Oologah is a town in

Rogers County Rogers County is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,240, making it the sixth-most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Claremore. Rogers County is included i ...

, Oklahoma, United States. Renowned humorist Will Rogers was born on a ranch two miles east of Oologah, although he usually claimed

Claremore Claremore is a city and the county seat of Rogers County in Green Country or northeastern Oklahoma, United States. The population was 19,580 at the 2020 census, a 5.4 percent increase over the figure of 18,581 recorded in 2010.Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

can pronounce 'Oologah.'"'' There has been disagreement about the proper spelling for the town name. The official spelling is now Oologah. It was often spelled Oolagah before statehood, and this spelling appears on some old buildings.

History

In 1889, the

Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railway The Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railway (“K&AV”) was owner of 170.64 miles of single track, standard gauge steam railroad line, consisting of a 164.63 mile mainline from a junction near Van Buren, Arkansas through Oklahoma to Coffeyville, Kansa ...

(later, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway, subsequently a part 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 ...

, and currently, the

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

) laid tracks through the area and established a townsite named Oologah, Indian Territory. Oologah was named for ''Oologah'' (Dark Cloud), a

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, t ...

chief. The ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' says that the Oklahoma Federal Writers' Project claimed the name translates from the Cherokee as "red horse fish," while some other sources say that the name means "cloudy weather" or just "clouds."The post office was opened May 25, 1891.Larry O'Dell, "Oologah" ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture''.
/ref> Early in the 20th century, the town flourished because of agriculture, coal mining, and oil and gas production. However, these were hard hit during the Great Depression. The town's population declined from 324 in 1910 to 236 in 1940. The population had recovered to 299 in 1960. Construction of Oologah dam and lake in 1963, east of town, revitalized the town, which has continued to grow. In 1963, the Army Corps of Engineers completed the first phase of

Oologah Lake Lake Oologah is a reservoir in northeastern Oklahoma. It is located near the towns of Oologah, Nowata, and Claremore. The lake has a surface of of water and of shoreline with 11 lake-side parks. The water storage capacity is rated as . The lake ...

. In 1991, an F4 tornado which was part of the Andover, Kansas tornado outbreak destroyed the north side of Oologah, including the town's school.

Geography

Oologah is located at (36.443268, -95.709399). 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 town has a total area of , all land.

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 2020, there is 1,193 people and 435 households residing in the town. 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 ...

is 955 people per square mile (368.72). The racial makeup of the town is 69.85%

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 ...

, 0.85%

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 ...

, 14.65% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.94% 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 12.86% 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 ...

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 2.39% of the population. 69.3% of the population was over 18. As of the 2000 census, there were 342 households, out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.03. In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $33,977, and the median income for a family was $40,625. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $25,000 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 town was $16,493. About 7.5% of families and 9.8% 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 14.7% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Oologah-Talala Public Schools has a 4A sized high school. The Oologah Lower Elementary is an "Oklahoma A+" school, recognized as being one of seven schools statewide chosen for this honor. The Oologah-Talala High School athletic program has gained the school recognition. In the 1990s, Oologah had the most successful class 3A football program in the state; an era that featured the Mustangs as class 3A State Champions in 1997 & 1998 and two Class 3A state runner-up finishes. In March 2010, an outbreak of

bacterial meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...

killed two students at Oologah-Talala Lower Elementary School.

Oologah High School Sports Championships

Baseball *1996 Class 4A State Champions *2005 Class 4A State Champions Basketball *1965 Class B Boys Basketball State Champions *1994 Class 3A 5-on-5 Girls Basketball State Champions Football *1997 Class 3A State Champions *1998 Class 3A State Champions Softball *1988 Class 4A Fast Pitch State Champions *1989 Class 3A Fast Pitch State Champions *1992 Class 3A Fast Pitch State Champions *1993 Class 3A Fast Pitch State Champions *1998 Class 3A Fast Pitch State Champions *1999 Class 4A Fast Pitch State Champions *2012 Class 4A Fast Pitch State Champions Volleyball *1961 State Champions *1965 State Champions Source:

Notable residents

Zach Bryan Zachary Lane Bryan (born April 2, 1996) is an American singer-songwriter from Oologah, Oklahoma. Early life Bryan was born in Japan while his family was deployed in the Navy overseas, but grew up in Oologah, Oklahoma. He is the son of Dewayne ...

– American country singer/songwriter * Will Rogers – preeminent philanthropist, actor, humorist, philosopher, and political

satirist This is an incomplete list of writers, cartoonists and others known for involvement in satire – humorous social criticism. They are grouped by era and listed by year of birth. Included is a list of modern satires. Under Contemporary, 1930-196 ...

of the early 1900s; born at

Dog Iron Ranch The Dog Iron Ranch, located about two miles east of Oologah, Oklahoma, USA, is the historic ranch and birthplace of humorist Will Rogers. It was donated to the state of Oklahoma by the Rogers family. The current property comprises of the origi ...

just outside Oologah