Tulsa County | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 36°07′N95°56′W / 36.12°N 95.94°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Oklahoma |
Founded | 1907 |
Named for | city of Tulsa |
Seat | Tulsa |
Largest city | Tulsa |
Area | |
• Total | 587 sq mi (1,520 km2) |
• Land | 570 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
• Water | 17 sq mi (40 km2) 2.9% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 669,279 |
• Estimate (2023) | 682,868 |
• Density | 1,100/sq mi (440/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 1st |
Website | www |
Tulsa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 669,279, [1] making it the second-most populous county in the state, behind only Oklahoma County. Its county seat and largest city is Tulsa, the second-largest city in the state. [2] Founded at statehood, in 1907, it was named after the previously established city of Tulsa. Before statehood, the area was part of both the Creek Nation and the Cooweescoowee District of Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory. Tulsa County is included in the Tulsa metropolitan statistical area. Tulsa County is notable for being the most densely populated county in the state. Tulsa County also ranks as having the highest income. [3]
The history of Tulsa County greatly overlaps the history of the city of Tulsa. This section addresses events that largely occurred outside the present city limits of Tulsa.
The Lasley Vore Site, along the Arkansas River south of Tulsa, was claimed by University of Tulsa anthropologist George Odell to be the most likely place where Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe first encountered a group of Wichita people in 1719. Odell's statement was based on finding both Wichita and French artifacts there during an architectural dig in 1988.
The U. S. Government's removal of Native American tribes from the southeastern United States to "Indian Territory" did not take into account how that would impact the lives and attitudes of the nomadic tribes that already used the same land as their hunting grounds. At first, Creek immigrants stayed close to Fort Gibson, near the confluence of the Arkansas and Verdigris rivers. However, the government encouraged newer immigrants to move farther up the Arkansas. The Osage tribe had agreed to leave the land near the Verdigris, but had not moved far and soon threatened the new Creek settlements. [4]
In 1831, a party led by Rev. Isaac McCoy and Lt. James L. Dawson blazed a trail up the north side of the Arkansas from Fort Gibson to its junction with the Cimarron River. In 1832, Dawson was sent again to select sites for military posts. One of his recommended sites was about two and a half miles downstream from the Cimarron River junction. The following year, Brevet Major George Birch and two companies of the 7th Infantry Regiment followed the "Dawson Road" to the aforementioned site. Flattering his former commanding officer, General Matthew Arbuckle, Birch named the site "Fort Arbuckle." [4] [5]
According to Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the fort was about 8 miles (13 km) west of the present city of Sand Springs, Oklahoma. [6] Author James Gardner visited the site in the early 1930s. His article describing the visit includes an old map showing the fort located on the north bank of the Arkansas River near Sand Creek, just south of the line separating Tulsa County and Osage County. After ground was cleared and a blockhouse built, Fort Arbuckle was abandoned November 11, 1834. The remnants of stockade and some chimneys could still be seen nearly a hundred years later. [5] The site was submerged when Keystone Lake was built.
Main article Battle of Chusto-Talasah
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, many Creeks and Seminoles in Indian Territory, led by Opothleyahola, retained their allegiance to the U. S. Government. In November 1861, Confederate Col. Douglas H. Cooper led a Confederate force against the Union supporters with the purpose of either compelling their submission or driving them out of the country. The first clash, known as the Battle of Round Mountain, occurred November 19, 1861. Although the Unionists successfully withstood the attack and mounted a counterattack, the Confederates claimed a strategic victory because the Unionists were forced to withdraw. [7]
The next battle occurred December 9, 1861. Col. Cooper's force attacked the Unionists at Chusto-Talasah (Caving Banks) on the Horseshoe Bend of Bird Creek in what is now Tulsa County. The Confederates drove the Unionists across Bird Creek, but could not pursue, because they were short of ammunition. Still, the Confederates could claim victory. [7]
The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad had extended its main line in Indian Territory from Vinita to Tulsa in 1883, where it stopped on the east side of the Arkansas River. The company, which later merged into the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway (familiarly known as the Frisco), then built a steel bridge across the river to extend the line to Red Fork. This bridge allowed cattlemen to load their animals onto the railroad west of the Arkansas instead of fording the river, as had been the practice previously. It also provided a safer and more convenient way to bring workers from Tulsa to the oil field after the 1901 discovery of oil in Red Fork.
A wildcat well named Sue Bland No. 1 hit paydirt at 540 feet on June 25, 1901, as a gusher. The well was on the property of Sue A. Bland (née Davis), located near the community of Red Fork. Mrs. Bland was a Creek citizen and wife of Dr. John C. W. Bland, the first practicing physician in Tulsa. The property was Mrs. Bland's homestead allotment. Oil produced by the well was shipped in barrels to the nearest refinery in Kansas, where it was sold for $1.00 a barrel. [8]
Other producing wells followed soon after. The next big strike in Tulsa County was the Glenn Pool Oil Reserve in the vicinity of where Glenpool, Oklahoma was later founded..
Ironically, while the city of Tulsa claimed to be "Oil Capital of the World" for much of the 20th century, a city ordinance banned drilling for oil within the city limits.
In 1911–1912, Tulsa County built a court house in Tulsa on the northeast corner of Sixth Street and South Boulder Avenue. Yule marble was used in its construction. The land had previously been the site of a mansion owned by George Perryman and his wife. This was the court house where a mob of white residents gathered on May 31, 1921, threatening to lynch a young black man held in the top-floor jail. It was the beginning of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
An advertisement for bids specified that the building should be fireproof, built of either reinforced concrete or steel and concrete. The size was to be 120 by 120 feet (37 by 37 m) with three floors and a full basement. Cost of the building was not to exceed $200,000. The jail on the top floor was not to exceed $25,000. [9]
The building continued to serve until the present court house building (shown above) opened at 515 South Denver. The old building was then demolished and the land was sold to private investors. The land is now the site of the Bank of America building, completed in 1967.
In the early 20th century, Tulsa was home to the "Black Wall Street", one of the most prosperous Black communities in the United States at the time. [10] Located in the Greenwood neighborhood, it was the site of the Tulsa Race Massacre, said to be "the single worst incident of racial violence in American history", [11] in which mobs of white Tulsans killed black Tulsans, looted and robbed the black community, and burned down homes and businesses. [10] Sixteen hours of massacring on May 31 and June 1, 1921, ended only when National Guardsmen were brought in by the Governor. An official report later claimed that 23 Black and 16 white citizens were killed, but other estimates suggest as many as 300 people died, most of them Black. [10] Over 800 people were admitted to local hospitals with injuries, and an estimated 1000 Black people were left homeless as 35 city blocks, composed of 1,256 residences, were destroyed by fire. Property damage was estimated at $1.8 million. [10] Efforts to obtain reparations for survivors of the violence have been unsuccessful, but the events were re-examined by the city and state in the early 21st century, acknowledging the terrible actions that had taken place. [12]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 587 square miles (1,520 km2), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (2.9%) is water. [13]
The Arkansas River drains most of the county. Keystone Lake, formed by a dam on the Arkansas River, lies partially in the county. Bird Creek and the Caney River, tributaries of the Verdigris River drain the northern part of the county. [6]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1910 | 34,995 | — | |
1920 | 109,023 | 211.5% | |
1930 | 187,574 | 72.0% | |
1940 | 193,363 | 3.1% | |
1950 | 251,686 | 30.2% | |
1960 | 346,038 | 37.5% | |
1970 | 401,663 | 16.1% | |
1980 | 470,593 | 17.2% | |
1990 | 503,341 | 7.0% | |
2000 | 563,299 | 11.9% | |
2010 | 603,403 | 7.1% | |
2020 | 669,279 | 10.9% | |
2023 (est.) | 682,868 | [14] | 2.0% |
U.S. Decennial Census [15] 1790-1960 [16] 1900-1990 [17] 1990-2000 [18] 2010-2019 [1] |
At the census of 2010, [19] there were 603,403 people, 241,737 households, and 154,084 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,059 inhabitants per square mile (409/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 69.2% White, 10.7% Black or African American, 6.0% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.8% from other races, and 5.8% from two or more races. 11.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race (8.8% Mexican). 14.2% were of German, 12.3% Irish, 8.8% English, 8.5% American, 2.3% French, and 2.3% Scottish ancestries. 88.3% spoke English, 8.1% Spanish, and 0.4% Vietnamese as their first language. [20] [21] At the 2020 census, its population grew to 669,279 people; in 2022, the American Community Survey estimated its population was 677,358. The 2021 estimated racial makeup of the county was 59.9% non-Hispanic white, 10.8% African American, 7.3% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.6% multiracial, and 13.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race. [22]
As of 2010, there were 241,737 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07. In 2021, there were 295,350 households with a median house value of $168,800. The county had a median rent of $929. [22]
As of 2010 in the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
As of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $47,005, and the median income for a family was $60,093. The per capita income for the county was $27,425. About 11.0% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. [23] [24] Of the county's population over the age of 25, 29.2% held a bachelor's degree or higher, and 88.2% have a high school diploma or equivalent. As of 2021, its median household income was $60,382 and 14.7% of the population lived at or below the poverty line. [22]
Tulsa County has nine elected county officials: three county commissioners, a county sheriff, a district attorney, an assessor, a treasurer, a county clerk, and a county court clerk. [25]
Position | Official | First Elected | Next Re-election Year | Party |
---|---|---|---|---|
County Commissioner District 1 | Stan Sallee | 2018 | 2026 | Rep |
County Commissioner District 2 | Karen Keith | 2009 | 2024 | Dem |
County Commissioner District 3 | Kelly Dunkerley | 2023 | 2026 | Rep |
District Attorney | Steve Kunzweiler | 2015 | 2026 | Rep |
County Assessor | John A. Wright | 2018 | 2026 | Rep |
County Clerk | Michael Willis | 2017 | 2024 | Rep |
County Court Clerk | Don Newberry | 2017 | 2024 | Rep |
County Sheriff | Vic Regalado | 2017 | 2024 | Rep |
County Treasurer | John Fothergill | 2020 | 2026 | Rep |
Tulsa County is very conservative for an urban county; it has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1940. [26] The county's Republican bent predates Oklahoma's swing toward the GOP.
George H. W. Bush in 1992 remains the only Republican since Alf Landon in 1936 to fail to obtain a majority in the county, and even then only because of Ross Perot’s strong third-party candidacy. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat since Lyndon Johnson in 1964 to win more than 40% of the vote in Tulsa County, and only the second to do so since 1948. It is one of only two counties in the state, alongside Oklahoma County, where Biden outperformed Southerner Jimmy Carter's 1976 margin, when he narrowly lost the state.
In 2022, Democratic gubernatorial candidate (and county resident) Joy Hofmeister narrowly carried the county, 49.1-48.9, against incumbent Republican Kevin Stitt. [27] This was the first time Tulsa County had backed a Democratic gubernatorial candidate since 2006, and the first time in its history that it had ever backed a losing Democrat for governor. [28]
The city of Tulsa proper is a swing city. After voting for Donald Trump in 2016 by four points, it swung to a six-point win for Joe Biden in 2020, and also backed Drew Edmondson for Governor in 2018 by 13 points. The suburbs and rural communities, however, remain very strongly Republican. [29] [30] [31] [32]
In February 2020, registered Republicans were reduced from a majority to a plurality in the county's voter registration. [33]
Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of 2024 [34] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
Republican | 183,111 | 48.50% | |||
Democratic | 117,864 | 31.20% | |||
Libertarian | 3,517 | 0.90% | |||
Unaffiliated | 73,161 | 19.40% | |||
Total | 377,653 | 100% |
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2024 | 145,241 | 56.53% | 106,105 | 41.30% | 5,593 | 2.18% |
2020 | 150,574 | 56.46% | 108,996 | 40.87% | 7,108 | 2.67% |
2016 | 144,258 | 58.39% | 87,847 | 35.56% | 14,949 | 6.05% |
2012 | 145,062 | 63.68% | 82,744 | 36.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
2008 | 158,363 | 62.23% | 96,133 | 37.77% | 0 | 0.00% |
2004 | 163,452 | 64.43% | 90,220 | 35.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
2000 | 134,152 | 61.34% | 81,656 | 37.34% | 2,883 | 1.32% |
1996 | 111,243 | 53.65% | 76,924 | 37.10% | 19,189 | 9.25% |
1992 | 117,465 | 49.13% | 71,165 | 29.77% | 50,438 | 21.10% |
1988 | 127,512 | 64.48% | 69,044 | 34.91% | 1,207 | 0.61% |
1984 | 159,549 | 72.90% | 58,274 | 26.62% | 1,049 | 0.48% |
1980 | 124,643 | 66.25% | 53,438 | 28.40% | 10,067 | 5.35% |
1976 | 108,653 | 61.63% | 65,298 | 37.04% | 2,349 | 1.33% |
1972 | 125,278 | 77.75% | 32,779 | 20.34% | 3,069 | 1.90% |
1968 | 81,476 | 57.11% | 32,748 | 22.95% | 28,443 | 19.94% |
1964 | 76,770 | 55.53% | 61,484 | 44.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 89,899 | 63.03% | 52,725 | 36.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
1956 | 83,219 | 65.51% | 43,805 | 34.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
1952 | 73,862 | 61.25% | 46,728 | 38.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
1948 | 42,892 | 52.67% | 38,548 | 47.33% | 0 | 0.00% |
1944 | 42,663 | 56.00% | 33,436 | 43.89% | 89 | 0.12% |
1940 | 40,342 | 54.83% | 33,098 | 44.99% | 135 | 0.18% |
1936 | 28,759 | 40.88% | 41,256 | 58.65% | 328 | 0.47% |
1932 | 25,541 | 41.96% | 35,330 | 58.04% | 0 | 0.00% |
1928 | 38,769 | 70.49% | 16,062 | 29.20% | 167 | 0.30% |
1924 | 19,537 | 55.54% | 14,377 | 40.87% | 1,265 | 3.60% |
1920 | 14,357 | 57.43% | 10,025 | 40.10% | 617 | 2.47% |
1916 | 3,857 | 41.74% | 4,497 | 48.67% | 886 | 9.59% |
1912 | 2,029 | 37.95% | 2,747 | 51.37% | 571 | 10.68% |
1908 | 2,150 | 46.04% | 2,292 | 49.08% | 228 | 4.88% |
River Parks was established in 1974 as a joint operation of the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County, with funding from both governments as well as private entities. It is not a part of the Tulsa Parks and Recreation Department, but is managed by the River Parks Authority. It is a series of linear parks that run adjacent to the Arkansas River for about 10 miles (16 km) from downtown to the Jenks bridge. Since 2007 a significant portion of the River Parks area has been renovated with new trails, landscaping and playground equipment. The River Parks Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area on the west side of the Arkansas River in south Tulsa is a 300 acres (120 ha) area that contains over 45 miles (72 km) of dirt trails available for hiking, trail running, mountain biking and horseback riding. [36] The "Tulsa Townies" organization provide bicycles that may be checked out for use. There are three kiosks in the parks where bicycles may be obtained or returned. [37]
Public school districts include: [44]
Public institutions:
Private institutions:
The following sites in Tulsa County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
Rogers County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,240, making it the sixth-most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Claremore. Rogers County is included in the Tulsa, OK metropolitan statistical area.
Osage County is the largest county by area in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Created in 1907 when Oklahoma was admitted as a state, the county is named for and is home to the federally recognized Osage Nation. The county is coextensive with the Osage Nation Reservation, established by treaty in the 19th century when the Osage relocated there from Kansas. The county seat is in Pawhuska, one of the first three towns established in the county. The total population of the county as of 2020 was 45,818.
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 66,339. The county seat is Muskogee. The county and city were named for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The official spelling of the name was changed to Muskogee by the post office in 1900. Muskogee County is part of the Muskogee, OK micropolitan statistical area, which is included in the Tulsa-Muskogee-Bartlesville combined statistical area.
Murray County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,904. The county seat is Sulphur. The county was named for William H. Murray, a member and president of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention and later a Governor of Oklahoma.
Mayes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,046. Its county seat is Pryor Creek. Named for Samuel Houston Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899, it was originally created at the Sequoyah Convention in August 1905.
Grady County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 54,795. Its county seat is Chickasha. It was named for Henry W. Grady, an editor of the Atlanta Constitution and southern orator.
Cleveland County is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 295,528 at the 2020 United States census, making it the third-most populous county in Oklahoma. Its county seat is Norman. The county was named for U.S. President Grover Cleveland. Cleveland County is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan statistical area.
Benton County is a county in the Northwest region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Created as Arkansas' 35th county on September 30, 1836, Benton County contains thirteen incorporated municipalities, including Bentonville, the county seat, and Rogers, the most populous city. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri influential in Arkansas statehood.
Sapulpa is a city in Creek and Tulsa counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 21,929 at the time of the 2020 census, compared with 20,544 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Creek County.
Grove is a city in Delaware County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,623 at the 2010 census, an increase of 27.6 percent over the figure of 5,131 recorded in 2000. Grove is surrounded by Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, a professional bass fishing tournament lake and recreational hotspot during the travel season of Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Muskogee is the 13th-largest city in Oklahoma and is the county seat of Muskogee County. Home to Bacone College, it lies approximately 48 miles (77 km) southeast of Tulsa. The population of the city was 36,878 as of the 2020 census, a 6.0% decrease from 39,223 in 2010.
Okmulgee is a city in and the county seat of Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States, and is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area. The name is from the Muskogee word okimulgi, which means "boiling waters". The site was chosen because of the nearby rivers and springs. Okmulgee is 38 miles south of Tulsa and 13 miles north of Henryetta via US-75.
Claremore is a city in and the county seat of Rogers County in Green Country, northeastern Oklahoma, United States. The population was 19,580 at the 2020 census, a 5.4 percent increase over the figure of 18,581 recorded in 2010. Located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It is home of Rogers State University and is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area.
Sand Springs is a city in Osage, Creek and Tulsa counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A western suburb of Tulsa, it is located predominantly in Tulsa County. The population was 19,874 in the 2020 U. S. Census, an increase of 5.1 percent from the figure of 18,906 recorded in 2010.
Bixby is a city in Tulsa and Wagoner counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma; it is a suburb of Tulsa. Its population was 28,609 at the 2020 census and 20,884 in the 2010 census, an increase of 13.70 percent In 2010, Bixby became the 19th largest city in Oklahoma. It is nicknamed "The Garden Spot of Oklahoma" for its rich agrarian heritage. Although it is one of the fastest-growing communities in Oklahoma, it remains a sod-growing center and a popular location for purchasing fresh vegetables. The per capita income of $36,257 is the highest in the Tulsa metropolitan area and is more than 50 percent higher than the state average.
Broken Arrow is a city in Tulsa and Wagoner counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the largest suburb of Tulsa. According to the 2020 census, Broken Arrow has a population of 113,540 residents and is the 4th most populous city in the state. The city is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, which has a population of 1,023,988 residents.
West Tulsa is a local name given to an area situated in the west section of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma which includes various communities to the west and south of the Arkansas River. As development between Sand Springs and Tulsa continued in the late 19th through the early 20th centuries, the name West Tulsa was used to refer to this area west of Tulsa and north of the Arkansas River, but many people in Tulsa and those knowing of the history of Tulsa do not include this area near Sand Springs when referring to West Tulsa.
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma. It has many diverse neighborhoods due to its size.
The Tulsa metropolitan area, officially defined as the Tulsa metropolitan statistical area is a metropolis in northeastern Oklahoma centered around the city of Tulsa and encompassing Tulsa, Rogers, Wagoner, Osage, Creek, Okmulgee and Pawnee counties. It had a population of 1,044,757 according to the 2023 U.S. census estimates.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States.