Idabel, Oklahoma

McCurtain County

40-36750

Idabel is a city and the county seat of McCurtain County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Covering an area of over 41 square kilometers, nearly 7,000 people live.

Idabel is part of the socio-economic region Ark- La -Tex, which includes parts of four states Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

Geography

Nearby cities include Garvin (4 km north-west ), Broken Bow (8 km north), Haworth (12 km southeast), Millerton (12 km north-west ) and Wright City (18 km north-west ). Nearest large city with over 1.2 million residents of the almost 200 kilometers southwest away Located in Dallas Texas.

History

Idabel was in 1902 by the railway company Arkansas and Choctaw Railway, part of the St. Louis later - founded in San Francisco Railway was. First, the place Purnell was named in reference to the railway officials Isaac Purnell. However, since the Office rejected this name was submitted as a proposal Mitchell, also the name of an official. This name existed elsewhere in the same State but already, so you temporarily for Bokhama decided that meant in the language of the Choctaw Indians "Red River". The first post office was opened under that name on 15 December 1902. After that you chose on the basis of Purnells daughters Ida Bell and the name Idabel.

In the first years of its existence Idabel did not own administration, but was managed by the tribe of Choctaw. 1906 residents chose their first mayor. On November 16, 1907 Idabel was named the county seat of McCurtain County. This year, 726 residents were counted. By 1910 there were almost 1500. By 1920, this figure even rose to almost 3620, fell in the following years but again easily.

As in much of the southern United States, the wood extraction and processing has been the driving economic force in this region. When the local tree stocks were depleted, the cotton industry rose to become the dominant industry. 1904 only a cotton gin was operated in Idabel, 1930, there were already six. The world economic crisis of the early 1930s ended, however rapidly the industrial bustle in the region. Local landowners made ​​from their country pastures and henceforth established a ranching. To date, more chicken farms and pine plantations have emerged.

Traffic

Idabel is an intersection of several highways. From the northwest to the north along in the northeast of the city runs the U.S. Highway 70 leading to a length of about 3800 miles of Arizona in the west to North Carolina in the East. It crosses the north- east of the city to U.S. Highway 259, a north- south connection with the stretches he runs on the same route. On the same route in the east of the city of Oklahoma State Highway 3 is guided. Downtown Oklahoma State Highway 87, which leads to the same route as U.S. Highway 259 to the south begins. To the west of the city of Oklahoma State Highway 37 ends approximately 55 kilometers southeast of the city extends Interstate 30

Demography

The 2000 census showed a population of 7658 people, spread over 2735 households and 1785 families. The population density was 169 people per square kilometer. 57 % of the population were white, 24.5% Black, 10.4% Native American, 0.3 % Asian and Pacific Islanders at 0.1 %. 3.4% were from a different ethnicity, 4.4% had two or more ethnicities, 5% were Hispanic or Latino of any ethnicity. For every 100 females 86 males. The average age was 34 years, the per capita income was about 12,200 U.S. dollars, which more than 31 % of the population were below the poverty line.

Until the 2010 census, the population has dropped to 7010.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Hadley Caliman (1932-2010), jazz musician
  • Sunny Murray ( b. 1936 ), jazz musician
  • Countess Vaughn (born 1978 ), actress and singer
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