Wyandotte, Oklahoma

Wyandotte is a town in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 333 at the 2010 census, a decline of 8.26 percent from the figure of 363 recorded in 2000. The town is the tribal headquarters of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma, for which the town was named. Larry O'Dell, 'Wyandotte", ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Accessed April 23, 2012. Wyandotte is part of the Joplin, Missouri metropolitan area.

History

The Wyandotte tribe was removed to this area in 1867. The Society of Friends (Quakers) established a mission here in 1869, and the Wyandotte Tribal Council donated land for the Quakers to establish a boarding school for Seneca, Shawnee and Wyandotte children. Construction of the school began in 1871 and classes began in 1872. Originally named Prairie City, the post office was renamed to the city's current name in 1894.

In the mid 1920s, Wyandotte was nationally known for having an all-female city government due to changes in the electorate of the town after the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. The mayor of the town during this period, Mamie Foster, served for over five years as Oklahoma's first female mayor.

In the late 1930s, the Federal Government built Pensacola Dam, which created Grand Lake o' the Cherokees. Although the lake took away part of Wyandotte's land, it added business in the form of residential development and tourist industry. This caused a resumption of population growth.

In 1966, town officials discovered that Wyandotte had never filed incorporation papers. They petitioned the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners for an election, which was approved. A majority voted for incorporation, which became effective in April, 1966.

Geography

Wyandotte is located at (36.794770, -94.723488). It is southeast of Miami.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 363 people, 128 households, and 93 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 148 housing units at an average density of 301.5 per square mile (116.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 63.36% White, 29.75% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 1.10% from other races, and 5.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.20% of the population.

There were 128 households, out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 35.5% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,281, and the median income for a family was $27,321. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $15,625 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,315. About 17.2% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.9% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Highways

Wyandotte is served by US-60.

Railroads

The Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) Cherokee Subdivision runs through Wyandotte. The BNSF Cherokee Subdivision runs between Springfield Missouri to the east, and Tulsa Oklahoma to the west.

Places of Interest

Grand Lake `O Cherokees
is formed by Pensacola Dam between the towns of Langley and Disney Oklahoma from three rivers, the Neosho and Spring Rivers from the north, and the Elk River from the east. It covers 59,000 acres, and has 1,300 miles of shoreline. It is a popular spot for bass fishing, boating, and water sports.
* Twin Bridges State Park sits west of Wyandotte at the junction of US-60/OK-137, and between the Neosho and Spring Rivers. The park offers boat access to Grand Lake, fishing, camping, and other immensities.

Education

* Wyandotte Public Schoolshttps://www.wyandotte.k12.ok.us/ serves the town and surrounding areas with elementary, middle, and high school education.

Oklahoma D-Day

Every year in June, Wyandotte hosts one of the largest scenario paintball games in the world; up to 5,000 players attend annually. It is played at the D-Day Adventure Park, a privately owned of thickly wooded terrain.

References

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Towns in Ottawa County, Oklahoma
Towns in Oklahoma