Konawa is a city in Seminole County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,288 at the time of the 2020 census. Konawa is a Seminole word meaning, "string of beads."
History
Located in southwestern Seminole County, Konawa, a Seminole word meaning "string of beads," lies at the intersection of State Highways 9A and 39. On January 7, 1904, Tom West, a mixed-blood Seminole, sold George Northrup a plot of land that became the Konawa townsite. The post office was established on July 15, 1904, with Robert C. Lovelace as postmaster. Early-day establishments included the first newspaper, the Konawa Chief, hardware and drug stores, lumberyards, a blacksmith, and a bank. In 1903, the Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (later the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway) bypassed the nearby town of Violet Springs. Most families and businesses moved to other towns. Some moved their houses to Konawa, and many of these buildings continued to stand at the turn of the twenty-first century. moved in 1876 from its original location in Atoka to a location near Konawa and became an abbey and later a school. After a disastrous fire in 1901 that destroyed the school and the monastery, the monks accepted an offer from the town of Shawnee and began construction of the Catholic University of Oklahoma and St. Gregory's Abbey in 1910. In 1927, the abbey completely relocated from Konawa to Shawnee.
The energy industry remained a mainstay of the local economy, with oil-field service companies still important. In May 1968, Oklahoma Gas and Electric Corporation broke ground for the Seminole Power Plant, creating the 1,350-acre Konawa Reservoir at a cost of $45 million. By 1975, the third power unit with an output of more than 1.6 million kilowatts was built. Konawa Reservoir is one of Oklahoma's top trophy lakes.
Climate
Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. Temperatures are high and can lead to warm, oppressive nights. Summers are usually somewhat wetter than winters, with much of the rainfall coming from convectional thunderstorm activity. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Konawa had a population of 1,288. The median age was 36.8 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.4 males age 18 and over.
There were 483 households in Konawa, of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.5% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Percent
|-
| White || 56.6%
|-
| Black or African American || 1.6%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 25.4%
|-
| Asian || 0.1%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0%
|-
| Some other race || 2.2%
|-
| Two or more races || 14.1%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 5.2%
|}
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 1,298 people living in the city. The racial composition of the city is 64.5% White, 21.5% Native American, 9.6% from two or more races, 2.4% Black, 0.4% Pacific Islander and 0.2% Asian. 1.5% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 1,479 people, 551 households, and 360 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 657 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 70.11% White, 1.89% African American, 22.92% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.81% from other races, and 4.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.16% of the population.
References
External links
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture - Konawa