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Stilwell, Oklahoma

Coordinates: 35°48′55″N 94°37′53″W / 35.81528°N 94.63139°W / 35.81528; -94.63139
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Stilwell, Oklahoma
City
Defunct train station in Stilwell
Defunct train station in Stilwell
Location within Adair County and the state of Oklahoma
Location within Adair County and the state of Oklahoma
Coordinates: 35°48′55″N 94°37′53″W / 35.81528°N 94.63139°W / 35.81528; -94.63139
CountryUnited States
StateOklahoma
CountyAdair
Incorporated1897
Government
 • TypeMayor and council
Area
[1]
 • Total3.27 sq mi (8.46 km2)
 • Land3.24 sq mi (8.40 km2)
 • Water0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation
1,089 ft (332 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total3,949
 • Estimate 
(2019)[2]
4,060
 • Density1,252.31/sq mi (483.48/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
74960
Area code(s)539/918 (918 Exchanges:696,797)
FIPS code40-70350[3]
GNIS feature ID1098544[4]
Websitecityofstilwell.com

Stilwell is a city and county seat of Adair County, Oklahoma, United States.[5] The population was 3,949 at the 2010 census, an increase of 20.5 percent over the figure of 3,276 recorded in 2000.[6] In 1949, the Oklahoma governor and legislature proclaimed Stilwell as the "Strawberry Capital of the World." Stilwell also serves as a gateway to Lake Tenkiller and Adair Park, formerly Adair State Park[7]

History

Stilwell’s history began in 1838 as an end of the Trail of Tears after the U.S. federal government forcibly relocated thousands of indigenous people to the area. The event was called nu na da ul tsun yi in Cherokee language, or "the place where they cried". The government set up a “disbandment depot” outside what is present-day Stilwell in the early months of 1839 to hand out food and supplies to the newly arrived Indigenous people.[8] Those with resources quickly left to settle across the rest of Indian Territory, but the sickest and poorest stayed in the Stilwell area, close to the safety of the depot.[9]

The Kansas City Southern Railway built a rail line through what is present-day Stilwell in 1896.[10] Stilwell was built because of the rail line, and was incorporated as a town on January 2, 1897. The town was named after Arthur Stilwell, noted philanthropist and founder of the Kansas City Southern Railway.[11][12]

As early as 1901, Stilwell and Westville vied for the role of county seat. When Adair County was formed in 1907, Westville was identified as the county seat, due partly to its location at the intersection of two major railroads: the Kansas City Southern Railway and the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway.[11] After three intensely contested elections, however, Oklahoma governor Charles Haskell proclaimed Stilwell as the county seat on May 6, 1910.[7][13]

Stilwell was served by Kansas City Southern’s Southern Belle passenger rail line until November 2, 1969. The town’s defunct train station was closed on February 22, 1971 and fell into disrepair due to vandalism.[14] The station building itself was restored in 2004 though passenger rail service was not.[15]

During the Great Depression and World War II, strawberries emerged a major crop and cornerstone of the local economy. In 1948, the first Stilwell Strawberry Festival was organized, and in 1949, the state governor and legislature proclaimed Stilwell as "Strawberry Capital of the World." Over time, the strawberry industry weakened, cultivated acreage decreased and the role of strawberries in the local economy dissipated.[16] Despite this, Stilwell still holds the Strawberry Festival annually and the 2015 festival had approximately 30,000 people in attendance.[17]

Geography

Tornados are common around Stilwell during tornado season.[18]

Stilwell is located at 35°48′55″N 94°37′53″W / 35.81528°N 94.63139°W / 35.81528; -94.63139 (35.815234, -94.631359).[19] It is 8 miles (13 km) west of the Arkansas state line and 23 miles (37 km) east of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Stilwell is at the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 51. Sallisaw and Little Lee creeks are nearby.[20]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2), of which 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.63%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1900779—
19101,03933.4%
19201,15511.2%
19301,36618.3%
19401,71725.7%
19501,8135.6%
19601,9165.7%
19702,13411.4%
19802,36911.0%
19902,66312.4%
20003,27623.0%
20103,94920.5%
2019 (est.)4,060[2]2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[21]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 3,276 people, 1,269 households, and 809 families residing in the city. The ethnic makeup of the Stilwell is 48.41% Indigenous, 41.88% White, 0.49% African American, 0.21% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.45% from other races, and 5.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents representing any race are 6.99% of the population.

There were 1,269 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no partner present, and 36.2% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.6 males. The population density was 1,033.7 people per square mile (399.0/km2). There were 1,434 housing units at an average density of 452.5 per square mile (174.7/km2).

Economy

Stilwell’s economy is characterized by high rates of poverty, low incomes and a low standard of living.[22] Stilwell was ranked the poorest economy of any town in Oklahoma in 2015.[23]

The per capita income for Stilwell is $12,872 per year, and median household income is $31,637 per year, as of 2017.[24] As of 2017, 49.0% of children in Stilwell and 37.2% of the general population are living below the poverty line. Poverty in the town is increasing[24] and 50.4% of residents do not have an internet subscription.[25]

Agriculture has been the mainstay of the local economy for a century. Strawberry farming was particularly successful during the Great Depression and World War II. At its peak, the town had about 2,000 acres of farmland devoted to strawberries. Ranching became important around 1960 and the town’s local industries were largely an outgrowth of agriculture. Employers included Tyson Foods, the Stilwell Canning Company and its successor, Mrs. Smith's Bakery/Stilwell Foods, Cherokee Nation Industries, and Facet Industries.[7] As of 2021, the minimum wage in Stilwell is $7.25 per hour. For full-time students, tipped employees, farm workers, seasonal workers and people with disabilities, the minimum wage is $2.13 per hour.[26]

Health

File:Stilwell Oklahoma mural.jpg
Mural on a wall in Stilwell: "Strawberry Capital of the World"

Scientists have suggested Stilwell’s environment may be contaminated with unsafe levels of mercury, and as of 2021, studies are ongoing.[27] Rainfall samples collected over a 13-year span at an air quality station near Stilwell found abnormally high levels of mercury. The study found an annual average mercury concentration of nearly 11 ng/l, about one and a half times higher than the national average.[27] The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality warned residents against eating certain fish from Stilwell's city lake in 2019, furthering suspicion that the town's aquifer could be contaminated.[28]

Stilwell was labelled "the early death capital of the world" after a detailed report by the National Center for Health Statistics surfaced in 2018 indicating the town's life expectancy was just 56.3 years. The agency stated the report was their "most detailed local health data ever released"[29] and stated Stilwell residents had a life expectancy lower than every jurisdiction in North America, Europe or Asia, with a similar life-expectancy to the poorest regions of sub-Saharan Africa.[29][30] The Cherokee Nation disputed the report initially before further studies were done, stating the data "has to be flawed.”[31] In February 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated they would soon release their own report increasing the town's life expectancy figure to 74 years.[32][33] The CDC stated that the National Center for Health Statistics report was "flawed" because 90 deceased individuals with P.O. box addresses in Stilwell that lived outside city limits were included in the report, producing inaccurate data. Despite the correction, Stilwell’s Roberts Reed Culver Funeral Home reports half of all funerals performed in 2018 were for people in their 50’s and 60’s.[34]

16% of adults in Stilwell have diabetes, 27% smoke, and 42% are obese, according to the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences.[35] Health services include the Cherokee Nation Wilma Mankiller Health Clinic, the Stilwell Memorial Hospital, the Oklahoma Department of Public Health, and the Stilwell Nursing Home.[7] According to the Census Bureau, 28.5% of all residents, and 60% of those in Stilwell who are unemployed do not have health insurance.[24]

Education

Stilwell Public Schools provides education for children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. There is one elementary school, one middle school and one high school. Technical or vocational studies beyond high school level are offered by the Indian Capital Technology Center campus in Stilwell.[7]

Stilwell was briefly served by the Flaming Rainbow University, a private, baccalaureate university between 1971 - 1989.[36] Despite being dubbed a "non-traditional university", it obtained accreditation from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in 1974 and was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.[37] According to its founder, David Hilligoss, the school was created to "Provide an education to Isolated Indians and rural whites in this beautifully treed and poverty stricken section of the state". The Flaming Rainbow University was named in honor of a Sioux medicine man's vision, which featured a rainbow symbolizing knowledge and its power.[38] The university lost all accreditation in 1989 and closed.

Government

Stilwell has a mayor-council form of government, with five members on the city council. City departments reporting to the mayor include the police department, volunteer fire department, sewer and garbage service, natural gas and electric service. As of 2021, the mayor of Stilwell is Jean Ann Wright. She was elected in 2019 and is the first Indigenous woman to hold the office.[39] The town has voted staunchly Republican for over 45 years.[40] 77.5% of voters in Stilwell voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.[41]

After being de-funded and closed by the Oklahoma state government, Adair Park in Stilwell has since been acquired by the county government.[42] There is limited bus transit service in the town, though it is primarily focused on serving elderly and disabled people and is funded through a private nonprofit corporation.[43]

Crime

Stilwell has one of the highest crime rates in America, compared to communities of all sizes. The crime rate in Stilwell is 122% higher than the national average, and 71% higher than the state average.[44] Violent crime has increased every year since 2009[45] and Stilwell has an incarceration rate higher than what's found in every other country in the world.[46] The murder rate in Stilwell is 10 per 100,000 people, double the national average.[47]

Approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) southeast of Stilwell is Elohim City, an armed, evangelical, white supremacist compound with alleged ties to the Oklahoma City Bombing.[48] An Associated Press investigation from 2003 concluded that white supremacists from Elohim City played a “major role” in the terrorist attack.[49] The Southern Poverty Law Center calls the compound “the meeting ground for America’s most sinister extremists”.[50]

NRHP Sites

Main article: National Register of Historic Places listings in Adair County, Oklahoma

Sites in Stilwell listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ^ CensusViewer:Stilwell, Oklahoma Population
  7. ^ a b c d e Barker, Betty Starr. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Stilwell." Retrieved September 10, 2010.[1] Archived 2010-05-01 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ "Stilwell and the Trail of Tears" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ World, Michael Overall Tulsa. "Stilwell, Oklahoma, has lowest life expectancy in the United States". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  10. ^ "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  11. ^ a b Hill, Luther B. (1910). A History of the State of Oklahoma. Vol. I. The Lewis Publishing Company. p. 470.
  12. ^ Barker, Betty Starr. "Stilwell". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on May 1, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  13. ^ Oklahoma Almanac Online (PDF). Oklahoma Department of Libraries. 2005.
  14. ^ "Stilwell train depot remains Adair County fixture". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  15. ^ "Tracks to a new era: Stilwell revives old train station". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  16. ^ "Stilwell | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". www.okhistory.org. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  17. ^ "Economic Contribution of the Stilwell Strawberry Festival to Adair County's Economy" (PDF).
  18. ^ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Adair County, OK Tornadoes (1875-Present)". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  19. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  20. ^ Whitaker, Rachel. "Adair County". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2010-07-28. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
  21. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  22. ^ Writer, MICHAEL OVERALL World Staff. "Rural poverty: 'A way of life' for numerous Oklahomans". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  23. ^ "The Poorest Town in Each State". 247wallst.com. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  24. ^ a b c Bureau, U. S. Census. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-01-22. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  25. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Adair County, Oklahoma". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  26. ^ "Oklahoma Department of Labor - Wage and Hour". www.ok.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  27. ^ a b Sather, Mark E.; Mukerjee, Shaibal; Smith, Luther; Mathew, Johnson; Jackson, Clarence; Callison, Ryan; Scrapper, Larry; Hathcoat, April; Adam, Jacque; Keese, Danielle; Ketcher, Philip (2013-04-01). "Gaseous oxidized mercury dry deposition measurements in the Four Corners area and Eastern Oklahoma, U.S.A." Atmospheric Pollution Research. 4 (2): 168–180. doi:10.5094/APR.2013.017. ISSN 1309-1042.
  28. ^ dsmoot@muskogeephoenix.com, D. E. Smoot. "Fish consumption advisory at Stilwell Lake furthers suspicions". Muskogee Phoenix. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  29. ^ a b "The Strawberry Capital of the World is the early death capital of the world".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ World, Michael Overall Tulsa. "Stilwell, Oklahoma, has lowest life expectancy in the United States". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  31. ^ staff, Maureen Wurtz, KTUL (2020-02-24). "CDC data was "flawed" when it listed Stilwell as the town with the lowest life expectancy". KTUL. Retrieved 2021-01-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ Overall, Michael. "Oklahoma town doesn't have the nation's lowest life expectancy after all". Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  33. ^ Wurtz, Maureen. "CDC data was "flawed" when it listed Stilwell as the town with the lowest life expectancy". Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  34. ^ Wurtz, Maureen (2019-02-04). "Living to 56: A look at life in Stilwell, Oklahoma". KTUL. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  35. ^ "Stilwell, Oklahoma, tops troubling list: shortest life spans in nation". Omaha.com. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  36. ^ "UWW Flaming Rainbow | University Without Walls Research Collaborative". Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  37. ^ "School Fights Tradition, Seeks Own Credibility". Oklahoman.com. 1986-03-02. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  38. ^ Fink, Jerry. "Indian College Might Lose Federal Funds". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  39. ^ "Election 2019 | Stilwell, OK". www.cityofstilwell.com. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  40. ^ "Adair County, Oklahoma". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  41. ^ "OK Election Results". results.okelections.us. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  42. ^ "All Seven Oklahoma State Parks Slated For Closure To Remain Open." News on 6. August 12, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  43. ^ "KI BOIS About Us". www.kibois.org. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  44. ^ "Stilwell, OK Crime Rates & Crime Map". www.areavibes.com. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  45. ^ "Crime in Stilwell, Oklahoma". www.city-data.com. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  46. ^ Initiative, Prison Policy. "States of Incarceration: The Global Context 2018". www.prisonpolicy.org. Retrieved 2020-09-02. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  47. ^ "Stilwell, Oklahoma, tops troubling list: shortest life spans in nation". Omaha.com. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  48. ^ "ADL Combating Hate: Elohim City" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  49. ^ "Where there more OKC conspirators?: The Elohim City Mystery". law2.umkc.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  50. ^ "Who's Afraid of Elohim City? | This Land Press - Made by You and Me". thislandpress.com. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
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