Muskogee () is the thirteenth-largest city in Oklahoma and the

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 ...

of Muskogee County. Home to Bacone College, it lies approximately southeast of

Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region wit ...

. The population of the city was 36,878 as of the 2020 census, a 6.0 percent decrease from 39,223 in 2010.

History

French fur traders were believed to have established a temporary village near the future Muskogee in 1806, but the first permanent European-American settlement was established in 1817 on the south bank of the Verdigris River, north of present-day Muskogee. After the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 under President

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

, the

Muscogee Creek The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsFive Civilized Tribes" forced out of the American Southeast to Indian Territory. They were accompanied by their

slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

. The Indian Agency, a two-story stone building, was built here in Muskogee. It was a site for meetings among the leaders of the Five Civilized Tribes. Today it serves as a museum. At the top of what is known as Agency Hill, it is within Honor Heights Park on the west side of Muskogee. In 1872, the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was extended to the area. A federal court was established in Muskogee in 1889, around the same time that Congress opened portions of Indian Territory to non-Native settlers via land rushes. The city was incorporated on March 19, 1898. Wallace F. Waits Jr., ""Muskogee," 'Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'
Accessed April 30, 2010 Bird's-eye View of Business Section, Muskogee, OK

Bird's-eye View of Business Section, Muskogee, OK

Ohio native

Charles N. Haskell Charles Nathaniel Haskell (March 13, 1860 – July 5, 1933) was an American lawyer, oilman, and politician who was the first governor of Oklahoma. As a delegate to Oklahoma's constitutional convention in 1906, he played a crucial role in draftin ...

moved to the city in March 1901. J. J. Compton, "Haskell, Charles Nathaniel (1860-1933)
" ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. Accessed April 30, 2010 He was instrumental in building on the land rush; he stimulated expansion of the city of more than 4,000 people to a center of business and industry by 1910, with a population of more than 25,000 inhabitants. Haskell built the first five-story business block in Oklahoma Territory; he built and owned fourteen brick buildings in the city. Most importantly, he organized and built most of the railroads running into the city, which connected it to other markets and centers of population, stimulating its business and retail, and attracting new residents. As Muskogee's economic and business importance grew, so did its political power. In the years before the territory was admitted as a state, the Five Civilized Tribes continued to work on alternatives to keep some independence from European Americans. They met together August 21, 1905 to propose the State of Sequoyah, to be controlled by Native Americans. They met in Muskogee to draft its constitution, planning to have Muskogee serve as the State's capital. The proposal was vetoed by US President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

and mostly ignored by Congress; the proposed State of Sequoyah was never authorized. The US admitted the State of Oklahoma to the Union on November 16, 1907, as the 46th state. Muskogee was the operational headquarters of the Muskogee Roads, four regional rail carriers under common management. The first was the

Midland Valley Railroad The Midland Valley Railroad (MV) was a railroad company incorporated on June 4, 1903 for the purpose of building a line from Hope, Arkansas, through Muskogee and Tulsa, Oklahoma to Wichita, Kansas. It was backed by C. Jared Ingersoll, a Philade ...

, chartered in 1903. The three carriers surviving until 1963 were sold to the Texas & Pacific, which was a subsidiary of the

Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...

Muskogee was on the route of the Jefferson Highway established in 1915. That road ran more than 2,300 miles from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to New Orleans, Louisiana. Muskogee attracted national and international attention when, in May 2008, voters elected

John Tyler Hammons John Tyler Hammons (born September 4, 1988) is an American politician who served as the 47th Mayor of Muskogee, Oklahoma from 2008 to 2012. He gained national attention when he was elected on May 13, 2008, as a 19-year-old freshman at the Universi ...

as mayor. Nineteen years old at the time of his election, Hammons is among the youngest mayors in American history.

Geography

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 th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (3.69%) is water. Muskogee is near the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of the

Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United ...

, Verdigris River and Grand River. Historically, the area around this confluence has been called Three Rivers. Muskogee lies in the Arkansas River Valley and has a low, sea-level elevation compared to much of the rest of the state.Reconnaissance Level Survey of Portions of the City of Muskogee
,

(accessed May 14, 2010). The city is on the boundary of the oak and hickory forest region of eastern Oklahoma and the prairie,

Great Plains The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, a ...

region of northeastern Oklahoma. It is a suburban community of Tulsa. The city's climate is considerably warmer and more humid than other parts of the state.

Climate

These data were accessed through the WRCC and were compiled over the years 1905 to 2016. The record high occurred in August 1936, and the record low in 1905.

Floods

Muskogee is a soft spot for floods. In May 2019, waters rose more than 42 feet on the

. Those levels had not been reached since 1943 (although 1986 came close with water 39.6 feet high). The U.S.S. ''Batfish'' docked at the city's military harbor broke free on the river. Two barges filled with tons of phosphate broke loose and threatened to break the dam they were heading towards. Webber Falls was ordered to evacuate immediately.

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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 38,310 people, 15,523 households, and 9,950 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 1,026.0 people per square mile (396.1/km). There were 17,517 housing units at an average density of 469.1 per square mile (181.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 61.12%

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 ...

, 17.90%

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 ...

, 12.34% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.57% from other races, and 6.16% 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 for ...

or Latino of any race were 3.28% of the population. There were 15,523 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% 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 ...

living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% 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 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,418, and the median income for a family was $33,358. Males had a median income of $28,153 versus $20,341 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 $15,351. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% 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 ...

, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

The town is served by U.S. Route 62, U.S. Route 64, U.S. Route 69,

Oklahoma State Highway 16 State Highway 16 (SH-16 or OK-16) is a state highway in Oklahoma. It runs in an irregular 99.2-mile west-to-east pattern through the northeastern part of the state, running from SH-33 at Drumright to SH-51 at Wagoner. There are no letter-suf ...

, Oklahoma State Highway 165, Oklahoma State Highway 351 and the Muskogee Turnpike. Intercity bus service is provided by

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and ...

. Muskogee-Davis Regional Airport, five miles south of downtown, has a paved main runway measuring 7202’ by 150’, and can accommodate light planes through heavy transport-type jet aircraft. The airport had commercial air service from Central Airlines in the 1960s. Commercial air transportation is available at Tulsa International Airport, about 49 miles to the northwest. Muskogee operates the Port of Muskogee on the McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, which grants water access to and from the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...

Economy

Muskogee is an economic center for eastern Oklahoma, and is home to several industrial activities.

Georgia-Pacific Georgia-Pacific LLC is an American pulp and paper company based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the world's largest manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, toilet and paper towel dispensers, packaging, building products and ...

has a tissue, paper towel, and napkin manufacturing plant in Muskogee. The 2.9 million square foot facility is Muskogee's largest employer with 800 workers.

Arts and culture

Muskogee is home to Honor Heights Park, a

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

memorial park. It is planted with

azalea Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus '' Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections '' Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and '' Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and Oct ...

s and hosts the annual Azalea Festival each April. During the winter, Honor Heights is transformed into the Garden of Lights, a Christmas lights display. Muskogee has six museums. The Five Civilized Tribes Museum preserves the art and culture of the Five Civilized Tribes. The U.S.S. Batfish and War Memorial Park's major attraction is the submarine . The Three Rivers Museum chronicles the history of the Three Rivers area and the railroads that helped create it. The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame has been honoring Oklahoma musicians since 1997. The Thomas-Foreman Historic Home, aka the Grant Foreman House is an 1898 farm house preserved with the furnishings of the Indian Territory Judge John R. Thomas and his daughter and son-in-law Grant and Carolyn Foreman, Oklahoma historians and authors. The Ataloa Lodge is on the campus of Bacone College. Two feature films were shot in Muskogee through a tax incentive program offered by the state: ''Salvation'' (2007) and ''Denizen'' (2010). Writer and director J.A. Steel produced both films. Muskogee is home to The Castle of Muskogee. The Castle hosts Fourth of July Fireworks sales, a Halloween festival 'Haunted Castle', a drive-through Christmas Kingdom and indoor Castle Christmas experience, and the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival, founded in 1995. The Renaissance festival draws in tens of thousands each year, hosting jousts, dancing, vendors and other events. Muskogee Little Theatre (MLT) is part of its flourishing arts scene. It was established in 1972 at the former Sequoyah Elementary School. The theatre puts on up to eight shows per year including youth theatre,

senior theatre 'Senior theatre' is a form of drama designed specifically for older adults, where seniors are actively involved. In 1999, there were 79 companies in the US.Vorenberg Bonnie L. (1999), "Senior Theatre Connections", Portland OR, USA, ArtAge Publicat ...

, holiday shows, and general community productions. The theatre is also committed to education and development arts programs including Youth Theatre camp, voice lessons, mentorships, and weekend workshops. The

City of Muskogee Foundation The City of Muskogee Foundation is a community foundation created by the City of Muskogee, Oklahoma (which is also the Foundation's sole owner) to manage over $100 million in assets it received from the lease of its City-owned hospital. Each yea ...

provides grants to community organizations and non-profit groups throughout the Muskogee community. The local paper, the ''

Muskogee Phoenix The ''Muskogee Phoenix'' is a daily newspaper published in Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States, covering several counties of northeastern Oklahoma. It is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. The paper is printed five days a week (Tuesday-Sat ...

'', was founded in February 1888 when Oklahoma was still a territory, and continues to be published today.

Government

Muskogee is governed by a council–manager form of municipal government. The city manager is the administrative leader of the government and is appointed by the city council. The city's ceremonial head is the mayor, who is a voting, at-large member of the council with limited administrative power. The city is divided into four wards, with two members of the city council elected from each. Each member of the council is elected by the city as a whole but must reside in a specific ward. Elections are held on the first Tuesday in April in each even-numbered year. All elections are non-partisan; the mayor and the members of the city council receive no salary or compensation for their services.

State and federal representation

Muskogee is represented by two state representatives for House Districts 13 and 14. District 13 includes the west side of Muskogee while District 14 includes the east half of Muskogee. The city is represented in the state senate in Senate District 9, which includes all of Muskogee County, Oklahoma. Both former Attorney General of Oklahoma Drew Edmondson and former

Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction The Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes called the Oklahoma State School Superintendent, is the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the president of the Oklahoma State Board of Edu ...

Sandy Garrett Sandy Garrett is a retired American Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Garrett is the former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction. She was first elected to this office in 1990, and again in 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2 ...

are Muskogee natives. The city is part of Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district. The city is also home to former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn. The city is home to the

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma (in case citations, E.D. Okla. or E.D. Ok.) is a federal court in the Tenth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which ...

Crime

Since 1995, crime rate has reduced by 45 percent in Muskogee. According to records by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, in 2002, 2008 and 2009, no murders were committed for the entire year. However, on April 10, 2010, a deadly shooting broke out at the Arrowhead Mall, injuring at least five people and leaving one dead; witnesses say that the shooting was gang-related. On February 2, 2021, a mass murder occurred when a gunman opened fire at a home, killing six people, including five children, and one woman was seriously injured.

Education

There are two primary public school districts in the city of Muskogee: Muskogee Public Schools, which include the vast majority of the city limits and a large portion of Muskogee County, and

Hilldale Public Schools Hilldale Public Schools is an independent school district located in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The district was started in 1909 as a one-room school, and has grown to a current student body of 1,807 students in pre-K through 12th grade Twelfth grade ...

, which covers a small southern portion of the city limits and some parts of the County south of Muskogee. Additional smaller school districts serve the smaller communities of Muskogee County. Muskogee is also home to the

Oklahoma School for the Blind Oklahoma School for the Blind, also known as Parkview School, is a day and residential school located in Muskogee, Oklahoma for blind students up to grade 12. Failure of bill allowing charter schools for deaf In 2013, Senate Bill 858 (SB 858), i ...

, a special institution for meeting the educational needs of blind and visually impaired students residing in the state of Oklahoma. Previous Institutions that where located in the city where Harrell International Institute, Spaulding Institute, and Nazareth Institute. Muskogee has four institutions of higher education: the public four-year

Northeastern State University Northeastern State University (NSU) is a public university with its main campus in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The university also has two other campuses in Muskogee and Broken Arrow as well as online. Northeastern is the oldest institution of high ...

, the public two-year Connors State College, the public

Indian Capital Technology Center Technology Centers, in Oklahoma, are Career and Technical schools which provide career and technology education for high school students in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The students generally spend part of each day in their respective schools purs ...

and the private four-year Bacone College, which is the oldest college in the state of Oklahoma. In 2004, civic rights lawyers took on the case of 11-year-old Nashala Hearn who sued the Muskogee, Oklahoma, Public School District for ordering her to remove her

hijab In modern usage, hijab ( ar, حجاب, translit=ḥijāb, ) generally refers to headcoverings worn by Muslim women. Many Muslims believe it is obligatory for every female Muslim who has reached the age of puberty to wear a head covering. While s ...

because it was violative of the school's dress code. She refused to submit and was subsequently suspended twice. The court-ordered agreement reached by the Justice Department with the school board permits Nashala, and any other child in Muskogee whose religious beliefs and practices conflict with the school dress code, to receive an accommodation.

Points of interest

* Arrowhead Mall * Ataloa Lodge Museum * Azalea Festival * The Castle of Muskogee * Civic Center * Civitan Park * Douglas Maxey Park * Farmers market * Five Civilized Tribes Museum * Founders' Place Historical District *

Grant Foreman House The Thomas-Foreman Historic Home, also known as the Grant Foreman House, is a house in Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States, built by Judge John R. Thomas on a tract of prairie land. It was later named after Thomas' son-in-law, Grant Foreman, by ...

* Honor Heights Park * Katy District (South Main Street)
Muskogee Little Theatre
* Muskogee Public Library * Oklahoma Movie Hall of Fame / Roxy Theater * Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame * Port of Muskogee * River Country Family Water Park * Three Forks Harbor * Three Rivers Museum * Thunderbird Speedway * Spaulding Park *

USS Batfish (SS-310) The first USS ''Batfish'' (SS/AGSS-310) is a ''Balao''-class submarine, known primarily for the remarkable feat of sinking three Imperial Japanese Navy submarines in a 76-hour period, in February 1945. USS ''Batfish'' is the first vessel of th ...

In popular culture

*Muskogee was commemorated in the 1969 Merle Haggard song " Okie from Muskogee". *The song "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother" written by Oklahoma native

Ray Wylie Hubbard Ray Wylie Hubbard (born November 13, 1946) is an American singer and songwriter. Early life Hubbard was born in the town of Soper, Oklahoma. His family moved to Oak Cliff in southwest Dallas, Texas, in 1954. He attended W. H. Adamson High Sch ...

and famously recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker is a satire of small-town life playfully aimed at Okie from Muskogee, which is made evident in the last line of the song: "Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.A." * In the film '' Twister'', the team headed by Helen Hunt's character Jo Harding was based out of the fictional Muskogee State College * The 1951 film '' Jim Thorpe – All-American'', starring Burt Lancaster, was filmed on the campus of Bacone Indian College at Muskogee. * Three feature films were recently shot in Muskogee: ''Salvation'' (2007), ''Denizen'' (2010), and ''

American Honey "American Honey" is a song written by Cary Barlowe, Hillary Lindsey and Shane Stevens, and recorded by American country music group Lady Antebellum. It was released on January 11, 2010, as the second single from their second album '' Need You No ...

'' (2016).Brandon Griggs, "Woman of Steel", ''The Salt Lake Tribune, '' 8 January 2008, pp. E1-E2

Sports

Muskogee was home to minor league baseball from 1905 to 1957. Changing monikers frequently, Muskogee hosted the

Muskogee Reds Muskogee Reds refers to three baseball teams based in Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States. The first team played in the Missouri Valley League in 1905. The next played in the Western Association in 1917, and the third played in the Western Association ...

(1905),

Muskogee Indians The Muskogee Indians was a South Central League (1906) and Oklahoma State League (1912) minor league baseball team based in Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States. Ben Tincup, who pitched for four seasons in the major leagues, played for the Indians. ...

(1906),

Muskogee Redskins The Muskogee Redskins were a Class-D minor league baseball team based in Muskogee, Oklahoma that played in the Oklahoma–Arkansas–Kansas League (1907), Oklahoma–Kansas League (1908) and Western Association (1911). Lon Ury Louis Newton Ury ...

(1907-1908),

Muskogee Navigators The Muskogee Navigators were a Western Association baseball team based in Muskogee, Oklahoma Muskogee () is the thirteenth-largest city in Oklahoma and the county seat of Muskogee County. Home to Bacone College, it lies approximately southeast o ...

(1909-1910), Muskogee Redskins (1911), Muskogee Indians (1912), Muskogee Mets (1914-1916),

(1917), Muskogee Mets (1921-1923), Muskogee Athletics (1924-1926),

Muskogee Chiefs Muskogee or Muscogee can refer to: *Muscogee, or Muscogee Creek, a Native American people of the southeastern woodlands *Muscogee (Creek) Nation, a federally recognized Muscogee tribe in Oklahoma *Muscogee language, a language spoken by some Muscog ...

(1927-1932),

Muskogee Oilers The Muskogee Oilers were a professional, minor league baseball team that played in the Western League in 1933. They began the year in Wichita, Kansas as the Wichita Oilers, but moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma after being evicted from their park in Wi ...

(1933), Muskogee Tigers (1934-1936),

(1937-1942, 1946–1950) and Muskogee Giants (1951-1957). Muskogee teams played were members of the Missouri Valley League (1905),

South Central League The South Central League was a minor league baseball league that played in the 1906 and 1912 seasons, with franchises located in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The McAlester Miners (1906) and Longview Cannibals (1912) won league championships. H ...

(1906), Oklahoma-Arkansas-Kansas League (1907-1908),

Western Association The Western Association was the name of five different leagues formed in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries. The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Wester ...

(1909-1911),

Oklahoma State League The Oklahoma State League was a Class D level minor baseball league based in Oklahoma that existed in 1912 and again from 1922 to 1924. L.S. Dodds (1912), Leo Meyer (1912), C.E. Plott (1922), E.A. Daniels (1922–1924) and A.L. Ragan (1924) serve ...

(1912), Western Association (1914-1916-1917), Southwestern League (1921-1923), Western Association (1924-1932), Western League (1933), Western Association (1934-1942, 1946–1954) and

Sooner State League The Sooner State League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that operated from 1947 through 1957. The league owners kept it alive in 1958, anticipating a return to play in 1959. However, when only Ardmore and Paris, Texas, were able ...

(1955-1957). Three Baseball Hall of Fame inductees played for Muskogee. Bill Dickey played for the 1926 Muskogee Athletics. Bobby Wallace was a player/manager for the 1921 Muskogee Mets. Rube Marquard was a player/manager for the 1933 Muskogee Oilers. Muskogee was an affiliate of the St. Louis Browns (1932, 1947–1949),

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

(1937-1939),

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...

(1941),

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

(1946) and

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...

(1936, 1951–1957). Muskogee teams played at Traction Park from 1905 to 1911. Muskogee then played at Owen Field, which was later renamed to League Park and finally Athletic Park. In April 1923,

Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...

with the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...

played an exhibition game at Owen Field against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Later,

Mickey Mantle Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...

played at Athletic Park in 1950 for the Joplin Miners in games against Muskogee. Traction Park was located in Hyde Park. Today, the Owen Field/League Park/Athletic Park site is occupied by the Muskogee Civic Center. Muskogee Country Club (Muskogee Golf Club) played host to the

1970 U.S. Women's Open The 1970 U.S. Women's Open was the 25th U.S. Women's Open, held July 2–5 at Muskogee Country Club in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Defending champion Donna Caponi won the second of her four Women's major golf championships, major titles, one stroke ahe ...

golf tournament won by Donna Caponi.

Notable people

Reubin Askew Reubin O'Donovan Askew (September 11, 1928 – March 13, 2014) was an American politician, who served as the 37th governor of Florida from 1971 to 1979. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 7th U.S. Trade representative from 1979 t ...

Governor of Florida A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

1971 to 1979 * Randy Ball, college football head coach, Western Illinois, Missouri State * Louis W. Ballard,

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...

and Osage composer and inductee, Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame * R. Perry Beaver, Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation * Maurice R. Bebb, etcher and printmaker * Aaron Bell, jazz double-bassist *

Keith Birdsong Keith Birdsong (July 14, 1959 – June 4, 2019) was a Muscogee Creek- Cherokee illustrator, known best for illustrating covers of ''Star Trek'' novels, which usually depicted the various characters of the ''Star Trek'' television series and m ...

, illustrator known for his ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'' novel covers *

Tams Bixby Tams Bixby (1855-1922) was best known for his work on the Dawes Commission, which was formed to formally enroll members of the Indian tribes that were to be allotted portions of the tribal lands in what would become Oklahoma, and prepare for th ...

, newspaper owner and publisher of ''Muskogee Phoenix''; chairman of Dawes Commission, which he relocated to Muskogee; lived in Muskogee from 1905 to 1922. *

Archie Bradley Archie Bradley may refer to: *Archie Bradley (baseball) (born 1992), American baseball pitcher *Archie Bradley (boxer) Archie Bradley (4 January 1897 – 27 March 1969) was an Australian professional boxer of the 1920s. Also known as the " ...

, Major League Baseball pitcher * Don Byas, jazz musician *

Kristin Cast Kristin F. Cast (born November 4, 1986) is an American author of young adult books. She is the editor for the '' House of Night'' series for young adults with her mother, P.C. Cast, and the author of ''The Escaped'' series. Life and career Cas ...

, writer * PC Cast, writer * Eddie Chuculate, author, graduate of Muskogee High School * Tom Coburn, former U.S. Senator from Oklahoma * Isaac N. Coggs,

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, e ...

Fletcher Daniels Fletcher D. Daniels (September 8, 1919 – March 15, 1999) was a Democratic politician who served in the Missouri House of Representatives. Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, he was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1984. Daniels ...

, Missouri state representative * Nelson Dean, Negro league baseball player * Drew Edmondson, former Attorney General of Oklahoma, 2018 gubernatorial candidate * Ed Edmondson, U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma *

James E. Edmondson James E. Edmondson (born March 7, 1945) is a justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. He was appointed to the Court's District 7 seat by Governor Brad Henry in 2003. Early life Edmondson graduated from Central High School in Muskogee, Oklahoma, ...

, current Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice *

Ernest E. Evans Ernest Edwin Evans (August 13, 1908 – October 25, 1944) was an officer of the United States Navy who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle off Samar in World War II. Biography Evans, of Native American ...

, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient for actions as U.S. destroyer captain in WWII *

George Faught George Faught (born July 14, 1962) is an American businessman and Republican politician from Oklahoma. Faught was Representative for District 14 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2007 to 2012. House District 14 encompasses Muskog ...

, Former Representative from Oklahoma State House District 14; first Republican in state history to represent Muskogee-based district *

Carolyn T. Foreman Carolyn T. Foreman, was a noted Oklahoma historian. Born in Illinois, she moved to the city of Muskogee (then in Indian Territory) with her widowed father, John R. Thomas, a former congressman for Illinois in the 1880s, and politician, and who ...

(1872-1967), historian, wife of Grant Foreman and daughter of John R. Thomas; lived in Muskogee (1887-1967) *

, former

and Hilldale Public School teacher * Susan Golding, former mayor of San Diego,

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

* Gloria Greer, actress *

Clu Gulager William Martin Gulager (; November 16, 1928 – August 5, 2022), better known as Clu Gulager, was an American television and film actor and director born in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He first became known for his work in television, appearing in ...

, actor * Charles V. Hamilton, political scientist *

, former mayor of Muskogee and one of youngest mayors in United States history *

Justin Harris Justin may refer to: People * Justin (name), including a list of persons with the given name Justin * Justin (historian), a Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire * Justin I (c. 450–527), or ''Flavius Iustinius Augustus'', Eastern Ro ...

, Republican member of

Arkansas House of Representatives The Arkansas State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the ...

from Washington County,

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

; born in Muskogee in 1975 *

, noted lawyer, oilman, statesman, and first

Governor of Oklahoma The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The governor is the '' ex o ...

* Darnell Hinson, former professional basketball player * David R. Hinson, pilot and former head of Midway Airlines *

Lance Hinson Lance Hinson is an American football coach. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas from 2005 to 2013, and has again taken over duties starting with the 2020 season. Between his two tenures ...

, college football coach * Harold L. Holliday, Missouri state representative *

Olivia Hooker Olivia Juliette Hooker (February 12, 1915 – November 21, 2018) was an American psychologist and professor. She was one of the last known survivors of the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, and the first African-American woman to enter the U.S. Coast ...

, psychologist and educator * James Jabara, first American jet ace *

Dennis Jernigan Dennis Jernigan is a singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian music. He is native to Oklahoma, and headquarters a music-based Christian ministry from there. Jernigan now lives in Muskogee, Oklahoma, with his wife and their nine children. Je ...

, contemporary Christian music singer/songwriter *

James R. Jones James Robert Jones (born May 5, 1939) is an American lawyer, diplomat, Democratic politician, a retired U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma, and a former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico under President Bill Clinton. Jones grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, ...

, U.S. Congressman for Oklahoma's 1st District (1973–1987), Chairman of the

American Stock Exchange NYSE American, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), and more recently as NYSE MKT, is an American stock exchange situated in New York City. AMEX was previously a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was know ...

(1989 to 1993),

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with Mexico since 1823, when Andrew Jackson was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to that country. Jackson declined the appointment, however, and Joel R. Poinsett b ...

(1993 to 1997) *

L. R. Kershaw Leroy Kershaw (1880–1969) was an American attorney, banker, businessman, cattleman and political candidate. He is one of the pioneers of the Muskogee, Oklahoma, area and the founder of Morris, Oklahoma, in 1904. Kershaw was a delegate to the ...

, lawyer, banker, cattle breeder, real estate developer and candidate for governor *

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups a ...

, jazz guitarist * Leo Kottke, acoustic guitarist * Robert E. Lavender, former Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice * Seth Littrell, football head coach, North Texas *

Barbara McAlister (opera singer) Barbara McAlister (born 1942) is an internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Native American opera singer from Muskogee, Oklahoma. Background Barbara McAlister was born Muskogee, Oklahoma, in 1942.Conley, Robert J''A Cherokee encyclopedia''.Albuqu ...

, opera singer * Roberta McCain, mother of Senator

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...

* Calvin McCarty, professional

Canadian football Canadian football () is a sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's scoring area ( ...

running back for CFL's

Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Comm ...

* Jay McShann, jazz musician * Bill Mercer, sportscaster, educator and author *

Smokie Norful Rev. W.R. "Smokie" Norful, Jr. is an American gospel singer and pianist, best known for his 2002 album, '' I Need You Now'' and his 2004 release, ''Nothing Without You,'' which won a Grammy at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary ...

, Gospel recording artist * Kevin Peterson, American football player *

Pleasant Porter Pleasant Porter (September 26, 1840 – September 3, 1907, Creek), was an American Indian statesman and the last elected Principal Chief of the Creek Nation, serving from 1899 until his death. He had served with the Confederacy in the 1st ...

, principal chief of Creek Nation (1899 – 1907) and president of Sequoyah Constitutional Convention *

Alexander Posey Alexander Lawrence Posey (August 3, 1873 – May 27, 1908) was an American poet, humorist, journalist, and politician in the Creek Nation.Schneider 190 He founded the '' Eufaula Indian Journal'' in 1901, the first Native American daily newspaper ...

, writer, newspaper editor, secretary of the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention *

Joe A. Rector Joe A. Rector (August 12, 1935 – August 19, 2012) was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He is a part of the Cherokee ancestry. He lived in Muskogee and Tulsa, Oklahoma for most of his life, until he retired. Afterwards, he moved to Destin, Flor ...

, American/Cherokee artist *

Robert Reed Robert Reed (born John Robert Rietz Jr.; October 19, 1932 – May 12, 1992) was an American actor. He played Kenneth Preston on the legal drama '' The Defenders'' from 1961 to 1965 alongside E. G. Marshall, and is best known for his role as the ...

, actor who played Mike Brady, father on ''The Brady Bunch'' * Bass Reeves, one of the first African-American Deputy U.S. Marshals, who served at the Muskogee Federal Court in Indian Territory, and later became an officer of the Muskogee Police Department * Alice Mary Robertson, educator, social worker, government official, second woman to serve in the United States Congress *

Muskogee Yargee Ross Muskogee Yargee Ross (1840s – March 14, 1913) was a Creek (or Muscogee) woman, a prominent pioneer resident of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Biography Muskogee Yargee was born along the Canadian River, near North Fork Town, Indian Territory (present d ...

, pioneer resident * Pee Wee Russell, jazz musician * Thomas Ryan, politician, lawyer, lived in Muskogee as representative from

Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior may refer to: * Secretary of the Interior (Mexico) * Interior Secretary of Pakistan * Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines) * United States Secretary of the Interior See also *Interior ministry An ...

* A. G. W. Sango, lawyer, newspaper editor, school founder *

James M. Shackelford James Murrell Shackelford (July 7, 1827 – September 7, 1907) was a lawyer, judge, and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He has the distinction of having captured Confederate cavalry commander John Hunt Morgan in mid ...

, first United States judge in Indian Territory (1889-1907) *

Jackie Shipp Jackie Vernold Shipp (born March 19, 1962) is an American football coach and former player. Shipp was the defensive line coach for the Oklahoma Sooners football team until his departure in the 2013 offseason. He had been on the Sooners' coaching ...

, former NFL player * The Swon Brothers, duo that gained fame on NBC's '' The Voice (season 4)'' , made up of brothers Zach and Colton they finished in third place * Mike Synar, former U.S. Representative from Oklahoma * John R. Thomas, attorney, Federal judge before Oklahoma statehood, father of historian

, who married historian Grant Foreman *

Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single " Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bil ...

, country music singer * Sarah Vowell, author * Les Walrond,

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

player * W. Richard West Jr., director of National Museum of the American Indian * Claude "Fiddler" Williams, jazz musician * Larry Winget, speaker and author

References

External links

Muskogee history and genealogy

City of Muskogee

Muskogee Chamber of Commerce

Muskogee Public Library

Memoirs of Jeremiah Curtin in the Indian Territory
ethnographer's narrative of 1883 visit to Muskogee's early settlement maintained by

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...

, accessed January 15, 2007.
Photographic Record of Muskogee's Historic Homes

Betty Ritch Lombardi, "Azalea Festival," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.

The Castle of Muskogee
{{Authority control Cities in Oklahoma Cities in Muskogee County, Oklahoma Oklahoma populated places on the Arkansas River County seats in Oklahoma Micropolitan areas of Oklahoma 1817 establishments in the United States