Pottawatomie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,454.

Pottawatomie County is part of the Shawnee, OK micropolitan statistical area, which is Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Government in the Oklahoma City–Shawnee, OK combined statistical area.

History

Pottawatomie County was carved out of land originally given to the Creek and Seminole after their forced removal from Georgia and Florida. After the Civil War, the Creek and Seminole were forced to cede their lands back to the federal government, and the area of Pottawatomie County was used to resettle the Iowa, Sac and Fox, Absentee Shawnee, Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes.

Non-Indian settlement began on September 22, 1891, when all the tribes except the Kickapoo agreed to land allotment, where communal reservation land was divided and allotted to individual members of the tribes. The remaining land was opened to settlement.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.7%) is water.

Adjacent counties

  • Lincoln County (north)
  • Okfuskee County (northeast)
  • Seminole County (east)
  • Pontotoc County (southeast)
  • McClain County (southwest)
  • Cleveland County (west)
  • Oklahoma County (northwest)

Demographics

2021 estimates

According to 2021 census estimates, its median household income was $54,896 and the county had a poverty rate of 14.4%.

The racial makeup of the county was 69.7% White, 3.1% Black or African American, 12.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 2.0% from some other race, and 11.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.9% of the population. there were 69,442 people, 25,911 households, and 18,227 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 29,139 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 76.3% white, 2.9% black or African American, 12.9% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 6.3% from two or more races. About 4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, while 9% were of American, 17% German, 14% Irish and 10% English ancestry. About 90.6% spoke English and 4.2% Spanish as their first language.

As of 2010, there were 25,911 households, out of which 34.5% included children under the age of 18, 51.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.7% were non-families. About a quarter of households consisted of a single individual and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88 males.

As of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $41,332, and the median income for a family was $50,399. Males had a median income of $39,580 versus $27,495 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,700. About 14% of families and 18% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Pioneer Library System operates branch libraries in nine cities in Pottawatomie, Cleveland, and McClain counties.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections operates the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in an unincorporated area in the county, near McLoud.

Politics

{| class=wikitable

! colspan = 6 | Voter registration and party enrollment as of June 30, 2023

|-

! colspan = 2 | Party

! Number of Voters

! Percentage

|-

|

| Republican

| align = center | 22,585

| align = center | 55.94%

|-

|

| Democratic

| align = center | 10,447

| align = center | 25.88%

|-

|

| Others

| align = center | 7,341

| align = center | 18.18%

|-

! colspan = 2 | Total

! align = center | 40,373

! align = center | 100%

|}

<!-- PresRow should be -->

Transportation

Major highways

  • 20px Interstate 40
  • 20px U.S. Highway 177
  • 20px U.S. Highway 270
  • 20px U.S. Highway 377
  • 20px State Highway 3
  • 20px State Highway 3E
  • 20px State Highway 3W
  • 20px State Highway 9
  • 20px State Highway 9A
  • 20px State Highway 18
  • 20px State Highway 39
  • 20px State Highway 59
  • 20px State Highway 59B
  • 20px State Highway 99
  • 20px State Highway 99A
  • 20px State Highway 102
  • 20px State Highway 270

Airport

The Shawnee Regional Airport is located northwest from the central business district of Shawnee. It is classified as a general aviation airport.

Communities

Cities

  • Oklahoma City (mostly in Oklahoma County)
  • Shawnee (county seat)
  • Tecumseh

Towns

  • Asher
  • Bethel Acres
  • Brooksville
  • Earlsboro
  • Johnson
  • Macomb
  • Maud
  • McLoud
  • Pink
  • St. Louis
  • Tribbey
  • Wanette

Census-designated place

  • Dale

Other unincorporated communities

  • Aydelotte
  • Bellemont
  • Harjo
  • Pearson
  • Romulus
  • Sacred Heart

Education

Higher Education:

  • Oklahoma Baptist University

School districts include:

K-12:

  • Asher Public Schools
  • Bethel Public Schools
  • Dale Public Schools
  • Earlsboro Public Schools
  • Harrah Public Schools
  • Konawa Public Schools
  • Little Axe Public Schools
  • Macomb Public Schools
  • Maud Public Schools
  • McLoud Public Schools
  • Meeker Public Schools
  • North Rock Creek Public School
  • Prague Public Schools
  • Shawnee Public Schools
  • Strother Public Schools
  • Tecumseh Public Schools
  • Wanette Public Schools

Elementary only:

  • Grove Public School
  • Pleasant Grove Public School
  • South Rock Creek Public School

NRHP Sites

The following sites in Pottawatomie County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

{|

|----- valign="top"

|

  • Aldridge Hotel, Shawnee
  • Barnard Elementary School, Tecumseh
  • Beard Cabin, Shawnee
  • Bell Street Historic District, Shawnee
  • Billington Building, Shawnee
  • H. T. Douglas Mansion and Garage, Shawnee
  • Governors Mansion, Shawnee
  • Kerfoot House, Shawnee
  • Nuckolls House, Shawnee
  • Old Santa Fe Railroad Bridge, Wanette

|

  • Pottawatomie County Courthouse, Shawnee
  • Rose—Fast Site (34PT28), Harjo
  • Sacred Heart Mission Site, Asher
  • Santa Fe Depot, Shawnee
  • Shawnee Friends Mission, Shawnee
  • St. Gregory's Abbey and College, Shawnee
  • Squirrel Creek Bridge. Shawnee vicinity
  • State National Bank Building, Shawnee
  • Walker House, Shawnee

|}

References

  • Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office
  • Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma Government
  • Charles W. Mooney Jr., Localized History of Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma to 1907, 1971