Rogers County, Oklahoma

Rogers County
County
Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°22′N 95°36′W
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1907
Named for	Clement Vann Rogers
Seat	Claremore
Largest city	Claremore
Area
• Total	711 sq mi (1,840 km2)
• Land	676 sq mi (1,750 km2)
• Water	36 sq mi (90 km2)  5.0%
Population
• Estimate  (2018)	91,984
• Density	129/sq mi (50/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	1st, 2nd
Website	www.rogerscounty.org

Rogers County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 86,905, making it the sixth-largest county in Oklahoma based on population. Its county seat is Claremore. Rogers County is included in the Tulsa, OK Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Originally created in 1907 from the western Saline District of the Cherokee Nation, this area was named the Cooweescoowee District, and Cooweescoowee County at the time of statehood. But the residents protested and the name was changed to Rogers County, after Clem Vann Rogers, a prominent Cherokee rancher and father of Will Rogers.

History

View of Claremore's skyline

According to the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the Arkansas Band of the Osage Nation settled in the Three Forks area (the junction of the Arkansas River, Grand River and Verdigris River during the 1760s and established two villages called Pasuga and Pasona in what is now Rogers County. Pasona was near an ancient earthwork platform mound near the Verdigris River. It was later called Claremore Mound, to honor Osage chief Claremore (aka Gra-mon in Osage, meaning Arrow Going Home; his name was first recorded by French colonists as Clermont.)

In 1828, Cherokee bands who had left the Southeast early exchanged their Arkansas land for an area that included present-day Rogers County. This had been ceded by the Osage in 1825 under a treaty to the United States. The area became organized by the Cherokee Nation as the Saline District of their portion of Indian Territory. In 1907 the western portion of that district was organized as the Cooweescoowee District.

Upon statehood in 1908, the district was designated as a county named Cooweescoowee. Residents supported renaming the county in honor of Clement Vann Rogers, an early Cherokee settler and prominent rancher here.

Shortly after statehood, Eastern University Preparatory School was established on College Hill, just west of Claremore, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Military Academy, established in 1919, took over the facility. In 1971 the academy was closed and the facility was converted for use by Claremore Junior College. As a four-year curriculum and graduate departments were added, the state legislature renamed the institution as Rogers State College and Rogers University, before settling in 1998 on the current Rogers State University.

Geography

Claremore Lake

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 711 square miles (1,840 km²), of which 676 square miles (1,750 km²) is land and 36 square miles (93 km²) (5.0%) is water. The largest body of water is Lake Oologah. The main streams are the Caney River and the Verdigris River. There are also several smaller creeks and lakes in the county.

Adjacent counties

• Nowata County (north)
• Craig County (northeast)
• Mayes County (east)
• Wagoner County (south)
• Tulsa County (southwest)
• Washington County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	17,736		—
1920	17,605		−0.7%
1930	18,956		7.7%
1940	21,078		11.2%
1950	19,532		−7.3%
1960	20,614		5.5%
1970	28,425		37.9%
1980	46,436		63.4%
1990	55,170		18.8%
2000	70,641		28.0%
2010	86,905		23.0%
2019 (est.)	92,459		6.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2013

As of the census of 2010, there were 86,905 people, 31,884 households, and 24,088 families residing in the county. The population density was 105 people per square mile (40/km²). There were 27,476 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile (16/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.3% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 13.1% Native American, 1.1% Asian (0.5% Hmong, 0.1% Filipino, 0.1% Indian), 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 8.1% from two or more races. Of the population 3.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race (2.7% Mexican, 0.3% Puerto Rican, 0.2% Spanish, 0.1% Peruvian). 18.1% were of German, 13.8% Irish, 8.7% English, 3.0% French, 2.5% Scottish, and 2.2% Italian ancestries.

96.7% spoke English, 1.7% Spanish, and 0.4% German as their first language.

There were 31,884 households out of which 38.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.60% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.90% were non-families. Of all households 19.00% were made up of individuals and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.70% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $58,434 and the median income for a family was $67,691. The per capita income for the county was $26,400. About 7.2% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

#3333FF #E81B23 #DDDDBB

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of January 15, 2019
Party		Number of Voters	Percentage
Democratic	14,886	26.74%
Republican	33,020	59.32%
Others	7,759	13.94%
Total		55,665	100%

Presidential elections results

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2016	75.7% 30,913	19.3% 7,902	5.0% 2,047
2012	75.1% 27,553	24.9% 9,148
2008	72.0% 27,743	28.0% 10,772
2004	67.7% 24,976	32.3% 11,918
2000	61.2% 17,713	37.4% 10,813	1.5% 425
1996	50.4% 12,883	37.4% 9,544	12.2% 3,127
1992	44.7% 12,455	29.6% 8,257	25.7% 7,180
1988	59.2% 12,940	40.1% 8,771	0.6% 140
1984	72.4% 16,137	27.0% 6,013	0.6% 138
1980	62.1% 11,581	34.3% 6,399	3.6% 662
1976	49.4% 7,318	49.7% 7,368	0.9% 129
1972	76.2% 9,697	20.5% 2,607	3.3% 424
1968	44.4% 4,631	25.5% 2,665	30.1% 3,141
1964	43.5% 4,202	56.5% 5,449
1960	63.1% 5,412	36.9% 3,167
1956	58.5% 4,487	41.5% 3,185
1952	56.0% 4,873	44.0% 3,830
1948	40.4% 2,849	59.6% 4,197
1944	53.8% 3,739	46.1% 3,209	0.1% 8
1940	50.2% 4,086	49.5% 4,028	0.3% 25
1936	41.9% 3,119	57.6% 4,290	0.6% 42
1932	26.0% 1,879	74.0% 5,347
1928	61.4% 3,477	37.9% 2,147	0.7% 41
1924	41.3% 2,207	54.3% 2,901	4.4% 237
1920	51.5% 2,844	44.6% 2,459	3.9% 216
1916	37.0% 1,435	49.0% 1,900	14.1% 546
1912	37.7% 1,258	49.0% 1,637	13.3% 445

Communities

Cities

• Catoosa
• Claremore (county seat)
• Collinsville (primarily in Tulsa County)
• Owasso (primarily in Tulsa County)
• Tulsa (primarily in Tulsa County)

Towns

• Chelsea
• Fair Oaks (primarily in Wagoner County)
• Foyil
• Inola
• Oologah
• Talala
• Valley Park
• Verdigris

Census-designated places

• Bushyhead
• Gregory
• Justice
• Limestone
• Sequoyah
• Tiawah

Unincorporated communities

• Jamestown
• Keetonville

NRHP sites

Main article: National Register of Historic Places listings in Rogers County, Oklahoma

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

• I.W.W. Beck Building, Oologah
• The Belvidere, Claremore
• Chelsea Motel, Chelsea
• Claremore Auto Dealership, Claremore
• Eastern University Preparatory School, Claremore
• Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park, Foyil
• Hanes Home, Sageeyah
• Hogue House, Chelsea
• Mendenhall's Bath House, Claremore
• Maurice Meyer Barracks, Claremore
• Oologah Bank, Oologah
• Oologah Pump, Oologah
• Pryor Creek Bridge, Chelsea
• Will Rogers Birthplace, Oologah
• Will Rogers Hotel, Claremore
• Verdigris Club Lodge, Catoosa

External links

• Rogers County Government's website
• Rogers County Genealogy page
• Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
• Voices of Oklahoma interview with Frank Robson. First person interview conducted on November 2, 2009 with Frank Robson referencing the history of Rogers County, Oklahoma. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.