Editing Seminole County, Oklahoma

{{short description|County in Oklahoma, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Seminole County, Florida|Seminole County, Georgia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Seminole County
 | state                = Oklahoma
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1907
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Wewoka
 | largest city wl      = Seminole
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 640
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 633
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.6
 | area percentage      = 1.2%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 23556
 | census estimate yr   = 
 | pop                  = 
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | web                  = https://seminolecountyok.com
 | district             = 5th
 | ex image             = Seminole County OK Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Seminole County Courthouse (Wewoka, Oklahoma)|Seminole County Courthouse]] in Wewoka
}}

'''Seminole County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Oklahoma]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 23,556.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seminole County, Oklahoma|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Seminole_County,_Oklahoma?g=050XX00US40133|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 21, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Wewoka, Oklahoma|Wewoka]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> Most of the county was a reservation for the [[Seminole Nation of Oklahoma]] which still retains jurisdiction over some land in the county. A small portion of land at the eastern end of the county belonged to the [[Muscogee (Creek) Nation]].

Seminole County is notable for the '''Greater Seminole Field''', one of the most important oil fields ever found, which is still producing.<ref name="seminole">Bobby D. Weaver, [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=GR020 "Greater Seminole Field,"] ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 5, 2015.</ref> It extends into nearby counties. In the early years of the [[oil boom]], workers and adventurers flooded into the county, rapidly tripling the population. As oil production later declined, jobs and residents left.

==History==
Seminole County has been an important part of the Oklahoma and United States petroleum industry for over 80 years. The Greater Seminole Field was one of the most important oil fields ever found and is still producing.<ref name="seminole"/> Discovered one field after another in 1926, it contained an estimated {{convert|822000000|oilbbl}} of oil.<ref>''Historical Dictionary of the Petroleum Industry,'' Appendix 13</ref> To group the fields together, the oil companies decided to come up with a name, and this was suggested by Paul Hedrick, oil editor of the ''[[Tulsa World]].'' Early oil discoveries in the area were the [[Wewoka, Oklahoma|Wewoka oil field]] and Cromwell oil field, both discovered in 1923. Then, on July 16, 1926, the Fixico No. 1 well reached the Wilcox sand at 4073 feet, bringing in the Seminole City Field. Located within the Greater Seminole area are 6 of Oklahoma's 22 giant oil fields, including Earlsboro, St. Louis, Seminole, Bowlegs, Little River, and [[Allen, Oklahoma|Allen]]. Total production from the Greater Seminole area from 1926 to 1936 was 702,157,800 barrels, or 18% of all production in Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Welsh |first1=Louise |last2=Townes |first2=Willa Mae |last3=Morris |first3=John W. |title=A History of The Greater Seminole Oil Field |date=1981 |publisher=Oklahoma Heritage Association |isbn=0865460310 |pages=3–21, 56, 72}}</ref>

The Maud field, discovered in 1927 by Amerada Petroleum, was the first discovery using [[reflection seismology]].<ref>''Historical Dictionary of the Petroleum Industry,'' p. 40</ref> This marked the beginning of the use of modern geophysical methods in the petroleum industry.

The [[Seminole County Courthouse (Wewoka, Oklahoma)|Seminole County Courthouse]] was built in 1927.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|640|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|633|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.6|sqmi}} (1.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_40.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 22, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> The county is bounded on the north by the [[North Canadian River]] and on the south by the [[Canadian River]].<ref name="EOHC-SeminoleCo">Mullins, William H. [http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=SE014 "Seminole County,"]  ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', Oklahoma Historical Society, 2009. Accessed April 5, 2015.</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Okfuskee County, Oklahoma|Okfuskee County]] (northeast)
* [[Hughes County, Oklahoma|Hughes County]] (east)
* [[Pontotoc County, Oklahoma|Pontotoc County]] (south)
* [[Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma|Pottawatomie County]] (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 19964
|1920= 23808
|1930= 79621
|1940= 61201
|1950= 40672
|1960= 28066
|1970= 25144
|1980= 27473
|1990= 25412
|2000= 24894
|2010= 25482
|2020= 23556
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 22, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=February 22, 2015}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ok190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=February 22, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=February 22, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/40/40133.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 13, 2013|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905062644/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/40/40133.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Stack|[[File:USA Seminole County, Oklahoma age pyramid.svg|thumb|Age pyramid for Seminole County, Oklahoma, based on census 2000 data.]]}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 24,894 people, 9,575 households, and 6,788 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|15|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. There were 11,146 housing units at an average density of {{convert|7|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the county was 70.74% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 5.59% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 17.39% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.22% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.74% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 5.28% from two or more races. 2.22% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 94.7% spoke [[English language|English]], 2.9% [[Muskogee language|Muskogee]] and 1.7% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as their first language. By 2020, its population was 23,556.<ref name="QF" />

There were 9,575 households, out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,568, and the median income for a family was $30,791. Males had a median income of $25,954 versus $18,285 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $13,956. About 16.70% of families and 20.80% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.90% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

==Life expectancy and health==
Of 3,142 counties in the United States in 2014, the [[Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation]] ranked Seminole County 3,014 in the average life expectancy at birth of male residents and 3,108 in the life expectancy of female residents, the lowest life expectancy of Oklahoma counties, and among the lowest life expectancy for all counties. Males in Seminole County lived an average of 70.2 years and females lived an average of 75.4 years compared to the national average for life expectancy of 76.7 for males and 81.5 for females.<ref name="Seminole County">{{cite web |title=County Profiles: Seminole County, Oklahoma |url=http://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/county_profiles/US/2015/County_Report_Seminole_County_Oklahoma.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/county_profiles/US/2015/County_Report_Seminole_County_Oklahoma.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live 
 |website=Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation |publisher=University of Washington |access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref>

In the 1980-2014 period, the average life expectancy in Seminole County for females declined by 0.4 years while male longevity increased by 2.7 years compared to the national average for the same period of an increased life expectancy of 4.0 years for women and 6.7 years for men. Seminole County ranked in the worst performing 10 percent of all counties. High rates of smoking and obesity for both sexes and a low level of physical activity for males appear to be contributing factors to the relatively short life expectancy.<ref>{{cite web |title=US Health Map |url=https://vizhub.healthdata.org/subnational/usa |website=Institute of Health Metrics and Evaulation |publisher=University of Washington |access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref>

In 2020, the [[Robert Wood Johnson Foundation]] ranked Seminole country as 61st (of 77 counties in Oklahoma) in "health outcomes," as measured by length and quality of life.<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Oklahoma Report |url=https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/oklahoma/2020/rankings/seminole/county/outcomes/overall/snapshot |website=Robert Wood Johnson Foundation |access-date=December 27, 2020}}</ref>

==Politics==
{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 30, 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/20190115%20-%20Registration%20By%20County%20(vr2420).pdf|title=Oklahoma Registration Statistics by County|date=January 15, 2019|website=OK.gov|access-date=February 27, 2019}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Party
! Number of Voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | 3,999
| align = center | 32.34%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | 6,160
| align = center | 49.81%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Others
| align = center | 2,208
| align = center | 17.85%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | 12,367
! align = center | 100%
|}

{{PresHead|place=Seminole County, Oklahoma|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|5,951|1,951|142|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|6,011|2,150|176|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,613|2,071|353|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,856|2,600|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,600|2,977|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,624|3,648|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,011|3,783|72|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,935|4,225|1,069|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,253|4,624|2,363|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|4,078|4,911|84|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|6,009|3,957|64|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,067|4,726|352|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,237|5,874|91|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|6,879|2,746|199|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|3,711|3,889|2,142|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,676|6,582|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|5,505|4,256|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|5,230|5,897|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|6,668|7,076|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|3,423|8,122|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|4,560|7,116|16|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|6,880|11,167|36|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|4,001|11,695|72|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,348|12,154|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|8,072|4,423|0|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|2,326|3,007|475|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,382|1,869|318|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|872|1,444|935|Oklahoma}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|715|1,172|758|Oklahoma}}
{{PresFoot|1908|Republican|1,168|945|456|Oklahoma}}

==Communities==

=== Cities ===

* [[Konawa, Oklahoma|Konawa]]
* [[Maud, Oklahoma|Maud]] (also in [[Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma|Pottawatomie County]])
* [[Seminole, Oklahoma|Seminole]]
* [[Wewoka, Oklahoma|Wewoka]] (county seat)

=== Towns ===

* [[Bowlegs, Oklahoma|Bowlegs]]
* [[Cromwell, Oklahoma|Cromwell]]
* [[Lima, Oklahoma|Lima]]
* [[Sasakwa, Oklahoma|Sasakwa]]

=== Unincorporated communities ===

* [[Butner, Oklahoma|Butner]]
* [[Dixon, Oklahoma|Dixon]] (also a [[census-designated place]])
* [[Little, Oklahoma|Little]]
* [[Nobletown, Oklahoma|Nobletown]]
* [[Cromwell, Oklahoma#Schoolton|Schoolton]] (part of the town of Cromwell)
* [[Vamoosa, Oklahoma|Vamoosa]]
* [[Wolf, Oklahoma|Wolf]]

=== Ghost town ===

* [[Dewright, Oklahoma|Dewright]]

==Education==
Unified school districts include:<ref name=CensusSDMap2020>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40133_seminole/DC20SD_C40133.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Seminole County, OK|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-12}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st40_ok/schooldistrict_maps/c40133_seminole/DC20SD_C40133_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Bowlegs Public Schools]]
* [[Butner Public Schools]]
* [[Konawa Public Schools]]
* [[Maud Public Schools]]
* [[New Lima Public Schools]]
* [[Sasakwa Public Schools]]
* [[Seminole Public Schools]]
* [[Strother Public Schools]]
* [[Varnum Public Schools]]
* [[Wewoka Public Schools]]
{{div col end}}

There is one elementary school district: [[Justice Public School]].<ref name=CensusSDMap2020/>

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Seminole County, Oklahoma]]
* [[Seminole County, Georgia]]
* [[Seminole County, Florida]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic location
| Centre    = Seminole County
| North     =
| Northeast = [[Okfuskee County, Oklahoma|Okfuskee County]]
| East      = [[Hughes County, Oklahoma|Hughes County]]
| Southeast =
| South     = [[Pontotoc County, Oklahoma|Pontotoc County]]
| Southwest =
| West      = [[Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma|Pottawatomie County]]
| Northwest =
}}
{{Seminole County, Oklahoma}}
{{Oklahoma}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord|35.17|-96.61|type:adm2nd_region:US-OK_source:UScensus1990|display=title}}

[[Category:Seminole County, Oklahoma| ]]
[[Category:1907 establishments in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1907]]
[[Category:Seminole Nation of Oklahoma]]