Editing Bell, Oklahoma

{{Short description|Unincorporated community in Oklahoma, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Bell
|official_name            = 
|settlement_type          = [[census-designated place]] (CDP)
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Adair County Oklahoma incorporated and unincorporated areas Bell highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location within [[Adair County, Oklahoma|Adair County]] and the state of [[Oklahoma]]

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Oklahoma]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Oklahoma|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Adair County, Oklahoma|Adair]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.70
|area_land_sq_mi          = 4.70
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 191
|population_density_sq_mi = 40.63

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (Americas)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CST
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 948
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|44|12|N|94|34|04|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 
|area_code                = 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-05090
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2407825<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2407825}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_total_km2           = 12.18
|area_land_km2            = 12.18
|area_water_km2           = 0.01
|population_density_km2   = 15.69
}}
'''Bell''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Adair County, Oklahoma|Adair County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States. The population was 535 at the 2010 census, an 11.1 percent decline from the figure of 602 recorded in 2000.<ref>[http://censusviewer.com/city/OK/Bell CensusViewer:Bell, Oklahoma Population. Retrieved June 12, 2013.]</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|22.2|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2020= 191
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 602 people, 181 households, and 152 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|27.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 189 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 35.71% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.33% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 57.81% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.17% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 5.98% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.66% of the population.

There were 181 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.5% were non-families. 13.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.69.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 31.6% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $20,000, and the median income for a family was $23,482. Males had a median income of $20,450 versus $14,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $8,753. About 30.5% of families and 35.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 44.8% of those under age 18 and 37.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Bell waterline project==
In the early 1980s, the [[Cherokee Nation]], under the direction of [[Wilma Mankiller]] (then the director of the Cherokee Nation Community Development Department, later principal [[Tribal chief|chief]]) and her colleague (and future husband) Charlie Soap, put together a project to build a 16-mile waterline to Bell, where many of the residents still had no indoor plumbing. The tribe provided equipment and technological assistance, while Bell residents contributed most of the labor on a volunteer basis. The project drew widespread attention and launched Mankiller's political career.<ref>Wilma Mankiller and [[Michael Wallis]], ''Mankiller: A Chief and Her People'' ([[Macmillan Books]], 2000), {{ISBN|978-0312206628}}, pp. 233ff. [https://books.google.com/books?id=sO8MCP8ImYEC&dq=bell+waterline+mankiller&pg=PA233 Excerpts available] at [[Google Books]].</ref> The project is the subject of a 2013 feature film, ''The Cherokee Word for Water''.<ref>Michael Overall, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20121130_11_A10_CUTLIN758441 "'Cherokee Word for Water,' film about Wilma Mankiller, to premiere at Circle Cinema"], ''[[Tulsa World]]'', November 30, 2012 (pay site).</ref><ref>Teddye Snell, [http://tahlequahdailypress.com/local/x640622564/The-story-of-Bell " The story of Bell: A new movie will highlight a waterline project spurred by the late former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller."]  ''[[Tahlequah Daily Press]]'', August 30, 2011.</ref>

==Education==
Most of Bell is in the [[Stilwell Public Schools]] school district<!--UNI 28710--> while a part is in the [[Belfonte Public School]] school district<!--ELM 03840-->.<ref name=AdairCoCensusBureauSDMap2020>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40001_adair/DC20SD_C40001.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Adair County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=December 22, 2020 |access-date=2025-04-04}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40001_adair/DC20SD_C40001_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

It was formerly in the Bell Public School school district. In June 2010, after systemic auditing by the Oklahoma state Board of Education, the 200-year-old school district was demanded to be closed by the state. This was due to declared financial impropriety discovered during the auditing process. The Kindergarten through Eighth grade district, composed 97% by [[Cherokee]] children, was merged with two separate district. The Stilwell and Belfonte school districts were to fiscal responsibility for the students from the Bell district, and the former Bell school building was to remain open.<ref name="bellclosure">{{cite news|last=Adcock|first=Clifton|title=Bell Public Schools to close |newspaper=[[Tulsa World]] |date=June 24, 2010 |url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20100624_19_0_OKLAHO304531 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20121012111947/http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20100624_19_0_OKLAHO304531|archive-date=2012-10-12|accessdate=2010-06-26}}</ref><!--Alternate URL for this article: https://tulsaworld.com/archive/bell-public-schools-to-consolidate-with-stilwell-belfonte/article_3581fac9-5a94-5639-9d76-5165bfb4eefd.html -->

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External sources==
* [http://voicesofoklahoma.com/interview/mankiller-wilma/ Voices of Oklahoma interview with Wilma Mankiller.] First person interview conducted on August 13, 2009, with Wilma Mankiller, creator of the Bell Water Project.

{{Adair County, Oklahoma}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Adair County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Cherokee towns in Oklahoma]]