Kinta is a town in Haskell County,

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

, United States. The population was 297 at the 2010 census, an increase of 22.2 percent over the figure of 243 recorded in 2000.

History

Kinta was founded in 1901 by George W. Scott, son-in-law of Greenwood McCurtain, the last chief of the Choctaw Nation before Oklahoma became a state. Scott named the town for nearby Beaver Creek, the name ''Kinta'' being the Choctaw word for "beaver." He moved his store to Kinta from San Bois, established a post office in his store, and built the first permanent building in town in 1903. San Bois was then the Choctaw capital, but had been bypassed by the Fort Smith and Western Railroad. At the time of its founding, Kinta was located in the

Moshulatubbee District Moshulatubbee District was one of three provinces, or districts, 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 spel ...

of the

Choctaw Nation The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (Choctaw: ''Chahta Okla'') is a Native American reservation occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. At roughly , it is the second-largest reservation in area after the Navajo, exceeding t ...

.Morris, John W. ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1986), plate 38. During the first three decades of the 20th century, the town economy was supported by coal mining and the production of wood products. When these two industries declined sharply in the 1930s, the railroad ceased operations. The town nearly failed with them. The town survived somehow, and by the start of the 21st century, the major employer was the Kinta Public School System.

Geography

Kinta is east of McAlester and south of Muskogee. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 243 people, 104 households, and 68 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 131 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 82.72%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 12.35% Native American, 0.41% from other races, and 4.53% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population. There were 104 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $26,111, and the median income for a family was $32,083. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $13,750 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $13,960. About 8.5% of families and 10.3% 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 3.2% of those under the age of eighteen and 33.3% of those 65 or over.

Notable person

Green McCurtain Greenwood "Green" McCurtain (November 28, 1848 – December 27, 1910) was a Choctaw statesman and law enforcement officer, and the last elected Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Choctaw Nation (1896–1900 and 1902–1906), servi ...

(1848–1910), Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation (1896-1900 and 1902-1910)

Notes

References

External links

Kinta, Haskell County Independent News

{{authority control Towns in Haskell County, Oklahoma Towns in Oklahoma Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma