Editing Holdenville, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Holdenville, Oklahoma
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = F99 HOLDENVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT FLIGHT CDG-IAH 777 F-GSQM (10350666965).jpg
|image_caption            =
|image_flag               = Flag of Holdenville, Oklahoma.svg
|image_seal               = Seal of Holdenville, Oklahoma.png

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

<!-- Location -->
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|05|01|N|96|24|06|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|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        = [[Hughes County, Oklahoma|Hughes]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          = [[Mayor-council|Mayor-Council]]
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            =
|leader_name1             =

|established_title1       = Founded
|established_date1        = 1895
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1898

<!-- 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           = 13.05
|area_land_km2            = 13.00
|area_water_km2           = 0.04
|area_total_sq_mi         = 5.04
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.02
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.02

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 5934
|pop_est_as_of            =
|pop_est_footnotes        =
|population_est           =
|population_density_sq_mi = 1182.07
|population_density_km2   = 456.44

<!-- 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             = 883
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 74848
|area_codes                = [[Area codes 405 and 572|405 and 572]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-35400<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              = 2410774<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410774}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.cityofholdenville.net/|cityofholdenville.net}}
}}

'''Holdenville''' is a city in and [[county seat]] of [[Hughes County, Oklahoma|Hughes County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> The population was 5,934 at the time of the [[2020 United States census]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Holdenville%20city,%20Oklahoma |title=Holdenville (city), Oklahoma|publisher= United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref>

==History==
Holdenville traces its origin to a Creek settlement called ''echo'', when translated means "deer". George B. Fentress operated a general store there. A post office called "Fentress" opened there on May 24, 1895. The [[Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad]] was constructed in the 1890s from [[Arkansas]] to [[Indian Territory]]. Between 1895 and 1897, the construction passed through the [[Creek Nation]]. During this period, a railroad camp was set up to service the railroad construction.<ref name="Crawford">Crawford, B., et al. (1998). ''Holdenville - 100 Years and Counting''. Marceline, MO: D-Books Publishing, Inc.</ref> The railroad workers called the camp "Holden" in honor of J.F. Holden, the Auditor and Traffic Manager of Choctaw, Oklahoma, and Gulf Railroad.<ref name="Crawford" /> In 1895, a request was delivered to the [[U.S. Congress]] to establish a post office in Holden. The request was rejected because the name was too similar to another post office called "Holder."<ref name="Crawford" /> The proposed name was then altered to "Holdenville" and was accepted.<ref name="Crawford" />

In 1898, settlers petitioned [[Indian Territory]] to incorporate Holdenville as a town. A hearing was granted and on November 14, 1898, Holdenville was incorporated as part of Indian Territory.<ref name="Crawford" />  D. J. Red was elected mayor at the first municipal election, held December 27, 1898. The first city council meeting was held  January 4, 1899.<ref name="EOHC-Holdenville">[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/H/HO011.html Wilson, Linda D. ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. "Holdenville."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721020958/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/H/HO011.html |date=July 21, 2010 }} Retrieved October 20, 2013.</ref>  The St. Louis, Oklahoma and Southern Railway (later the [[St. Louis and San Francisco Railway]]) constructed a line between 1900 and 1901 from [[Sapulpa, Oklahoma|Sapulpa]] to the [[Red River of the South|Red River]] that passed through Holdenville.<ref name="EOHC-Holdenville"/>  An election was held on June 27, 1908, to determine the permanent county seat. Contending communities were Holdenville, [[Wetumka, Oklahoma|Wetumka]], [[Calvin, Oklahoma|Calvin]], and [[Lamar, Oklahoma|Lamar]]. None of the candidates won a majority, so a runoff election was held on September 10, 1908, between the two top vote-getters, Holdenville and Wetumka. This time, Holdenville won the election.<ref name="EOHC-Holdenville"/>

Until it was named in a grand jury investigation in 1904, Holdenville was a [[sundown town]] where African Americans were not allowed to live or even wait for a train.<ref>{{cite news|title=City News Notes|work=[[Southwest Times Record|The Fort Smith Times]]|location=Fort Smith, Arkansas|date=May 29, 1904|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29072751/|via=Newspapers.com|quote=In speaking of his trip Mr. Collins said: '…I ran across three towns in the Indian Territory in which negroes are not allowed to live, and they are Holdenville, [[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]] and Blackmore. In Holdenville there is one negro, and he is cooking at one of the hotels, but there is talk of compelling him to leave. In the three towns mensioned no negro can either rent a house or buy land. …'}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Considers Conspiracy Law|work=The Wagoner Echo|location=Wagoner, Indian Territory|date=November 19, 1904|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29387086/|via=Newspapers.com|quote=Now in [[Durant, Oklahoma|Durant]] and other towns in the Central District, and for that matter, in Holdenville, [[Ada, Oklahoma|Ada]] and other towns in the territory notices had been posted for the Negroes not to let the sun go down on them in said towns.}}</ref>

On April 27, 2024, [[Tornado outbreak of April 26–28, 2024|an EF3 tornado]] struck the town as part of a larger tornado outbreak that affected the Great Plains region, causing two fatalities and extensive damage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.koco.com/article/sulphur-holdenville-oklahoma-tornadoes-deaths-injuries/60628038|title=What we know: At least 2 dead in Holdenville; Sulphur sees significant damage after tornado outbreak|author=Jonathan Greco|date=April 28, 2024|website=KOCO News|accessdate=April 28, 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==
Holdenville is located about {{convert|75|mi|km}} from Oklahoma City.<ref name="EOHC-Holdenville"/>

Holdenville sits approximately five miles north of the ''Holdenville City Lake'', eight miles north of the [[Canadian River]], and six miles north of the [[Little River (Oklahoma)|Little River]]. The area is mostly wooded and flanked by gently rolling hills, interrupted occasionally by small [[Stream|creeks]] and streams.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|4.8|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

===Climate===
{{Weather box 
|location = Holdenville, Oklahoma
|single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 81 
| Feb record high F = 90 
| Mar record high F = 96 
| Apr record high F = 98 
| May record high F = 98 
| Jun record high F = 108 
| Jul record high F = 112 
| Aug record high F = 118 
| Sep record high F = 113 
| Oct record high F = 100 
| Nov record high F = 88 
| Dec record high F = 84 
|year record high F= 118 
| Jan high F = 50
| Feb high F = 55
| Mar high F = 64
| Apr high F = 73
| May high F = 79
| Jun high F = 88
| Jul high F = 94
| Aug high F = 95
| Sep high F = 88
| Oct high F = 76
| Nov high F = 63
| Dec high F = 53
|year high F =
| Jan low F = 30
| Feb low F = 33
| Mar low F = 41
| Apr low F = 50
| May low F = 59
| Jun low F = 67
| Jul low F = 71
| Aug low F = 70
| Sep low F = 63
| Oct low F = 52
| Nov low F = 40
| Dec low F = 32
|year low F =
| Jan record low F = −12 
| Feb record low F = −9 
| Mar record low F = −1 
| Apr record low F = 21 
| May record low F = 33 
| Jun record low F = 46 
| Jul record low F = 50 
| Aug record low F = 47 
| Sep record low F = 32 
| Oct record low F = 14 
| Nov record low F = 11 
| Dec record low F =  0
|year record low F= −12 
|precipitation colour=green
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.1
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.0
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.8
| Apr precipitation inch = 4.2
| May precipitation inch = 6.0
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.6
| Jul precipitation inch = 3.3
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.2
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.9
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.3
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.4
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.2
|year precipitation inch =39.9
| Jan snow inch = 2.3
| Feb snow inch = 1.7
| Mar snow inch = 0.7
| Apr snow inch = 0.1
| May snow inch = 0
| Jun snow inch = 0
| Jul snow inch = 0
| Aug snow inch = 0
| Sep snow inch = 0
| Oct snow inch = 0
| Nov snow inch = 0.1
| Dec snow inch = 0.7
|year snow inch= 5.6
<!--Average daily % humidity-->
| Jan humidity= 69
| Feb humidity= 67
| Mar humidity= 61
| Apr humidity= 58
| May humidity= 66
| Jun humidity= 64
| Jul humidity= 63
| Aug humidity= 59
| Sep humidity= 56
| Oct humidity= 58
| Nov humidity= 60
| Dec humidity= 66
|year humidity= 62
<!--Average number of rainy days-->
|unit rain days= <!--If entering the average number of days, then the unit requirement should be used, because this varies between countries. Eg. 0.1 in, 0.01 in.-->
| Jan rain days= 4.8
| Feb rain days= 4.7
| Mar rain days= 5.9
| Apr rain days= 6.9
| May rain days= 7.5
| Jun rain days= 7.4
| Jul rain days= 6
| Aug rain days= 5.8
| Sep rain days= 6.1
| Oct rain days= 5.4
| Nov rain days= 4.1
| Dec rain days= 5
|year rain days= 69.6

|source 1 = weather.com
|source 2 = Weatherbase.com <ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=49837&refer= | title = Historical Weather for Holdenville, Oklahoma, United States}}</ref>
|date=October 2, 2010
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 749
|1910= 2296
|1920= 2932
|1930= 7268
|1940= 6632
|1950= 6192
|1960= 5712
|1970= 5181
|1980= 5469
|1990= 4792
|2000= 4732
|2010= 5771
|2020= 5934
|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 2000, there were 4,732 people, 1,966 households, and 1,236 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|975.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,302 housing units at an average density of {{convert|474.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 75.06% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3.44% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 14.48% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.27% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.99% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 5.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.45% of the population.

There were 1,966 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,282, and the median income for a family was $27,175. Males had a median income of $21,020 versus $17,951 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $13,326. About 14.8% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
Historically, the Holdenville area economy has been based on agriculture. The main crops have been cotton, peanuts, pecans, corn, hay, oats, sweet and Irish potatoes and orchard fruits.<ref name="EOHC-Holdenville"/> Other types of business have supplemented the economy. Covey Corporation manufactured plastic products and employed approximately one hundred fifty workers. Other enterprises included Seamprufe Corporation, a manufacturer of lingerie, and F. B. Fly Company, a producer of fishing tackle. Aquafarms, a catfish processing plant, and the Holdenville State Fish Hatchery also provided employment. In the 1990s Tyson Foods' hog breeding operation and the Earl A. Davis Community Work Center created jobs.<ref name="EOHC-Holdenville"/>

It is home to The Pork Group, a subsidiary of [[Tyson Foods]]; the Holdenville State Fish Hatchery, one of four operated by the [[Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation]]; the Davis Correctional Facility, a 1,600 bed [[medium security]] prison operated by the [[Corrections Corporation of America]]; and the Creek Nation Casino, one of many operated by the [[Muscogee (Creek) Nation]].

==Recreation==
Since May 1934 nearby [[Holdenville Lake]] has offered outdoor recreational activities.<ref name="EOHC-Holdenville"/>

===Fall Festival===
Holdenville celebrates the annual Fall Festival on the first Saturday in October. The Festival includes a [[parade]], classic [[car show]], and an open-air market fair with dozens of booths and vendors.  The Fall Festival was originally called Hog Wild Day to celebrate Tyson's contribution to Holdenville's economy, and featured a hog-calling contest, a pigtail contest, a pig-out pie-eating contest, and a greased pig contest.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

===Stroup Park===
Stroup Park is the primary recreation area in Holdenville. It contains a [[playground]], [[baseball diamond]], [[swimming pool|public swimming pool]], [[basketball court]], [[tennis court]], [[skate park]], two [[pavilion]]s, [[disc golf]] course, and numerous [[picnic tables]]. There is also a one-mile [[walking path]], [[duck pond]], and a smaller adjacent park called ''Rose Park'' which mainly consists of [[flower garden]]s.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

===Holdenville City Lake===
Holdenville City Lake, in addition to providing 80% of the drinking water in [[Hughes County, Oklahoma|Hughes County]], is the area's main source of aquatic and woodland recreation. The lake is surrounded by [[campsite]]s, some of which are equipped with [[Recreational Vehicle|RV]] hook-ups. There is also a public [[bath house]] with restrooms and showers. The lake has two [[dock (maritime)|dock]]s, one is covered and reserved for fishing, the other is open-air and used for boat docking. [[Boats]] and [[jet ski]]s are allowed on the lake, but only in certain areas. [[Tubing (recreation)|Tubing]], [[knee-boarding]] and [[water skiing]] are allowed depending on the water level. There are also numerous [[All terrain vehicle|ATV]] trails in the vicinity.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

==Education==
All of the city limits is in the [[Holdenville Public Schools]]<!--UNI 14790--> school district,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40063_hughes/DC20SD_C40063.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hughes County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-12}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40063_hughes/DC20SD_C40063_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> which provides [[Primary education|primary]] and [[Secondary education|secondary]] education.

Some areas outside of the city limits are in [[Moss Public Schools]].{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}<!--Relevance to the Holdenville city limits?-->

==Infrastructure==

===Highways===
*[[File:US 270.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 270]]
*[[File:Oklahoma State Highway 48.svg|20px]] [[State Highway 48 (Oklahoma)|State Highway 48]]

===Airports===
The Holdenville Municipal Airport is about 1 mile northwest of the town.<ref name="Airport" >{{cite web | url=https://www.airnav.com/airport/F9 | title= Holdenville Municipal Airport | publisher= AirNav.com| access-date=January 30, 2019}}</ref>  It has existed since 1943,<ref name = "Airport" /> and [[Central Airlines]] made it a regularly-scheduled stop in the 1950s.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/cn2/cn5006/cn5006-2.jpg | title= Central Airlines Timetable, June 5, 1950| publisher=www.timetableimages.com | access-date=January 29, 2019}}</ref>

Commercial air service is available out of [[Will Rogers World Airport]], about 81 miles west-northwest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Will+Rogers+World+Airport+(OKC),+Terminal+Drive,+Oklahoma+City,+OK/Holdenville,+OK+74848/@35.2446375,-97.561842,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x87b2120d7b2a7fdd:0xce9dc2593921ae7c!2m2!1d-97.600556!2d35.393056!1m5!1m1!1s0x87b47f7c05500d9f:0x148186f6a311c699!2m2!1d-96.3991765!2d35.0803617 |title=Will Rogers World Airport to Holdenville, Oklahoma|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=December 24, 2020}}</ref>

===Railroads===
* [[BNSF Railway]]
* [[Union Pacific Railroad]]<ref>{{cite web|url= https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/odot/documents/Rail%20Map%202018-2020.pdf |title=Oklahoma 2018-2020 State Railroad Map|publisher=Oklahoma Department of Transportation|accessdate=March 27, 2024}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Daren Brown]], [[Seattle Mariners]] manager
* [[Jackie Brown (baseball)|Jackie Brown]], [[Major League Baseball]] pitcher and pitching coach (uncle of Daren Brown)
* [[Zora Kramer Brown]], breast cancer awareness advocate
* [[Dave Cox]], California State Senator
* [[Dizzy Dean|"Dizzy" Dean]], [[Major League Baseball]] pitcher
* [[Clu Gulager]], actor
* [[Sterlin Harjo]], filmmaker
* [[Jack Jacobs]], [[Canadian Football League]] quarterback
* [[Constance N. Johnson]], Oklahoma State Senator
* [[Richard Jordan (American football)|Richard Jordan]], NFL player
* [[Velma Middleton]], [[jazz]] singer
* [[T. Boone Pickens]], billionaire oil and gas businessman
* [[Dave Redding]], [[NFL]] assistant coach
* [[Bjo Trimble]], [[Science fiction fan]] and writer

==See also==
* [[List of sundown towns in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://www.cityofholdenville.net/|City of Holdenville}}
* [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/H/HO011.html Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Holdenville] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721020958/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/H/HO011.html |date=July 21, 2010 }}

{{Hughes County, Oklahoma}}
{{Oklahoma county seats}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Cities in Hughes County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:County seats in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Sundown towns in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Muscogee (Creek) Nation]]