Cherokee County, Oklahoma
According to countryaah.com, Cherokee County, Oklahoma is a small county located in the east-central part of the state. It is part of the Tahlequah Micropolitan Statistical Area and has a population of 46,743 people as of 2020. The county seat is Tahlequah, which is also home to Northeastern State University.
Cherokee County covers an area of 607 square miles and is mostly rural with many small towns, villages, and unincorporated areas scattered throughout its borders. The largest cities are Tahlequah (population 15,753), Park Hill (population 2,629), and Hulbert (population 844). Other communities include Keys (population 556), Welling (population 447), Goingsnake District (population 233), Rocky Mountain (population 218) and Tenkiller Ferry Lake area (population 186).
The median household income in Cherokee County is $37,845 compared to the state median household income of $48,569. The median age in Cherokee County is 35 years old while the median age in Oklahoma is 37 years old. The racial makeup of Cherokee County is 68% white non-Hispanic; 24% Native American; 3% Hispanic or Latino; 2% Asian; 1% African American; 0.3% Pacific Islander; 1% other races; and 1% two or more races.
Education in Cherokee County includes public schools operated by the Tahlequah Public School District as well as several private schools including Northeastern Christian Academy and Grandview Christian Academy. Higher education opportunities include Northeastern State University with its main campus located in Tahlequah as well as satellite campuses located in Muskogee and Broken Arrow.
The economy of Cherokee County relies heavily on agriculture with corn, wheat, soybeans, hay, oats, cattle ranching and poultry farming being some of the major industries here. In addition to agriculture, there are also many small businesses that provide jobs such as retail trade stores or professional services like healthcare or law firms as well as manufacturing companies that produce auto parts or machinery components for larger corporations outside the county.
Cherokee County offers its residents plenty to do whether they prefer living in an urban area or out in the country surrounded by nature. With so many towns and cities to explore within this county along with higher education opportunities at Northeastern State University, it’s easy to see why so many choose this part of Oklahoma as their home.
History of Cherokee County, Oklahoma
Cherokee County, Oklahoma is located in the northeastern corner of the state and is part of the Cherokee Nation. It has a population of 48,987 people as of 2019 and covers an area of 745 square miles. The county was named after the Cherokee Nation, which had been forced to relocate from its ancestral lands in Georgia and North Carolina to present-day Oklahoma.
The Cherokees were relocated to Indian Territory in 1838-1839 as part of the Trail of Tears. In 1846, the Cherokees signed a treaty with the US government that established their own nation within Indian Territory. This new nation was called “the Cherokee Nation” and it encompassed parts of what are now Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. In 1906, Congress passed an act that dissolved the Cherokee Nation and divided up its land among individual tribal members who received 160 acres each. This land became known as “allotments” or “checkerboard land” because it was divided into 40-acre parcels with alternating sections owned by Native Americans and non-Native Americans.
In 1907, Congress passed another act that created seven districts within Indian Territory: Tahlequah District (which included present-day Cherokee County), Okmulgee District (which included present-day Muskogee County), Moshulatubbee District (which included present-day McIntosh County), Saline District (which included present-day Sequoyah County), Canadian District (which included present-day Ottawa County), Coowescoowee District (which included present-day Wagoner County), and Flint District (which included present day Adair County).
On July 16th, 1907 Cherokee County was officially established from parts of Tahlequah and Saline districts. The county seat is Tahlequah which serves as the capital for both the Cherokee Nation and also for Cherokee County itself. The county has grown steadily over time with its population increasing from 27,770 in 1960 to 48,987 in 2019.
Major cities and towns in Cherokee County, Oklahoma
According to Act-Test-Centers, Cherokee County, Oklahoma is home to several cities and towns. The county seat is Tahlequah, the capital of both the Cherokee Nation and Cherokee County. Tahlequah is a small city with a population of 16,811 according to the 2019 census. It’s located along the Illinois River in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains and is home to Northeastern State University.
Other cities in Cherokee County include Hulbert, which has a population of 879 people according to the 2019 census. Hulbert is located east of Tahlequah and was named after William Hulbert who was an early settler in Indian Territory.
Park Hill is another small town in Cherokee County with a population of 1,622 people as per 2019 census figures. Park Hill is located just east of Tahlequah near Fort Gibson Lake and has been home to numerous Native American tribes since its founding in 1845.
Other towns in Cherokee County include Welling (population 868), Cookson (population 581), Keys (population 532), Peggs (population 493), Shady Grove (population 486) and Whitefield (population 445).
Cherokee County also has several unincorporated communities including Big Cedar, Briggs Hill, Bushyhead, Coody Town, Gans, Goingsnake District, Grant Station, Little Cedar Creek Valley, Marble City, Mulberry Hill Community and Westville.
The county also includes two tribal areas: Coody’s Corner which is owned by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and Stilwell which is owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Both tribal areas are part of the federally recognized tribes that were removed from their ancestral lands during the Trail of Tears in 1838-1839 and relocated to Indian Territory which later became Oklahoma State.
Population in Cherokee County, Oklahoma
According to the 2019 census, Cherokee County, Oklahoma has a population of 48,987 people. This marks an increase of over 21,000 people since 1960 when the population was 27,770.
The largest city in Cherokee County is Tahlequah with a population of 16,811 people. The second largest city is Hulbert with 879 people followed by Park Hill with 1,622 people. The remaining cities and towns have populations ranging from 532 to 868 people.
The majority of the population in Cherokee County is Native American (41%), followed by White (34%), Black or African American (16%), Hispanic or Latino (5%) and Asian (2%). Other racial groups make up the remaining 2% of the population.
The median age in Cherokee County is 33 years old which is slightly lower than the national median age of 37 years old. Approximately 32% of the population is under 18 years old and around 13% are 65 years or older. The gender ratio in Cherokee County is almost even with 49% male and 51% female residents.
The median household income in Cherokee County as per 2019 census figures was $37,726 which is significantly lower than the national median household income of $61,937 for that same year. Approximately 14% of families live below the poverty line compared to 11% nationally and 24% of individuals live below the poverty line compared to 10% nationally.
