Miami ( ) is a city in 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 ...

Ottawa County, Oklahoma Ottawa County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,285. Its county seat is Miami. The county was named for the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma.

Lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

and

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

mining were established by 1918, causing the area's economy to boom. This area was part of

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 ...

. Miami is the capital of the federally recognized

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma ( mia, myaamionki noošonke siipionki, ''meaning: "Miami homelands along the Neosho River'') is the only federally recognized Native American tribe of Miami Indians in the United States.Koenig, PamelaMiami.''Oklahom ...

, after which it is named; the

Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma The Modoc Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Modoc people, located in Ottawa County in the northeast corner of Oklahoma and Modoc and Siskiyou counties in northeast California.Self, Burl EModoc.''Oklahoma Historical Society's Encyclopedia ...

, the

Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma is one of four federally recognized Native American tribes of Odawa people in the United States. Its Algonquian-speaking ancestors had migrated gradually from the Atlantic coast and Great Lakes areas, reaching what a ...

, the Peoria Tribe of Indians, and the

Shawnee Tribe The Shawnee Tribe is a federally recognized Native American tribe in Oklahoma. Formerly known as the Loyal Shawnee, they are one of three federally recognized Shawnee tribes. The others are the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and t ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,969.

History

The city was founded in an unusual way, compared to other towns established in

. Per the ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' "... it was settled in a business-like way by men of vision who looked into the future and saw possibilities. It didn't just grow. It was carefully planned." W. C. Lykins petitioned the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...

to pass legislation on March 3, 1891, to establish the town. He met with Thomas F. Richardville, chief of the

, who agreed to meet in turn with the U.S. Indian Commission and the

Ottawa Tribe The Odawa (also Ottawa or Odaawaa ), said to mean "traders", are an Indigenous American ethnic group who primarily inhabit land in the Eastern Woodlands region, commonly known as the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. They ha ...

. That meeting resulted in Congress authorizing the

secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...

of the

United States Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...

to approve the townsite purchase from the Ottawa. Lykins, Richardville and Manford Pooler, chief of the Ottawa, are identified in historical accounts as "fathers of Miami." Lykins' company, the Miami Town Company, bought of land from the Ottawa for ten dollars an acre. On June 25–26, 1891 they held an auction of lots. In 1895, Miami incorporated and had more than 800 residents. The discovery of rich deposits of lead and zinc under

Quapaw The Quapaw ( ; or Arkansas and Ugahxpa) people are a tribe of Native Americans that coalesced in what is known as the Midwest and Ohio Valley of the present-day United States. The Dhegiha Siouan-speaking tribe historically migrated from the Ohi ...

land a few miles north caused Miami to boom. In 1907, at the time of statehood, its population was 1,893. As mining increased and more mills were built, the population more than tripled to 6,802 by 1920. Miami was on the route of the

Jefferson Highway The Jefferson Highway was an automobile highway stretching through the central United States from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jefferson Highway was replaced with the new numbered US Highway system in the late 1920s. ...

established in 1915, with that international road running more than from

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

, Manitoba in Canada across the border and to

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, Louisiana.

US Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The h ...

in Oklahoma also passed through Miami. An historic section of the Route 66 roadbed is marked in Miami. It is the capital of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, after which it is named; the

, Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, Peoria Tribe of Indians, and

Geography

Miami is located near (36.883539, −94.876018). 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 (0.82%) is water.

Flooding

Miami is located on the

Neosho River The Neosho River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. Its tributaries also drain portions of Missouri and Arkansas. The river is about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National ...

, and was severely affected by the

Great Flood of 1951 In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River, Missouri River, and other surrounding areas of the Central United States. Flooding occurred in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. ...

. The town has flooded more than two dozen times since the 1990s, most recently during the 2019 Arkansas River floods. Town residents and neighboring Native American groups have objected to maintaining high water levels on the river at

Pensacola Dam The Pensacola Dam, also known as the Grand River Dam, is a multiple- arch buttress dam on the Grand River in-between Disney and Langley in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The dam is operated by the Grand River Dam Authority and creates Grand L ...

and its popular vacation area, Grand Lake, on the grounds that when water backs up downstream, it can increase Miami's flooding problems.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 13,570 people, 5,315 households, and 3,337 families residing in the city.United States Census Demographic Profile of Miami, Oklahoma, a
U.S. Census website
(cite does not allow direct link). (accessed September 5, 2013) a one percent decline from 13,704 at the 2000 census. The population density was 1,258.7 people per square mile (485.9/km). The racial makeup of the city was 68.9%

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 ...

, 1.3%

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 ...

, 17.1% Native American, 0.5%

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 ...

, 2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 2.1% 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 8% 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 ...

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 made up 4.8% of the population. There were 5,315 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 15% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families.2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Miami, Oklahoma, a
U.S. Census website
(cite does not allow direct link). (accessed September 5, 2013) Single individuals living alone accounted for 31.9% of households and individuals 65 years of age or older living alone accounted for 14.7% of households. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 57.1% from 18 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.8 years. The population was 53.2% female and 46.8% male. The median income for a household in the city was $34,561, and the median income for a family was $42,313. Males had a median income of $32,699 versus $25,320 for females. About 14.2% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line. In 2020, about one in four residents lived in poverty.

Government

Local government in Miami consists of an elected Mayor at-large and four councilmen representing four Wards. * Mayor – Bless Parker * Ward One Councilman – David Davis * Ward Two Councilman – Doug Weston * Ward Three Councilman – Ryan Orcutt * Ward Four Councilman – Vicki Lewis As of 2015, the city is represented in the

Oklahoma House of Representatives The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's b ...

by Democrat

Ben Loring Ben Loring (born February 23, 1953) is an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 7th District from 2015 to 2021. His district includes Delaware and Ottawa counties in the northe ...

, and in the Oklahoma Senate by Republican

Micheal Bergstrom Micheal Ray Bergstrom (born September 30, 1957) is a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Oklahoma State Senate, representing the 1st district. He was initially elected in November 2016. Bergstrom sponsored Oklahoma Senate B ...

. The city lies within

Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district is one of five United States congressional districts in Oklahoma and covers approximately one-fourth of the state in the east. The district borders Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas and includes (in who ...

, represented by

Markwayne Mullin Mark Wayne "Markwayne" Mullin (born July 26, 1977) is an American businessman, former professional mixed martial arts fighter, and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Oklahoma since 2023. A member of the Republican Party ...

since 2013.

Transportation

Miami is on

Interstate 44 Interstate 44 (I-44) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. Although it is nominally an east–west road as it is even-numbered, it follows a more southwest–northeast alignment. Its western terminus is in Wichita Fal ...

and U.S. Route 69, and is approximately from U.S. Route 59. Pelivan Transit, owned and operated by Grand Gateway EDA & Northeast Oklahoma Tribal Transit Consortium, provides a trolley loop in Miami, as well as certain on-demand bus services. Miami is served by Miami Regional Airport (KMIO; FAA Identifier MIO), with a paved runway. Commercial air transportation is available from Joplin Regional Airport, about northeast, or Tulsa International Airport, about southwest.

Coleman Theatre and historical buildings

Miami and Ottawa County, together with nearby

Delaware County, Oklahoma Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,487. Its county seat is Jay. The county was named for the Delaware Indians, who had established a village in the area prior to the ...

to the south, attract numerous tourists to the state. These counties combined make up the third-largest tourism destination in the state, following only the

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 ...

and

Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

metropolitan areas. Coleman Theater in Miami, OK

Miami is home to the historic Coleman Theatre, located at 103 N. Main St. On April 18, 1929, the 1,600-seat Coleman Theatre enjoyed a grand opening as a luxurious movie theater of the time. Designed by the Boller Bros., and built by George L. Coleman Sr. at a cost of $600,000, the Louis XV interior includes

gold leaf Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets (usually around 0.1 µm thick) by goldbeating and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades. The most commonly used gold is 22-kara ...

trim, silk

damask Damask (; ar, دمشق) is a reversible patterned fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, with a pattern formed by weaving. Damasks are woven with one warp yarn and one weft yarn, usually with the pattern in warp-faced satin ...

panels,

stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

panels, marble accents, a carved

mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...

staircase,

Wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

pipe organ, decorative plaster moldings, and bronze railings. While there have been many changes to seeing movies in grand theaters, the building has been preserved and also serves as a venue for live performances. In 1959 a local non-profit community group established the Miami Little Theatre. The community theater group presents five large-scale productions on the Coleman stage every year. In 1983, the Coleman Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historical Places for Ottawa County. Other Miami structures are also listed on the National Register of Historical Places, including the George L. Coleman Sr. House, the Miami Marathon Oil Company Service Station, and the Miami Downtown Historic District.

Education

Public schools serving most of Miami are managed by the Miami Public Schools school district. The high school is Miami High School, whose mascot is the Wardog. The Wardog is a mascot unique to Miami and has not been adopted as a mascot by any other school in the United States. A portion of northern Miami is within the Commerce Public Schools school district.

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) is a public community college in Miami, Oklahoma. Established as the Miami School of Mines in 1919, NEO has an enrollment of approximately two thousand students. The Golden Norsemen is the school mascot. ...

was accredited initially in 1925 by the

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It w ...

. In addition to its certificate programs, it has working relationships with other higher education institutions in the state to promote transfers of students seeking four-year college degrees. In 2015 the two-year community college had about 2,000 students.

Notable people

Keith Anderson Keith Anderson (born January 12, 1968) is an American country music artist. Before signing to a record deal, Anderson was one of several co-writers on "Beer Run (B Double E Double R-U-N)", a duet by Garth Brooks and George Jones, released in la ...

– musician *

David Froman David Wesley Froman (December 31, 1938 – February 8, 2010) was an American actor, born in Miami, Oklahoma. His parents were Guy and Gertrude (Helm) Froman. He taught for many years at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO), where he was profe ...

– actor *

Cassie Gaines Cassie LaRue Gaines (January 9, 1948 – October 20, 1977) was an American singer, best known for her work with Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Biography Gaines was invited by JoJo Billingsley and Ronnie Van Zant to join Lynyrd Skynyrd as ...

– singer *

Steve Gaines Steven Earl Gaines (September 14, 1949 – October 20, 1977) was an American musician. He is best known as a guitarist and backing vocalist with rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1976 until his death in the October 1977 airplane crash that claime ...

– musician *

Moscelyne Larkin Edna Moscelyne Larkin Jasinski (January 14, 1925 – April 25, 2012) was an American ballerina and one of the " Five Moons", Native American ballerinas from Oklahoma who gained international fame in the 20th century. After dancing with t ...

- ballerina *

Carol Littleton Carol Sue Littleton, (born October 23, 1942) is an American film editor. Her work includes ''Body Heat'' (1981), '' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (1982), and '' The Big Chill'' (1983). Littleton was the recipient of an Emmy Award for Outsta ...

– film editor * Mackenzie McKee - reality TV personality * Charles R. Nesbitt – public servant * Steve Owens – 1969

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

winner *

Moriss Taylor ''The Moriss Taylor Show'' was one of the longest-running locally produced television shows in history. Hosted by longtime radio personality and producer Moriss Taylor, the show (based in Chico, California) was a weekly country music-variety st ...

– singer/TV host *

Charles Banks Wilson Charles Banks Wilson (August 6, 1918 – May 2, 2013) was an List of American artists 1900 and after, American artist. Wilson was born in Springdale, Arkansas in 1918; his family eventually moved to Miami, Oklahoma, where he spent his childho ...

– artist *

Glad Robinson Youse Gladys "Glad" Robinson Youse (1898 – 1985), was an American composer. Born in Miami, Oklahoma, Gladys Robinson graduated from Stephens College in 1919 with a music degree, then studied composition with Tibor Serly in New York. She married Cl ...

- composer * Keifer Thompson – musician

Gallery

Image:Coleman Theater interior.jpg, Interior of the Coleman Theatre Image:Miami OK Clock.jpg, Clock and bench in downtown Miami Image:Coleman Theater at Night.jpg, Coleman Theatre in downtown Miami at night Image:Coleman Theater Organ.jpg, Original Wurlitzer organ in the Coleman Theatre Image:Miami Marathon Oil Company Service station.jpg, Former Miami Marathon Oil Company service station. Building was last used as a salon.

References

External links

City of Miami

Miami Little Theatre

The Miami News-Record

Miami Public Schools

A Tour of the Historic Coleman Theater in Miami, Oklahoma
{{authority control * Cities in Oklahoma Cities in Ottawa County, Oklahoma County seats in Oklahoma Micropolitan areas of Oklahoma 1891 establishments in Oklahoma Territory Populated places established in 1891