The city was first named Purnell, after Isaac Purnell, a railroad official. When postal officials rejected that designation, the name was changed to Mitchell, honoring another railroad company officer. Postal officials rejected that name because another post office of the same name already existed elsewhere in the territory. They named the post office Bokhoma (a Choctaw word meaning Red River); it opened December 15, 1902.
Railroad officials then chose the name Idabel, a compound of the names of Isaac Purnell's two daughters, Ida and Bell. The post office was renamed as Idabel.[7]
For the first four years, Idabel local government was conducted by the Choctaw tribe for its people. The federal government had legal jurisdiction in most matters over non-Choctaw. the Indians themselves. The national government was responsible for enforcing the law among non-Choctaws. In 1906, the citizens elected their first mayor and established a mayor-council form of government.
At the time of statehood, November 16, 1907, the town was designated as the county seat of McCurtain County. A census in that year reported 726 residents. By 1910, the population had grown to 1,493. In 1920, there were 3,617 residents, but the number fell to 2,581 in 1930. Growth resumed by the end of the Great Depression in the late 1930s.[7]
Idabel residents elected their first African-American mayor in April 2019, mayor Craig Young.[citation needed]
2022 tornado
On November 4, 2022, Idabel was hit by a destructive EF4 tornado. The tornado warranted a tornado emergency and was at EF3 strength when it struck the city. It caused heavy damage, mainly to the southeast portion of the city.[10]
Geography
Idabel lies between the Little River and the Red River, about 21 miles (34km) west of the Oklahoma-Arkansas state line and 40 miles (64km) east of Hugo.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 15.9 square miles (41km2), of which 15.9 square miles (41km2) is land and 0.06% is water.[11]
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Idabel has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[12]
Climate data for Idabel, Oklahoma (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1907–present)
As of the census[3] of 2020, there were 6,961 people, 2,707 households, and 1,790 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 46.39% White, 22.61% African American, 10.86% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 1.81% Pacific Islander, 5.56% from other races, and 12.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.37% of the population.
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 7,658 people, 2,735 households, and 1,785 families residing in the city. The population density was 436.3 inhabitants per square mile (168.5/km2). There were 3,129 housing units at an average density of 196.4 per square mile (75.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 56.99% White, 24.45% African American, 10.44% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.37% from other races, and 4.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.96% of the population.
There were 2,735 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,496, and the median income for a family was $24,189. Males had a median income of $24,182 versus $16,958 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,241. About 28.7% of families and 31.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.5% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.
Initially, timber was the basis for the local economy, but this was supplanted by cotton production after the nearby forests were cleared. One cotton gin operated in Idabel in 1904, but six were in business in 1930. However, the Great Depression, depleted soil and destructive pests essentially wiped out this industry around Idabel. Landowners converted their properties to pastures and expanded beef production. Chicken farms were also established in the area and marginal agricultural land was turned into pine plantations.[7]
Parks, recreation and attractions
Parks actually within Idabel include Garvin City Park.[20]
Pushmataha County is a county in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,812. Its county seat is Antlers.
McCurtain County is in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, its population was 30,814. Its county seat is Idabel. It was formed at statehood from part of the earlier Choctaw Nation in Indian Territory. The name honors an influential Choctaw family who lived in the area. Green McCurtain was the last chief when Oklahoma became a state in 1907.
LeFlore County is a county along the eastern border of the U.S state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,129. Its county seat is Poteau. The county is part of the Fort Smith metropolitan area and the name honors a Choctaw family named LeFlore. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma is the federal district court with jurisdiction in LeFlore County.
Latimer County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its county seat is Wilburton. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,444. The county was created at statehood in 1907 and named for James L. Latimer, a delegate from Wilburton to the 1906 state Constitutional Convention. Prior to statehood, it had been for several decades part of Gaines County, Sugar Loaf County, and Wade County in the Choctaw Nation.
Choctaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,204. Its county seat is Hugo.
Little River County is a county located on the southwest border of the U.S. state of Arkansas, bordering a corner with Texas and Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,026. The county seat is Ashdown.
Caddo is a town in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census, a 5.6 percent gain over the figure of 944 recorded in 2000. The name is derived from a Caddo word, ka do hada’ cho, meaning "real chief" in English. According to Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the town was named for the nearby Caddo Hills.
Hugo is a city in and the county seat of Choctaw County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located in southeastern Oklahoma, approximately 9 miles (14 km) north of the Texas state line. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,310.
Sawyer is a town in Choctaw County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 321 at the 2010 census.
Wilburton is a city in Latimer County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Latimer County. The city had a population of 2,285 as of the 2020 Census. Robbers Cave State Park is 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Wilburton.
Talihina is a town in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, United States, its name originating from two Choctaw words, tully and hena, meaning "iron road," a reference to the railroad around which the town was built. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 925 at the time of the 2020 Census.
Broken Bow is a city in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,120 at the 2010 census. It is named after Broken Bow, Nebraska, the former hometown of the city's founders, the Dierks brothers. Other Dierks-associated legacies in town include Dierks Elementary School, Dierks Street, and Dierks Train #227 which is preserved in Broken Bow.
Garvin is a town in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 256 at the 2010 census, compared to 143 in 2000.
Valliant is a town in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 754 at the 2010 census.
Choctaw is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, with a population of 12,182 at the 2020 census, a 9.3% increase from 2010. It is the oldest chartered town in Oklahoma Territory. The city is located approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) east of Oklahoma City and is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
Harrah is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Located 25 miles (40 km) east of downtown Oklahoma City, Harrah had a population of 6,245 people as of the 2020 Census, a 22.6% increase from 2010.
Albion is a town in northeast Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the Pushmataha-Latimer county line. The population was 106 at the 2010 census. When Albion was established, before Oklahoma became a state, the community was located in Wade County, Choctaw Nation, in what was then known as Indian Territory.
Antlers is a city in and the county seat of Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,221 as of the 2020 United States census. The town was named for a kind of tree that becomes festooned with antlers shed by deer, and is taken as a sign of the location of a spring frequented by deer.
Rattan is a town in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 276 at the 2020 census.
Broken Bow Lake is a reservoir in southeastern Oklahoma, located on Mountain Fork River and 9 miles (14 km) northeast of the town of Broken Bow in McCurtain County. It is one of the largest fresh water lakes within the state of Oklahoma, and a popular tourist destination for locals and visitors from neighboring Texas and Arkansas.
↑ "Station: Idabel, OK". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
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