Stigler 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 ...

of Haskell 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 ...

. The population was 2,685 at the time of the 2010 census, down from 2,731 recorded in 2000.

History

At the time of its founding, Newman, later Stigler, was located in Sans Bois County, a part of the

Moshulatubbee District Moshulatubbee District was one of three administrative super-regions comprising the former Choctaw Nation in the Indian Territory. Also called the First District, it encompassed the northern one-third of the nation. In some historic records it is ...

of the

Choctaw Nation The Choctaw Nation ( Choctaw: ''Chahta Okla'') is a Native American territory covering about , occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

in Indian Territory. A post office was established at Newman, Indian Territory on April 30, 1892. The community was named for Dr. Martin W. Newman, a pioneer and physician.Shirk, George H. ''Oklahoma Place Names'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1965), pp. 149 & 198. Joseph Stigler is said to have founded the town in 1889. He was familiar with the area, as earlier he had served as a deputy marshal under federal judge

Isaac Parker Isaac Charles Parker (October 15, 1838 – November 17, 1896), also known as “Hanging Judge” Parker, was an American politician and jurist. He served as a United States representative from Missouri and was appointed as the first United State ...

, whose court in

Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Are ...

, had jurisdiction over

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 ...

.Glenn O. Hyder, "Stigler," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''
Accessed 2015-05-21. The post office name was changed to Stigler on May 3, 1893 by the U.S. Post Office Service, because the former name caused some confusion with the town of

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

. 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 Philadelph ...

was constructed to Stigler in 1904, which attracted more settlers and more types of businesses. By the following year, the town had become incorporated. At statehood in 1907, Stigler was named as the county seat of newly created Haskell County. Stigler is home to the Haskell County Courthouse. In the late 20th century, the county court was known for having installed marble plaques inscribed with the

Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ� ...

and the

Mayflower Compact The Mayflower Compact, originally titled Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth, was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the men aboard the ''Mayflower,'' consisting of separatist Puritans, adventurers, an ...

on the front lawn of the courthouse. (''See

Separation of church and state in the United States "Separation of church and state" is a metaphor paraphrased from Thomas Jefferson and used by others in discussions regarding the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which reads: "C ...

''.) In the seventh commandment, the word "

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

" was misspelled as "adultry". Opponents sued for the commandments to be removed, arguing that the installation was unconstitutional and violated the principle of the

separation of church and state in the United States "Separation of church and state" is a metaphor paraphrased from Thomas Jefferson and used by others in discussions regarding the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which reads: "C ...

. The court agreed and ordered the Commandments removed from the lawn. However, it was only moved over about 20 feet and is basically still on the lawn of the courthouse.

Geography

Stigler is located in central Haskell County at (35.256357, -95.124105).

Oklahoma State Highway 9 State Highway 9, abbreviated as SH-9, OK-9, or simply Highway 9, is a major east–west highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Spanning across the central part of the state, SH-9 begins at the Texas state line near Madge, Oklahoma, and ends at ...

is the city's Main Street, and leads east to Keota and west to Whitefield.

Oklahoma State Highway 82 State Highway 82, abbreviated to SH-82 or OK-82, is a state highway in Oklahoma. It runs for north–south during its southern segment; and north–south during its northern segment. Route description Southern section The southern SH- ...

leads south from Stigler to Lequire. Muskogee is to the north, and

is to the east. 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 ...

, Stigler has a total area of , of which , or 1.42%, are water.

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 incl ...

of 2000, there were 2,731 people, 1,096 households, and 697 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 1,237.6 people per square mile (477.1/km). There were 1,216 housing units at an average density of 551.0 per square mile (212.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 78.76%

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 ...

, 0.04%

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 ...

, 15.45% Native American, 0.33%

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 ...

, 0.59% 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 4.83% 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 were 2.67% of the population. There were 1,096 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% 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, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $19,594, and the median income for a family was $28,839. Males had a median income of $24,350 versus $22,500 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 $16,293. About 20.5% of families and 25.8% 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 33.1% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Stigler prospered through agriculture during the early part of the 20th century. However, cotton and corn could not sustain the town through the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

of the 1930s. According to the ''

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is an agency of the government of Oklahoma dedicated to promotion and preservation of Oklahoma's history and its people by collecting, interpreting, and disseminating knowledge and artifacts of Oklahoma. ...

'', local farmers became raisers of livestock, largely with the assistance of the federal government. After World War II, construction of two large new reservoirs in the region,

Eufaula Lake Lake Eufaula, sometimes referred to as Eufaula Lake, is a reservoir in Oklahoma. It is located on the Canadian River, upstream from its confluence with the Arkansas River and near the town of Eufaula. The lake covers parts of McIntosh County, ...

and

Robert S. Kerr Reservoir Robert S. Kerr Reservoir is located within the Cookson Hills, on the Arkansas River in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, Sequoyah, Le Flore County, Oklahoma, Le Flore, Haskell County, Oklahoma, Haskell, and Muskogee County, Oklahoma, Muskogee counties in ...

, generated many jobs in construction, followed by an upsurge of

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

to the area. Stigler also succeeded in attracting several small manufacturing plants. The Stigler Industrial Park is owned by the city (Stigler Industrial Trust), and covers , located a quarter mile off State Highway 9. It currently houses seven employers, with a total of 194 employees.

Education

Public schools

The Stigler Board of Education is responsible for the Stigler School System, which consists of one grade school, one middle school and one high school. The Board of Education has five members and meets monthly.

Kiamichi Technology Center

One campus of the

Kiamichi 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 pur ...

(KTC) is located at 1410 Old Military Road in Stigler. The Stigler branch offers training programs in automobile service technology, construction technology, cosmetology, emergency medical services, health science and welding technology."KTC: Kiamichi Technology Center: Stigler Campus."
Accessed October 16, 2016.

Transportation

Air

Stigler Regional Airport Stigler Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) northeast of the central business district of Stigler, a city in Haskell County, Oklahoma, United States. It is included in the National ...

, owned by the city of Stigler (FAA Identifier GZL), is northeast of the city. It went into service in January 1997, for private aircraft. There is no control tower and no scheduled airline service. Runway 17/35 is asphalt covered, with dimensions of .

Transportation

Stigler is at the intersection of

and

. KI BOIS Area Transit System (KATS) is a rural public transportation system that operates over 200 buses and vans that transport people to senior citizens centers, grocery stores, doctors, and work. KATS serves residents of Adair, Cherokee, Haskell, Hughes, Latimer, LeFlore, McIntosh, Okmulgee, Okfuskee, Pittsburg, Sequoyah and Wagoner counties. Its administrative office and maintenance facility is in Stigler.

Governance

City council

Stigler has a council-manager form of government. City officials are: * Founder of Stigler - Joseph Stigler * Mayor - Larry Godfrey * Vice Mayor - Brad Martin * Council Member - Brian Morrison * Council Member - William "Bill" Allen * Council Member - Rebecca "Becky" Bumpers * City Manager - Bobby Mouser * Sheriff - Tim Turner

City departments

* Police Department Richard Dickson is police chief and Kenny Medlock is 911 Director. There are 9 full-time and 4 part-time officers,4 full-time and 1 part-time Dispatchers. * Fire Department consists of Fire Chief Jim Pearson and 18 volunteer firefighters.

Media

Stigler has had several newspapers, starting with the ''Stigler Beacon'', which was followed by the ''State Sentinel.'' Others have been the ''Haskell County Leader,'' the ''Haskell County News'', the ''Haskell County Tribune'', the ''Country Star'', and the ''Stigler News-Sentinel''.

Notable people

Norma Howard Norma Howard (born 1958) is a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American artist from Stigler, Oklahoma, who paints genre scenes of children playing, women working in fields, and other images inspired by family stories and Choctaw life. Howard won her f ...

, Choctaw contemporary painter * Ted Risenhoover (1934-2006), born in Stigler and graduated from Stigler High School in 1952. "Focus on Haskell County." ''Oklahoma Ad Valorem Forum''. Vol. 21, Issue 6. June 2012. p. 7
Accessed October 17, 2016. A newspaper publisher, he represented the Second Congressional District in the

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

from 1975 to 1979. *

William G. Stigler William Grady Stigler (July 7, 1891 – August 21, 1952) was an American lawyer, World War I veteran, and politician who served four terms as and a U.S. Representative from Oklahoma from 1944 to 1952. Biography Stigler was a citizen of the Cho ...

(1891 - 1952), lived and was buried in Stigler. He was the son of founder Joseph Stigler. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma law school, he became a lawyer and represented the Second Congressional District in the

from 1944 to 1952.

Notes

References

External links

City of Stigler official website

Stigler Public Library
{{authority control Cities in Haskell County, Oklahoma Cities in Oklahoma County seats in Oklahoma Populated places established in 1889