Editing Park Hill, Oklahoma

{{Short description|Unincorporated community in Oklahoma, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Park Hill, Oklahoma
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Park hill post office.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Park Hill post office in March 18, 2010
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Cherokee County Oklahoma incorporated and unincorporated areas Park Hill highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location within [[Cherokee County, Oklahoma|Cherokee 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        = [[Cherokee County, Oklahoma|Cherokee]]

<!-- 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           = 65.17
|area_land_km2            = 64.32
|area_water_km2           = 0.85
|area_total_sq_mi         = 25.16
|area_land_sq_mi          = 24.83
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.33

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 3193
|population_density_km2   = 49.65
|population_density_sq_mi = 128.58

<!-- 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             = 761
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|50|30|N|94|58|24|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 74451
|area_code                = [[area codes 539 and 918|539/918]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-57300<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              = 2409027<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2409027}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}

'''Park Hill''' is an [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] and [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in southwestern [[Cherokee County, Oklahoma|Cherokee County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States.<ref>{{GNIS|1096432}}</ref> The population was 3,909 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/G001/1600000US4057300| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Park Hill CDP, Oklahoma| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=February 18, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20150218164633/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4057300| archive-date=February 18, 2015| url-status=dead}}</ref> It lies near [[Tahlequah, Oklahoma|Tahlequah]], east of the junction of [[U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma|U.S. Route 62]] and [[Oklahoma State Highway 82|State Highway 82]].

Founded in 1838, Park Hill became the home of many important [[Cherokee]] leaders, including [[John Ross (Cherokee chief)|John Ross]] after their removal from the [[southeastern U.S.]] It has been called "the center of Cherokee culture."

==History==
Park Hill was a pre-established hamlet that became the home for many of the Cherokee after coming from the East on the "[[Trail of Tears]]". In 1829 the Park Hill Mission was established.<ref name="place_names"/> The mission had one of the earliest presses in Oklahoma, the Park Hill Mission Press. The first post office was established at Park Hill on May 18, 1838.<ref name="place_names">
{{cite book
  | last = Shirk
  | first = George
  | title = Oklahoma Place Names
  | publisher = University of Oklahoma Press
  | year = 1987
  | location = Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
  | pages = 288
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=KpAmsIFdutAC
  | isbn = 9780806120287}}
</ref> It was in Park Hill that Chief John Ross made his home in 1839,<ref name = "ghost_towns">{{cite book
  | last = Morris
  | first = John
  | title = Ghost Towns of Oklahoma
  | publisher = University of Oklahoma Press
  | year = 1977
  | location = Norman, Oklahoma
  | pages = 229
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fSqmnpHFEF0C
  | isbn = 9780806114200}}
</ref> as well as his nephew-in-law George Murrell, whose home still stands.<ref name= "ghost_towns"/> On May 6, 1847, the post office was moved to Tahlequah.<ref name="place_names"/> The [[First Cherokee Female Seminary Site|Cherokee Female Seminary]] was built here in 1849.<ref name= "ghost_towns"/>

Park Hill was the center of culture for the Cherokees for many years,<ref name="place_names"/> and as such in 1940 [[the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America]] in Oklahoma erected a marker at Park Hill declaring it the "Center of Cherokee culture".

The post office at Park Hill was re-established April 22, 1892.<ref name="place_names"/>

In and around Park Hill are several important sites listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]], including the [[Murrell Home]], the Park Hill Mission Cemetery (also known as the Worcester cemetery),<ref name="NPS-PHMC">[{{NRHP url|id=06001113|title=United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. "Park Hill Mission Cemetery - National Register of Historic Places Registration Form." December 6, 2006.] Accessed March 4, 2016}}</ref> the [[Ross Cemetery]], and the [[First Cherokee Female Seminary Site|original Cherokee Female Seminary]]. The [[Cherokee Heritage Center]] in Park Hill, was built on the former grounds of the Female Seminary. The [[Stomp Dance#Dance grounds|Echota Ceremonial Ground]] has been located in Park Hill since 2001, on the north side of town.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Echota Ceremonial Ground has long history in area|url = http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/Article/index/8846|website = [[Cherokee Phoenix]]|access-date = 2015-09-27|last = Chavez|first = Will|language = en, chr |date = 2015-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Stomp dance raises money for Cherokee family|url = http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/Article/index/8933|website = [[Cherokee Phoenix]]|access-date = 2015-09-27|last = Murphy|first = Jami|date = 2015-02-17|language = en, chr}}</ref>

Park Hill Mission, which antedated the community, was founded in 1829. The first person buried in Park Hill Mission Cemetery was [[Elias Boudinot]], founder of the ''Cherokee Phoenix'' newspaper, who was assassinated in Park Hill on June 23, 1839. Samuel Worcester and his two wives were also interred here. The last burial in this cemetery was a Worcester daughter, Ann Eliza Worcester Robertson. in 1905.  This cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 6, 2006.<ref name="NPS-PHMC"/>

==Geography==
[[File:Cherokee national holiday2007.jpg|thumb|upright|Arts and crafts booths at [[Cherokee National Holiday]] in Park Hill, 2007]]
Park Hill is located south of the center of Cherokee County and is bordered to the north by [[Tahlequah, Oklahoma|Tahlequah]], the county seat. [[U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma|U.S. Route 62]] leads north to Tahlequah and southwest {{convert|25|mi}} to [[Muskogee, Oklahoma|Muskogee]], while [[Oklahoma State Highway 82]] leads south {{convert|31|mi}} to [[Vian, Oklahoma|Vian]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the Park Hills CDP has a total area of {{convert|90.4|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|89.1|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.3|km2|order=flip}}, or 1.48%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2020= 3193
|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="USCensus2010PopulationAndHousing">{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP1&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212213704/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP1&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-12|title=2010 U.S. Census: Profile of General Population and Housing|access-date=2012-12-09}}</ref> of 2010, there were 3,909 people, 1,260 households, and 986 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|113.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,437 housing units at an average density of {{convert|41.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 43.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 40.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 4% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 10.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.9% of the population.

There were 1,254 households, out of which 47.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 20.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 15.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 30.8% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.<ref name="USCensus2010AgeSex">{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP1&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212213704/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP1&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-12|title=2010 U.S. Census: Age Groups and Sex|access-date=2012-12-09}}</ref>

The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,135, and the median income for a family was $37,299. Males had a median income of $32,308 versus $29,125 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $11,816. About 37.8% of families and 40.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 64.0% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="AmericanCommunitySurvey2006-2010">{{Cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_5YR_DP03&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212213253/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_5YR_DP03&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-12|title=American Community Survey 2006-2010 5-Year Estimates: Selected Economic Characteristics|access-date=2012-12-09}}</ref>

==Education==
The zoned school districts that include parts of the Park Hill CDP include [[Tahlequah Public Schools]], [[Keys Public School (oklahoma)|Keys Public School]], and [[Woodall Public School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40021_cherokee/DC20SD_C40021.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cherokee County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-07-20}}</ref>

[[Sequoyah High School (Cherokee County, Oklahoma)|Sequoyah High School]] and [[Cherokee Immersion School]] are in Park Hill CDP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st40_ok/place/p4057300_park_hill/DC10BLK_P4057300_000.pdf|title=2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Park Hill CDP, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census]]|access-date=2020-10-12}} - The land with Sequoyah HS is on [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st40_ok/place/p4057300_park_hill/DC10BLK_P4057300_003.pdf page 3].<br>2000 Map: {{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/blk2000/st40_Oklahoma/Place/4057300_ParkHill/CBP4057300_000.pdf|title=CENSUS 2000 BLOCK MAP: PARK HILL CDP|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2020-10-12}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/blk2000/st40_Oklahoma/Place/4057300_ParkHill/CBP4057300_003.pdf page 3]</ref><ref name=Sequoyahpostaladdy>{{cite web|url=https://www.sequoyahschools.org/|title=Home|publisher=Sequoyah High School|access-date=2020-10-12|quote=17091 S. Muskogee Ave.Tahlequah, OK  74465}} - Compare the address to the CDP maps.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sdeweb01.sde.ok.gov/OCAS_Reporting/DistrictSummary.aspx?FullCode=11T001|title=Cherokee Immersion Charter Sch 11T001|publisher=[[Oklahoma Department of Education]]|quote=16951 W Cherokee St, Tahlequah, OK, 74465}} - Compare the address to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]] maps.  Please note the school is ''not'' (as of 2020) in the Tahlequah city limits. [https://web.archive.org/web/19961031170034/http://www.ci.houston.tx.us/annexation/annexation_FAQ.html The city of Houston stated in 1996 that the US Postal Service does not match city names of postal addresses to actual municipal boundaries].</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
The tribal softball fields are in Park Hill.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/cherokee-nation-calendar-of-events-for-august/article_b697f794-7b7f-5688-a6a9-00ec250d1f8d.html|title=Cherokee Nation calendar of events for August|newspaper=[[Cherokee Phoenix]]|date=2018-08-01|accessdate=2022-07-20|quote=[...]the CN Softball Fields on Cherokee Street in Park Hill.}}</ref>

==Notable people from Park Hill==
* [[Elias Boudinot (Cherokee)|Elias Boudinot]] (1802-1839), editor of ''Cherokee Phoenix'', assassinated in Park Hill
* [[Elias Cornelius Boudinot]] (1835-1890), son of Elias Boudinot, lived in Park Hill until his father's death
* [[Alice Brown Davis]] (1852–1935), Principal Chief of the [[Seminole Nation of Oklahoma]]
* [[John Ross (Cherokee chief)|John Ross]] (1790-1866), Principal Chief of the [[Cherokee Nation]]
* [[Mary G. Ross]] (1908-2008), the first [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] female engineer
* [[Tommy Wildcat]] (b. May 3, 1967), Native American flutist, storyteller, lecturer, and traditionalist
* [[Samuel Worcester]] (1798&ndash;1859), [[missionary]] to the Cherokee. Lived, died, and was buried in Park Hill.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200px">
File:Murrell home.jpg|{{center|[[Murrell Home]], built 1844-5}}
File:Hocheenee chapel.jpg|{{center|Ho-Chee-Nee Chapel at the [[Cherokee Heritage Center]]}}
File:Tender mercy church park hill ok.jpg|{{center|Tender Mercies Baptist Church}}
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Editors. [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/chronicles/v019/v019p099.html "Historical Notes"]. ''Chronicles of Oklahoma'' 19:1 (March 1941) 99-103. (accessed March 8, 2007)
* Shirk, George H. ''Oklahoma Place Names''. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1987. {{ISBN|0-8061-2028-2}} .
* Wright, Murial. [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v019/v019p348.html "Notes of the Life of Mrs. Hannah Worcester Hicks Hitchcock and the Park Hill Press"]. ''Chronicles of Oklahoma'' 19:4 (December 1941) 348–355. (accessed March 8, 2007)

==External links==
*{{NRHP url|id=06001113|title=United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. "Park Hill Mission Cemetery - National Register of Historic Places Registration Form." December 6, 2006.}}

{{Cherokee County, Oklahoma}}

{{authority control}}

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