Editing Broken Bow, Oklahoma

{{short description|City in Oklahoma, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Broken Bow, Oklahoma
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Broken Bow August 2018 06 (City of Broken Bow Municipal Offices).jpg
|image_caption            = Broken Bow Municipal Offices
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = OKMap-doton-BrokenBow.PNG
|map_caption              = Location of Broken Bow, Oklahoma
|image_map1               = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Oklahoma]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Oklahoma|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[McCurtain County, Oklahoma|McCurtain]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = Council-manager
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Jerry Don Smith
|leader_title1            = City Manager             
|leader_name1             = Vicki Pieratt
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|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_total_km2           = 16.13
|area_land_km2            = 15.93
|area_water_km2           = 0.20
|area_total_sq_mi         = 6.23
|area_land_sq_mi          = 6.15
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.07

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 4228
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|population_density_km2   = 265.36
|population_density_sq_mi = 687.26

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (Americas)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 453
|coordinates              = {{coord|34|1|47|N|94|44|30|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 74728
|area_code                = [[Area code 580|580]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-09100<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2409915<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2409915}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://cityofbrokenbow.com/}}
}}
[[Image:Downtown Broken Bow, OK IMG 8546.JPG|thumb|A portion of downtown Broken Bow]]

'''Broken Bow''' is a city in [[McCurtain County, Oklahoma|McCurtain County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States. The population was 4,120 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]]. It is named after [[Broken Bow, Nebraska]], the former hometown of the city's founders, the [[Dierks Forests|Dierks brothers]].<ref name="lagasse">{{cite web|url= https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=BR020 |title=Broken Bow|publisher= G. Paulette LaGasse, Oklahoma Historical Society|access-date=July 13, 2020}}</ref>  Other Dierks-associated legacies in town include Dierks Elementary School,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbisd.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Dierks%20Elementary |title=Dierks Elementary|publisher=Broken Bow Public Schools|access-date=July 13, 2020}}</ref> Dierks Street,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dierks+St,+Broken+Bow,+OK+74728/@34.0321551,-94.7368766,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x86356acefa598271:0xf87ae627cb66f4e8!8m2!3d34.0321551!4d-94.7346826 |title=Dierks St, Broken Bow, OK|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=July 13, 2020}}</ref> and Dierks Train #227 which is preserved in Broken Bow.<ref name=Train>{{cite web|url= http://cityofbrokenbow.com/dierks-train-227/ | title= Dierks Train #227|publisher=City of Broken Bow|access-date=July 13, 2020}}</ref>

==History==
The land that would become Broken Bow was owned by the [[Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma|Choctaw tribe]] prior to being settled by colonizers. Growing around a lumber company started by two brothers, Broken Bow had a population of 1,983, just a decade after its incorporation in 1911.<ref name="lagasse"/> The city lies within the [[Little Dixie (Oklahoma)|Little Dixie]] region of [[Oklahoma]], an area originally settled largely by Southerners seeking a new start following the [[American Civil War]].

The city was the location of the wounding and capture of murderer [[Richard Snell (criminal)|Richard Wayne Snell]] in 1984, following his shootout with local police.<ref>[[Richard Wayne Snell]] at Wikipedia.org</ref> Snell had shot and killed two men in [[Arkansas]], a [[pawn shop]] owner and [[Arkansas State Police|Arkansas State Trooper]] Louis P. Bryant.<ref>[http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=2415 Trooper Louis P. Bryant] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930013156/http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=2415 |date=2007-09-30 }}. ''The Officer Down Memorial, Inc.''. (accessed April 6, 2010).</ref>

At the time of its founding, Broken Bow was located in [[Bok Tuklo, Choctaw Nation|Bok Tuklo County]] of the [[Apukshunnubbee District|Apukshunubbee District]], one of three administrative super-regions of the Choctaw Nation.<ref>Morris, John W. ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma, 1986), plate 38.</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|5.0|sqmi|km2}}, of which 5.0&nbsp;square miles (13.0&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) is land, and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} (0.40%) is water.

Broken Bow is served by [[US Route 70]], [[US Route 259]], and [[Oklahoma State Highway 3]].<ref name=Google1/>  [[Intercity bus service]] is available from [[Jefferson Lines]] in [[De Queen, Arkansas]], about 24 miles east.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.jeffersonlines.com/bus-stops/arkansas/ |title=Arkansas Bus Stops|publisher=Jefferson Lines|access-date=January 10, 2021}}</ref><ref name=Google1>{{cite web|url= https://www.google.com/maps/dir/De+Queen,+Arkansas+71832/Broken+Bow,+OK+74728/@34.0435436,-94.6808775,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8634e0e5420c7b0f:0x537c5348912097ed!2m2!1d-94.3413168!2d34.0378916!1m5!1m1!1s0x863534897ba2d193:0xcb8dc03b82db6793!2m2!1d-94.7391045!2d34.0292764 |title=De Queen, Arkansas to Broken Bow, Oklahoma|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=January 10, 2021}}</ref>

The city of Broken Bow stands in a unique transition zone between the [[Red River of the South|Red River]] basin and the [[Ouachita Mountains]]. While the Ouachita Mountains are sandstone ridges that are considered the roughest land in Oklahoma, the Red River basin is considered fertile.<ref>[http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ok_geography.htm Oklahoma Geography], NetState.com (accessed February 9, 2010).</ref> North of Broken Bow is [[Broken Bow Lake]], created by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] by damming the [[Mountain Fork|Mountain Fork River]].<ref name="lagasse"/> The lake's creation forced [[Hochatown, Oklahoma|Hochatown]] to relocate to its present-day location.

The [[Broken Bow Lake]] covers {{convert|14220|acre|km2}} and has {{convert|180|mi|km}} of shoreline.<ref name="lake">[http://www.lasr.net/travel/lake.php?Lake_ID=OK01lk004 "Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma"], LASR.net (accessed March 3, 2010).</ref> The lake contains small islands, bass and is surrounded by pine trees.<ref name="lake"/>

The city sits at the foothills of the [[Kiamichi Mountains]], a subrange of the Ouachita Mountains.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.travelok.com/atv/ouachita.asp|title=Ouachita Mountains|publisher=Oklahoma Department of Tourism|access-date=2008-06-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517121630/http://www.travelok.com/atv/ouachita.asp|archive-date=2008-05-17|url-status=dead}}</ref> the Kiamichi Mountains sit within [[Le Flore County, Oklahoma|Le Flore]], [[Pushmataha County, Oklahoma|Pushmataha]], and [[McCurtain County, Oklahoma|McCurtain]] counties near the towns of [[Poteau, Oklahoma|Poteau]] and [[Albion, Oklahoma|Albion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.placenames.com/us/p1101492/|title=Kiamichi Mountains|publisher=placenames.com|access-date=2008-06-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209031250/http://www.placenames.com/us/p1101492/|archive-date=2012-02-09}}</ref> The Kiamichi peaks line up south of the [[Kiamichi River]] and reach {{convert|2500|ft|m}} in elevation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/K/KI002.html|title=Kiamichi Mountains|publisher=[[Oklahoma State University]]|access-date=2008-06-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100720101913/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/K/KI002.html|archive-date=2010-07-20}}</ref> The range is the namesake of Kiamichi Country, the official tourism designation for [[southeastern Oklahoma]].

[[American black bear|Black bear]], [[coyote]], [[bobcat]], [[deer]], [[mink]]s, [[bat]]s, [[bald eagles]], and varieties of [[woodpeckers]], [[doves]], [[owls]], and [[roadrunner|road runners]] are native to the Kiamichi Mountains region.<ref>{{cite web|year=2005 |url=http://www.travelok.com/about/StudentGuide.pdf |title=A Look at Oklahoma: A Student's Guide |publisher=State of Oklahoma |access-date=2007-08-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061230052128/http://www.travelok.com/about/StudentGuide.pdf |archive-date=2006-12-30 }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Broken Bow, Oklahoma
|single line = Y
|Jan high F = 51.7
|Feb high F = 56.4
|Mar high F = 65.4
|Apr high F = 74.6
|May high F = 81.0
|Jun high F = 88.4
|Jul high F = 93.1
|Aug high F = 93.4
|Sep high F = 86.0
|Oct high F = 76.4
|Nov high F = 64.8
|Dec high F = 54.9
|year high F= 73.8
|Jan low F = 26.9
|Feb low F = 31.0
|Mar low F = 39.0
|Apr low F = 48.4
|May low F = 56.9
|Jun low F = 64.4
|Jul low F = 68.0
|Aug low F = 67.0
|Sep low F = 61.3
|Oct low F = 48.8
|Nov low F = 39.7
|Dec low F = 30.6
|year low F= 48.5
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation inch = 2.9
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.5
|Mar precipitation inch = 5.3
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.7
|May precipitation inch = 6.6
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.3
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.9
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.1
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.7
|Oct precipitation inch = 4.3
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.5
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.1
|year precipitation inch=51.9
|source 1 = Weatherbase.com <ref>{{cite web
| url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=861143&refer=
| title = Historical Weather for Broken Bow, Oklahoma, United States}}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 1983
|1930= 2291
|1940= 2367
|1950= 1838
|1960= 2087
|1970= 2980
|1980= 3965
|1990= 3961
|2000= 4230
|2010= 4120
|2020= 4228
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2010, there were 4,120 people, 1,599 households, and 1,036 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|824|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,793 housing units at an average density of {{convert|359.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 61.80% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|White]], 8.30% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|African American]], 18.50% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Native American]], 0.60% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Asian]], 0.00% [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Pacific Islander]], 3.90% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|other races]], and 6.80% from two or more races. [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Hispanic]] or [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Latino]] of any race were 5.32% of the population.

There were 1,599 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51, and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 54.2% from 18–64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3 years. Males made up 46.2% of the population, while Females made up 53.8%.

The median income for a household in the city was $19,350, and the median income for a family was $22,500. Males had a median income of $32,2608 versus $20,895 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,381. About 36.6% of families and 46.9% of the population were below the [[Poverty threshold|poverty line]], including 46.9% of those under age 18 and 31.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
In recent years, Broken Bow has seen a tremendous economic boom through the development of its [[Lumber|timber]] and [[tourism]] industries. The town is also home to a chicken-processing plant owned by Tyson Industries.<ref name="lagasse"/>

===Tourism===
[[File:Broken Bow OK.jpg|thumb|Broken Bow Coves]]
In addition to being home of Broken Bow Lake, the city is a gateway for tourists visiting [[Beavers Bend Resort Park]], [[Hochatown State Park]], and [[Cedar Creek Golf Course at Beavers Bend]]. Hunters also visit the region, which bills itself as the "deer capital of the world."<ref name="kiamichi">[http://kiamichicountry.com/ Kiamichi Country] (accessed April 6, 2010)</ref>

Broken Bow is home to two museums containing Native American artifacts. The Gardner Mansion and Museum was the historic home of the "Chief of the Choctaws" and was built in 1884.<ref>[http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.2961 Gardner Mansion & Museum] at Travelok.com (accessed April 6, 2010)</ref> The Indian Memorial Museum houses pre-historic Indian pottery, fossils, Quartz crystal and antique glass.<ref>[http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.3779 Indian Memorial Museum] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311002312/http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.3779 |date=March 11, 2012 }} at Travelok.com (accessed April 6, 2010)</ref>

===Timber===
The forest industry is by far the area's largest business concern. Each year some {{convert|60|Mcuft|m3}} of lumber are harvested in [[McCurtain County, Oklahoma|McCurtain County]], and great care is taken to ensure the prolonged health of local pine and hardwood forests. The [[Oklahoma Department of Agriculture|Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture]] Forestry Division and [[United States Forest Service]] have a large presence in the area and are constantly surveying the area forests in order to prevent [[wildfire]]s.

[[Weyerhaeuser]] Company operates a large plant in nearby [[Idabel, Oklahoma|Idabel]], and [[International Paper]] also operates a large mill in [[Valliant, Oklahoma|Valliant]]. Additionally, Weyerhaeuser maintains several [[pine]] tree plantations throughout McCurtain County. Pan Pacific operates a [[fiberboard]] plant on the west side of Broken Bow. [[J.M. Huber Corporation|J.M. Huber Corporation's]] Huber Engineered Woods subsidiary is the latest big player to enter the area, with a very large [[oriented strand board]] (OSB) plant, also on the west side of Broken Bow. Huber plans to employ about 160 people at the site and expects to create another 250 jobs within the local community.

==Education==

===Athletics===
While Broken Bow's athletic history is limited primarily to high school football, it is recognized as one of the top high school programs in the state of Oklahoma. The Broken Bow Savages currently hold four state football championships, ranking third in class AAAA in the state, behind the [[Clinton, Oklahoma|Clinton]] Red Tornadoes (14) and the [[Ada, Oklahoma|Ada]] Cougars (19). In addition to their four state championships, the Savages have numerous state title game appearances, the most recent of which came in 2004 when the Savages lost to Clinton. The team's last real push for the OSSAA State Championship game was when the 2008 Savage football team lost to the Glenpool Warriors in a nail-biter 12–7 in the state semi-finals. Which ended their season with a record of 12–1.

Broken Bow High School integrated in 1964. LeVell Hill and Larry Taylor were the first Black athletes to play for Broken Bow High School.  They promptly led Broken Bow to its first appearance in a football state championship game.  Broken Bow lost to the Clinton Red Tornadors in 1965. LeVell Hill and Larry Taylor led Broken Bow to Its first State Track Championship in 1966. Larry Taylor entered the United States Marine Corps after graduation. He was killed in Vietnam in 1968.  LeVell Hill accepted a football scholarship to [[Langston University]].  He briefly played for the [[Philadelphia Bell]] in the World Football League.<ref>[http://www.nasljerseys.com/WFL/Players/H/Hill.Levell.htm Levell Hill], World Football League Players, Retrieved October 1, 2015</ref>

Broken Bow Memorial Stadium|Historic Broken Bow Memorial Stadium has served as the home of the Savages since it was constructed in the 1930s by the [[Works Progress Administration]]. Built primarily of concrete and native rock, Memorial Stadium is one of the oldest and largest high school football stadiums in the state of Oklahoma.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

===Band===
For the past ten years, Broken Bow High School Band has received Superior Rating at the McAlester Regional Marching Contest and have placed in class 4A in every marching competition that they competed in this past season. The Band was originally known as the "Savage Pride" before it was changed in 2006 to the "Black and Gold Regiment."

==Notable people==
* [[Harry Brecheen]], former MLB pitcher for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=brechha01|title =   Harry Brecheen Stats| publisher= Baseball Almanac |access-date= December 10, 2012}}</ref>
* [[James Butler (sprinter)|James Butler]], former sprinter, NCAA champion and 200 m winner at the [[Liberty Bell Classic]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oklahoman.com/article/2064760/butlers-flame-is-burning-again-ex-osu-sprinter-making-strong-olympic-bid|title = Butler's Flame Is Burning Again Ex-OSU Sprinter Making Strong Olympic Bid| publisher= The Oklahoman |access-date= November 1, 2019}}</ref>
* [[Gail Davies]], singer/songwriter with several top-10 country hits to her name.
* [[Randy Rutherford]], former basketball player, most notable for his time as a college player for [[Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball|Oklahoma State]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Tramel|first=Berry|url=https://oklahoman.com/article/2488390/rutherford-proves-point-osu-senior-is-now-one-of-best-guards-in-big-eight|title=Rutherford Proves Point OSU Senior Is Now One Of Best Guards in Big Eight|work=oklahoman.com|date=January 1, 1995|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104072155/https://oklahoman.com/article/2488390/rutherford-proves-point-osu-senior-is-now-one-of-best-guards-in-big-eight|archive-date=November 4, 2019}}</ref>

==Popular media==
{{unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}
In 1951, author Snowden Miller published 'Gene Autry And The Badmen Of Broken Bow', featuring the famous Western film star of that name.

In "[[Broken Bow (Star Trek: Enterprise)|Broken Bow]]", the 2001 [[television pilot|pilot episode]] of the television series ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'', Broken Bow was the site of Human–[[Klingon]] [[First contact (science fiction)|first contact]] in 2151. A messenger named Klaang was shot down by the [[Suliban]] over a corn field. Shortly after dispatching his enemies, Klaang was shot by a farmer named Moore. Although severely injured, Klaang survived.

Broken Bow and the surrounding area also served as the location for the episode "19:19" of the television series [[Millennium (TV series)|''Millennium'']], in which Frank Black led a search for a group of children who had been abducted on their way to school.  The abductor, a crazed visionary who believed he was the one destined to carry out the [[Book of Revelation]]'s instructions, entombed the children in an abandoned quarry.  This ultimately saved them from a deadly tornado that destroyed the schoolhouse where they otherwise would have been.

Broken Bow is a location in the 2010 film ''[[Leaves of Grass (film)|Leaves of Grass]]''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.brokenbowchamber.com/ Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.travelok.com/Broken_Bow Broken Bow information, photos and videos on TravelOK.com] Official travel and tourism website for the State of Oklahoma
* [http://www.bbisd.org Broken Bow Public Schools]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070627105831/http://www.brokenbow.lib.ok.us/ Broken Bow Public Library]
* [https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=BR020 Oklahoma Historical Society - Broken Bow]

{{McCurtain County, Oklahoma}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in McCurtain County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Cities in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Star Trek locations]]
[[Category:Cities in the Ark-La-Tex]]