oil field equipment.
Still later, it bought the bakery and reopened it, though with a much smaller work force.
Transportation
Highways
Marietta is located on State Highway 32 at the corner of junction
U.S. Route 77
U.S. Route 77 (US 77) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway which extends for in the central United States. As of 2005, Its southern terminus is in Brownsville, Texas, at Veteran's International Bridge on the Mexican border, w ...
and is just east of
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
.
Airports
*
McGehee Catfish Restaurant Airport was located five
nautical mile
A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude. Today ...
s southwest of the
central business district
A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
of Marietta. As of February 2020. the airport is closed and non-operational.
*
Love County Airport (closed), was located two nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Marietta.
Photo gallery
Image:United States Post Office Marietta Wiki (1 of 1).jpg, United States Post Office
Image:Downtown Marietta Oklahoma 1 Wiki (1 of 1).jpg, Downtown Marietta
Image:Love County Courthouse Marietta (1 of 1).jpg, Love County Courthouse
Image:Love County Jail Marietta Wiki (1 of 1).jpg, Old Love County Jail
Image:Santa Fe Depot Marietta Wiki (1 of 1).jpg, Santa Fe Depot
References
External links
*
Old and New Pictures of Marietta With LIVE Streaming audio of local Police, Fire and EMS scanner frequency with archive.
{{authority control
Cities in Oklahoma
Cities in Love County, Oklahoma
County seats in Oklahoma
Ardmore, Oklahoma micropolitan area
es:Mangum (Oklahoma)