Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Pauls Valley, Oklahoma
City

Location of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma
Coordinates: 34°44′29″N 97°13′14″W / 34.74139°N 97.22056°W / 34.74139; -97.22056Coordinates: 34°44′29″N 97°13′14″W / 34.74139°N 97.22056°W / 34.74139; -97.22056
Country United States
State Oklahoma
County Garvin
Area
 • Total 8.4 sq mi (21.9 km2)
 • Land 8.3 sq mi (21.6 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation 873 ft (266 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 6,187
 • Density 749.9/sq mi (289.5/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 73075
Area code(s) 405
FIPS code 40-57550[1]
GNIS feature ID 1096470[2]
Website http://www.paulsvalley.com

Pauls Valley is a city in and the county seat of Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,187 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1.1 percent from 6,256 at the 2000 census.[3] It was settled by and named for Smith Paul, a North Carolina native who married a Chickasaw woman and became a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation before the Civil War. The town economy is largely based on agriculture and oil production.[4]

History

The area that eventually became the city of Pauls Valley was one of the earliest European settlements in what was then known as Indian Territory. Smith Paul, born in 1809 in New Bern, North Carolina, discovered the fertile bottom land which is now Pauls Valley while a member of a wagon train traveling to California. Paul described the land as "a section where the bottom land was rich and blue stem grass grew so high that a man on horseback was almost hidden in its foliage".[4]

The Tri-Party Treaty of January 1, 1837, ceded this part of what is now the State of Oklahoma to the Chickasaw Nation. When the Chickasaw Indians were relocated to Indian Territory that year, Smith Paul moved with them and married Ela-Teecha, a Chickasaw Indian woman. In 1847, the Pauls settled on the rich Garvin County bottom land which became known to locals as "Smith Paul’s Valley".[5] By 1871, postal service was established in the area, although the post office was accidentally designated "Paul's Valley, Arkansas" as the Indian Territory was being administered out of Arkansas.[6] The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway shortened the name to "Paul’s Valley" when the railroad came to town in 1887.

The railroad brought growth and prosperity to Smith Paul's Valley. The first newspaper was published in 1887. The Pauls Valley townsite was laid out in 1892. A U.S. courthouse was built in 1895. The first white school in Indian Territory was established, and brick buildings were built downtown. In 1909, the streets were bricked.[7] Today, Pauls Valley has more brick streets—17,986 square yards (15,039 m2)—than any other town in the United States.[8]

The Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame located in the Toy and Action Figure Museum was opened in Pauls Valley in 2005.[9]

Geography

Pauls Valley is located at 34°44′9″N 97°13′25″W / 34.73583°N 97.22361°W / 34.73583; -97.22361 (34.735831, -97.223503).[10]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.4 square miles (22 km2), of which 8.3 square miles (21 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (1.18%) is water.

The Pauls Valley City Lake, located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Pauls Valley, offers recreational opportunities, including fishing, camping, swimming, Jet Skiing, hunting, and a pavilion for groups to use.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19001,467—
19102,68983.3%
19203,69437.4%
19304,23514.6%
19405,10420.5%
19506,89635.1%
19606,856−0.6%
19705,769−15.9%
19805,664−1.8%
19906,1508.6%
20006,2561.7%
20106,187−1.1%
Est. 20146,070[11]−1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were over 9,000 people, 2,475 households, and 1,591 families residing in the city. The population density was 749.9 inhabitants per square mile (289.5/km2). There were 3,007 housing units at an average density of 360.4 per square mile (139.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 79.27% White, 5.29% African American, 7.40% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.47% from other races, and 3.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.53% of the population.

There were 2,475 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,654, and the median income for a family was $32,348. Males had a median income of $27,014 versus $18,965 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,553. About 12.9% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Agricultural is the primary economic activity in the Pauls Valley area. Corn, wheat, hay, and cotton have been grown successfully in the region and cattle production is also a major activity. Petroleum industry services is the second largest activity in the region.[6]

Education

Pauls Valley Public Schools provides education for Pauls Valley.[13]

Public Schools:

Transportation

Notable residents

References

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ Census:Viewer:Pauls Valley, Oklahoma Population. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  4. 1 2 Lough, D. Keith. "Garvin County". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Pauls Valley, Oklahoma". LASR. 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  6. 1 2 Tower, Michael. "Pauls Valley". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  7. ↑ "Pauls Valley Historical Society". Pauls Valley Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  8. ↑ "Pauls Valley". Heartland Flyer. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  9. ↑ Bru-Hed (December 12, 2005). "New Cartoonists Hall of Fame Collection & Museum!". Comics Buyer's Guide. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2012.
  10. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  11. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Pauls Valley Public Schools". Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  14. ↑ Henry E. Chambers, History of Louisiana, Vol. 2 (Chicago and New York City: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925, p. 71)
  15. ↑ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EasoRo20.htm
  16. ↑ http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rushing_tj00.html

External links

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