Talihina, Oklahoma

Talihina, Oklahoma
—  Town  —
historic downtown Talihina
Location of Talihina, Oklahoma
Coordinates: 34°45′6″N 95°2′28″W
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
County	Le Flore
Area
• Total	0.8 sq mi (2.2 km2)
• Land	0.8 sq mi (2.2 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	682 ft (208 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	1,211
• Density	1,445.4/sq mi (558.1/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
FIPS code	40-72250
GNIS feature ID	1098731
Website	http://www.talihinacc.com

Talihina (pronounced "tah-luh-HEE-nuh") is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States, its name originating from two Choctaw words, tully and hena, meaning iron road. Iron road is reference to the railroad that the town was built around. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,211 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Talihina is located at 34°45′6″N 95°2′28″W (34.751602, -95.041207).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,211 people, 463 households, and 292 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,445.4 people per square mile (556.6/km²). There were 548 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile (251.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 54.75% White, 1.07% African American, 37.16% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 6.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population.

There were 463 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,875, and the median income for a family was $25,761. Males had a median income of $19,688 versus $17,216 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,405. About 23.7% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.7% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest

• Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority
• Kerr Arboretum and Botanical Area
• Talimena Scenic Drive
• Choctaw Museum, Village and Gift Shop
• Cedar Lake
• Pres. Kennedy Monument
• Three Sticks Monument
• Ouachita National Forest

Notes

Bob Neighbors, the only Major League Baseball player to be killed in the Korean War, was born in Talihina.

Sean Marsee (1965-February 25, 1984) was a Talihina high-school athlete who has become a national icon against the use of chewing tobacco.

The song Talihina Sky by Kings of Leon was featured as a hidden track on their Youth and Young Manhood 2003 debut album.

External links

• http://www.talihinacc.com
• Talihina Public Library
• Talihina Main Street
• Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority