Editing Weleetka, Oklahoma

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Weleetka, Oklahoma (2008).jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Buildings on Main Street in 2008
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = OKMap-doton-Weleetka.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Weleetka, 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        = [[Okfuskee County, Oklahoma|Okfuskee]]

<!-- 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           = 1.71
|area_land_km2            = 1.71
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.66
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.66
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 806
|population_density_km2   = 471.78
|population_density_sq_mi = 1221.21

<!-- 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             = 728
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|20|24|N|96|08|10|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 74880
|area_code                = [[Area codes 405 and 572|405/572]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 40-79800<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              = 2413463<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2413463}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Weleetka''' is a town in [[Okfuskee County, Oklahoma|Okfuskee County]], [[Oklahoma]], United States. It is approximately {{convert|10|mi|km}} southeast of [[Okemah, Oklahoma|Okemah]], the county seat. The name is a Creek word meaning "running water."<ref name="EOHC-Weleetka"/> The population was 806 at the time of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?q=weleetka%2C+Oklahoma&page=1&stateGeo=none&searchtype=web&cssp=SERP&_charset_=UTF-8 |title=Weleetka (town), Oklahoma|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 29, 2023}}</ref>

==History==
According to the ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', the present town of Weleetka was founded by three men from other communities who were having difficulty surviving in the newspaper business. These men, George F. Clarke of Vinita, Lake Moore of Fairland and John Jacobs of [[Holdenville, Oklahoma|Holdenville]], decided in 1899 to form a partnership and find a new town where they might find prosperity together. They had already learned that the [[St. Louis and San Francisco Railway]] (SL&SF or "Frisco") was building a line southward from [[Sapulpa, Oklahoma|Sapulpa]], Indian Territory, to [[Denison, Texas]]. Clarke and Moore knew that the [[Fort Smith and Western Railway]] was laying a line westward from Indian Territory to [[Guthrie, Oklahoma|Guthrie]], in Oklahoma Territory. The partners decided to establish a town at the junction of the two railroads. The partners selected a suitable town site on a hill just north of the [[Canadian River]] that was owned by Martha Lowe, a Creek Indian who had received an allotment. Someone suggested that the partners name the new site, "Weleetka", a Creek word that meant "running water" in English.<ref name="EOHC-Weleetka">[https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=WE010. Anglin, Milbria. "Weleetka." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.] Accessed July 7, 2019.</ref>

The partners began selling townsite lots for 40 dollars each on February 10, 1902. Within a day, they had netted enough to pay Mrs. Lowe for her land as well as cover their other expenses. On the following day, the First Bank of Weleetka opened for business. By the time it closed that evening, it held $3,000 in deposits. Business continued to be brisk, and a Weleetka post office was established on March 14, 1902.<ref name="EOHC-Weleetka"/>

The surrounding area was mostly devoted to agriculture, where farmers produced cotton, wheat, oats, alfalfa, fruits, vegetables, peanuts, and pecans. Later, it became known for production of oil and gas. The town had a population of 1,020 at statehood in 1907. By 1930, it could boast of having 2,042 people. It also had two hotels, three cotton gins, a cotton compress, three drug stores, an opera house, and a mercantile company.<ref name="EOHC-Weleetka"/>

Weleetka was once a major railroad town, serving as the division point for the [[Fort Smith and Western Railway]]. All train crews changed out in Weleetka; the town also housed major shops and repair facilities for the steam locomotives. Headquartered in [[Fort Smith, Arkansas]], the Fort Smith and Western was a railroad that operated in the states of [[Arkansas]] and [[Oklahoma]]. The railroad's main line extended 217 miles, from Ft. Smith through Weleetka to Guthrie. The Fort Smith and Western owned a subsidiary, St. Louis, El Reno and Western, which began operating 42 miles between Guthrie and El Reno, Oklahoma in June 1904. The railroad also acquired 32.5 miles of trackage rights over the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad from [[Fallis, Oklahoma]] to Oklahoma City.

The railroad supported much of the business and hotels of the city in the first half of the 1900s. Trains entering town from the East were switched and broken down in Weleetka, and dispatched northwest for either [[Oklahoma City]], Guthrie or El Reno. Due to the railroad yard in Weleetka, the single westbound train could thus become two westbound trains. The reverse was true for eastbound trains. Weleetka was vital to the life of the railroad. The railroad provided regular passenger service and at one time boasted through [[Pullman (car or coach)|Pullman sleeping cars]] to and from [[St. Louis]] and Oklahoma City. The route of the FS&W served no major population centers, but did serve major coal mining operations in eastern Oklahoma at Coal Creek, [[Bokoshe]], and [[McCurtain, Oklahoma|McCurtain]]. Other towns served included [[Crowder, Oklahoma|Crowder]], [[Okemah, Oklahoma|Okemah]], [[Boley, Oklahoma|Boley]], [[Prague, Oklahoma|Prague]], [[Vernon, Oklahoma|Vernon]], [[Indianola, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma|Indianola]] and [[Meridian, Logan County, Oklahoma|Meridian]]. A major portion of the road's freight traffic was metallurgical-grade coal from San Bois Coal Company mines near [[McCurtain, Oklahoma|McCurtain]]. As coal traffic declined, an oil discovery near Okemah brought additional traffic, which postponed the abandonment of the railroad. The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad withdrew trackage rights between Fallis and Oklahoma City in January 1939 after FS&W defaulted on rental fees, and when the Fort Smith and Western ceased operations on February 9, 1939, Weleetka lost its major employer.

Beginning in 1930, both cotton production and railroad service declined, followed by a steady loss of population throughout the 20th Century. Weleetka remained a trading center for its area, and in 2000, there were still 1,014 residents.  Ten churches, a school system, and a weekly newspaper, the ''Weleetkan'', served the community. The Weleetka Town Hall and Jail were included in the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma]] (NR 93000156). The 2010 population had declined further to 998.<ref name="EOHC-Weleetka"/>

==Geography==
It is {{convert|10|miles|km}} southeast of the county seat, [[Okemah, Oklahoma|Okemah]]. The townsite is on a horseshoe bend of the [[North Canadian River]].<ref name="EOHC-Weleetka"/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.7|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 1229
|1920= 1588
|1930= 2042
|1940= 1904
|1950= 1548
|1960= 1231
|1970= 1199
|1980= 1195
|1990= 1112
|2000= 1014
|2010= 998
|2020= 806
|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 1,014 people, 368 households, and 235 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,463.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 450 housing units at an average density of {{convert|649.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 60.36% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 6.31% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 23.77% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.10% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 8.38% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.66% of the population.

There were 368 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $19,141, and the median income for a family was $26,917. Males had a median income of $23,542 versus $15,227 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $12,103. About 22.3% of families and 27.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 32.2% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable person==
*Weleetka is home to country singer [[Amber Hayes]].<ref>Brandy McDonnell, [http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/2012/10/25/country-artist-and-oklahoma-native-amber-hayes-releases-sophomore-ep-any-day-is-a-good-day/ "Country artist and Oklahoma native Amber Hayes releases sophomore EP 'Any Day Is a Good Day'", ''[[The Oklahoman]]'', October 25, 2012.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Poor's Manual of Railroads'' - 1919, Poor's Publishing Co., [[New York City]].
* Drury, George H. (1985) ''Historical Guide to North American Railroads'', Kalmbach Publishing Co., [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]. {{ISBN|0-89024-072-8}}
* Hull, Clifton E. (1988) ''Shortline Railroads of Arkansas'', UCA Press, [[Conway, Arkansas]]. {{ISBN|0-944436-00-5}}
* Hofsommer, Donovan L. (1982) ''Railroads of Oklahoma'', Oklahoma Historical Society, [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]. {{ISBN|0-941498-27-1}}

{{Okfuskee County, Oklahoma}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Towns in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Muscogee (Creek) Nation]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1902]]
[[Category:1902 establishments in Indian Territory]]