Editing Rock Island, Oklahoma

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Rock Island, Oklahoma
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|image_map                = OKMap-doton-RockIsland.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Rock Island, Oklahoma
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<!-- 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        = [[Le Flore County, Oklahoma|Le Flore]]

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|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 31.68
|area_land_km2            = 31.53
|area_water_km2           = 0.16
|area_total_sq_mi         = 12.23
|area_land_sq_mi          = 12.17
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.06

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 717
|population_density_km2   = 22.74
|population_density_sq_mi = 58.90

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|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-63600<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2412560<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412560}}</ref>
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'''Rock Island''' is a town in [[Le Flore County, Oklahoma|Le Flore County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States. It is part of the [[Fort Smith, Arkansas]]-Oklahoma [[Fort Smith metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The population was 646 at the 2010 census, a decline of 8.9 percent from the figure of 709 recorded in 2000.<ref>[http://censusviewer.com/city/OK/Rock%20Island] CensusViewer:Rock Island, Oklahoma Population.</ref>

==History==
The Fort Smith and Southern Railway built a north–south line through what is now Le Flore County in 1886; the line was sold the next year to the [[St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad|St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad ("the Frisco")]]. In 1903–04 the [[Midland Valley Railroad]] laid an east-west line. The settlement originally known as Maney Junction developed at the crossing of these railroads.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=RO011 |title=Rock Island|publisher= Charlene Williams Dunn, Oklahoma Historical Society|accessdate=August 19, 2020}}</ref>

A post office was established as Rock Island, Indian Territory on February 1, 1905.  It was presumably named for Rock Island, Illinois.<ref>Shirk, George H. ''Oklahoma Place Names'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma, 1965), p. 181.</ref>  At the time of its founding, the community was located in [[Skullyville County, Choctaw Nation|Skullyville County]], part of the [[Moshulatubbee District]] of the [[Choctaw Nation]].<ref>Morris, John W. ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma, 1986), plate 38.</ref>

Rock Island started the process of incorporation in 1989, but the County Commissioners did not approve the incorporation until 2004.<ref name="EOHC-Rock Island">[http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=RO011 Charlene Williams Dunn, "Rock Island," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.] Accessed March 22, 2015.</ref>

==Geography==
Rock Island is {{convert|13|miles|km}} northeast of [[Poteau, Oklahoma|Poteau]].<ref name="EOHC-Rock Island"/>

The town sits on [[Oklahoma State Highway 112]] at the western terminus of [[Oklahoma State Highway 120]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rock+Island,+OK/@35.1732238,-94.5893922,11.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87ca5681ef8c9e25:0xb7a31d03b25fd1da!8m2!3d35.1823184!4d-94.4738294 |title=Rock Island, OK|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=August 19, 2020}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|12.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|12.1|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (0.66%) is water.

==Economy==
Rock Island's economy has depended on agriculture since its founding. Many residents now commute to work in nearby towns such as [[Poteau, Oklahoma|Poteau]] and [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]].<ref name="EOHC-Rock Island"/>

==Railroad tunnel==
[[Jenson Tunnel]] is located just northeast of Rock Island and is the only known railroad tunnel in Oklahoma.<ref name=Tunnel>{{cite web|url= https://www.wattpad.com/13101024-oklahoma%27s-first-and-only-railroad-tunnel |title=Oklahoma's First and only Railroad Tunnel|publisher=wattpad, March 5, 2013|accessdate=January 30, 2025}}</ref>  Now used by the Kansas City Southern, it was built by Frisco Railway in 1885 and is approximately 1,180 feet long.<ref name=Tunnel/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1990= 478
|2000= 709
|2010= 646
|2020= 717
|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|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 709 people, 264 households, and 213 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|58.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 279 housing units at an average density of {{convert|23.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 87.73% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.64% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.14% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.56% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 5.92% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.97% of the population.

There were 264 households, out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.3% were non-families. 16.3% 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 2.69 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,625, and the median income for a family was $34,545. Males had a median income of $26,442 versus $18,625 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,115. About 8.9% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
<references />

{{Le Flore County, Oklahoma}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in LeFlore County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Towns in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Fort Smith metropolitan area]]