Adair County, Oklahoma

Adair County, Oklahoma
Omnedon · Public domain · source
County	Adair County
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1907
Seat	Stilwell
Largest city	Stilwell
Area total sq mi	577
Area land sq mi	573
Population as of	2020
Population total	4659

Adair County, Oklahoma is a U.S. county located in the Boston Mountains region of northeastern Oklahoma, bordering Washington County, Arkansas, Benton County, Arkansas, Delaware County, Oklahoma, Cherokee County, Oklahoma, and Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. The county seat is Stilwell, Oklahoma, which is also the largest city in the county, and is situated near the Illinois River. Adair County is part of the Fayetteville, Arkansas-Springdale, Arkansas-Miami, Oklahoma Combined Statistical Area, and is close to the Ozark National Forest and the Mark Twain National Forest. The county is named after William Penn Adair, a Cherokee Nation leader, and is home to the Pea Ridge National Military Park and the Cherokee Heritage Center.

Geography

Adair County covers an area of 577 square miles, with 573 square miles of land and 4 square miles of water, and is located in the Ozark Plateau region of northeastern Oklahoma. The county is bordered by Washington County, Arkansas to the north, Benton County, Arkansas to the northeast, Delaware County, Oklahoma to the east, Cherokee County, Oklahoma to the south, and Sequoyah County, Oklahoma to the west. The Illinois River flows through the county, and the Boston Mountains run along the northern edge of the county, near the Ozark National Forest and the Mark Twain National Forest. The county is also close to the Kiamichi Mountains and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, and is part of the Fayetteville, Arkansas-Springdale, Arkansas-Miami, Oklahoma Combined Statistical Area, which includes Fayetteville, Arkansas, Springdale, Arkansas, and Miami, Oklahoma.

History

Adair County was established in 1907, when Oklahoma was admitted to the United States as the 46th state, and was named after William Penn Adair, a Cherokee Nation leader who served as a United States Senator and a United States Representative. The county was formed from part of the Cherokee Nation, which was established by the Treaty of New Echota in 1835, and was also home to the Cherokee Heritage Center and the Pea Ridge National Military Park. The county seat, Stilwell, Oklahoma, was established in 1897, and was named after Arthur Stilwell, a Kansas City Southern Railway official, who also founded the Kansas City Southern Railway and the Port of New Orleans. The county is also close to the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, which commemorates the forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation from their ancestral lands to Indian Territory.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States Census, the population of Adair County was 4,659, with a population density of 8 people per square mile, and a total of 2,053 households, with an average household size of 2.27 people. The median age in the county was 38.4 years, and the median household income was $34,419, with a per capita income of $18,419. The county is part of the Fayetteville, Arkansas-Springdale, Arkansas-Miami, Oklahoma Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of over 350,000 people, and is close to the University of Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas Community College, and Northeastern State University. The county is also home to the Cherokee Nation, which has a population of over 300,000 enrolled tribal members, and is one of the largest Native American tribes in the United States.

Economy

The economy of Adair County is primarily based on agriculture, with major crops including soybeans, corn, and wheat, and is also home to the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service, which provides research and education to farmers and ranchers. The county is also rich in natural resources, including timber, minerals, and oil and gas, and is close to the Kinder Morgan pipeline and the Magellan Midstream Partners pipeline. The county is part of the Fayetteville, Arkansas-Springdale, Arkansas-Miami, Oklahoma Combined Statistical Area, which has a diverse economy based on healthcare, education, manufacturing, and tourism, and is home to major employers such as Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services. The county is also close to the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and the Port of Fort Smith, which provide access to the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.

Education

Adair County is served by several school districts, including the Stilwell Public Schools, Watts Public Schools, and Maryetta Public Schools, which operate a total of 5 schools in the county, with a total enrollment of over 2,000 students. The county is also home to the Northeastern State University Stilwell Campus, which offers associate's degree and bachelor's degree programs in a variety of fields, including business, education, and health sciences. The county is close to the University of Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas Community College, and Connors State College, which offer a range of academic programs, including associate's degree, bachelor's degree, and master's degree programs. The county is also served by the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service, which provides research and education to farmers and ranchers.

Communities

Adair County has a total of 5 incorporated communities, including Stilwell, Oklahoma, Watts, Oklahoma, Westville, Oklahoma, Christie, Oklahoma, and Maryetta, Oklahoma, with a total population of over 4,000 people. The county is also home to several unincorporated communities, including Bell, Oklahoma, Cherry Tree, Oklahoma, and Lyons Switch, Oklahoma, which are served by the Adair County Sheriff's Office and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The county is close to the Cherokee Heritage Center, the Pea Ridge National Military Park, and the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, which attract tourists from across the United States and around the world. The county is part of the Fayetteville, Arkansas-Springdale, Arkansas-Miami, Oklahoma Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of over 350,000 people, and is close to the Ozark National Forest and the Mark Twain National Forest.