Editing Cleora, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Cleora, Oklahoma
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = OKMap-doton-Cleora.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Cleora, Oklahoma
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- 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        = [[Delaware County, Oklahoma|Delaware]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|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_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 31.53
|area_land_km2            = 30.70
|area_water_km2           = 0.83
|area_total_sq_mi         = 12.17
|area_land_sq_mi          = 11.85
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.32

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1220
|population_density_km2   = 39.75
|population_density_sq_mi = 102.94

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 791
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|34|25|N|94|56|53|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
|postal_code_type         = 
|postal_code              = 
|area_code                = 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-15250<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>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2407633<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2407633}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
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}}
'''Cleora''' is an unincorporated community and [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Delaware County, Oklahoma|Delaware County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States, along [[Oklahoma State Highway 85|State Highway 85]]. The population was 1,463 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4015250| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Cleora CDP, Oklahoma| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=December 8, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213054329/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4015250| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> up from the figure of 1,113 recorded in [[2000 United States Census|2000]]. The Cleora Post Office existed from November 28, 1900, until October 15, 1954. Cleora was established in District 2 of the old [[Indian Territory]]. It was named for Cleora Ann Lunday, sister of the postmaster, Ed Lunday.

==History==
Few dates are available to detail how the community developed. Settlement began ''circa'' 1890, before Oklahoma became a state, and was part of the Cherokee Nation of Indian Territory. The main occupation was farming. The rich soil produced wheat, corn and oats. However, the unnamed community was far from any larger settlements. The local residents had to travel to either [[Afton, Oklahoma|Afton]] or [[Vinita, Oklahoma|Vinita]] to either shop or get their mail. Local resident, Ed Lunday, soon built a general store, and was then persuaded by the other residents to apply for a post office. He needed to name the post office before submitting his application, and decided to name it for one of his six sisters. {{efn|The Lunday sisters were named Rebecca, Flora, Lula, Rosie, Cleora and Maud. Their names were put in a hat and one name was drawn. Cleora was the winner.<ref name= "Rootsweb"/>}} The Cleora post office was established in Lunday's store on November 28, 1900. A school, two churches (Methodist and Christian) and some houses had been built before 1904, when a tornado destroyed the Christian church.<ref name= "Rootsweb">[http://byrd.rootsweb.ancestry.com/bob/11.html "History of Cleora." Rootsweb. Undated.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171217014102/http://byrd.rootsweb.ancestry.com/bob/11.html |date=2017-12-17 }} Accessed December 15, 2017.</ref>

The [[Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway]] (KO&G) built its main line through Cleora in 1910, apparently bringing prosperity in its wake. Sunday's general store moved into a larger building and Bob Aldrich opened a hardware store. Other businesses were a two-story hotel, lumber company, grain elevator and livery stable.<ref name= "Rootsweb"/>

In 1928, residents decided to consolidate the three small school districts of Old Cleota, New Cleota and Walnut Hill.<ref name= "Rootsweb"/>

When planning began for the Pensacola Dam and the [[Grand Lake o' the Cherokees]], it was learned that much of the older sites would be inundated by the project. Although some residents moved to higher ground, many others simply moved away.<ref name= "Rootsweb"/>

==Geography==
Cleora is located in northwestern Delaware County on the northwest side of the [[Grand Lake o' the Cherokees]]. It is {{convert|5|mi|0}} southwest of [[Bernice, Oklahoma|Bernice]], {{convert|10|mi}} south of [[Afton, Oklahoma|Afton]], and {{convert|14|mi}} southeast of [[Vinita, Oklahoma|Vinita]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|31.5|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|30.7|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.8|km2|order=flip}}, or 2.64%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2020= 1220
|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" /> of 2000, there were 1,113 people, 518 households, and 386 families residing in the community. The population density was {{convert|92.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,326 housing units at an average density of {{convert|110.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the community was 86.25% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.09% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 11.05% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.09% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.52% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.45% of the population.

There were 518 households, out of which 16.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 3.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.44.

The population age was spread out, with 14.7% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 38.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the community was $35,368, and the median income for a family was $42,411. Males had a median income of $37,411 versus $26,184 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the community was $29,245. About 8.0% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Almost all of Cleora is in the [[Cleora Public School]]<!--ELM 08010--> school district, with a piece in the [[Ketchum Public Schools]]<!--UNI 16380--> school district.<ref name=SDMap2020>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40041_delaware/DC20SD_C40041.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Delaware County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2025-04-04}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40041_delaware/DC20SD_C40041_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
<references />

==Further reading==
* Shirk, George H. ''Oklahoma Place Names''; University of Oklahoma Press; Norman, Oklahoma; 1987: {{ISBN|0-8061-2028-2}}.

{{Delaware County, Oklahoma}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Delaware County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places within the Cherokee Nation reservation]]