Okemah, Oklahoma
Okemah (/ˌoʊˈkiːmə/ or /ˈʌkimə/)[4] is the largest city in and the county seat of Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States.[5] It is the birthplace of folk music legend Woody Guthrie. Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, a federally recognized Muscogee Indian tribe, is headquartered in Okemah. The population was 3,078 at the 2020 census, a 6.1 percent decline from 3,223 at the 2010 census.
Education[edit]
History[edit]
S. L. O'Bannon was the teacher in the first school, which opened in 1902 with funds gained by subscribers. Classes were held in a store building. The first school building was built in 1902. It was later replaced by the Wilson School on the same site. The first public school was opened with Dr. Z. Cheatwood as superintendent in 1904.
A store building housed one of the first public schools, and the other was held in a building where the American Legion building now stands. Noble School, completed in 1907, was named for Miss Mae Noble. Okemah High School gained accreditation in 1912. It met in the old Noble School building until the building of 1918 was erected. In the high school complex, the band shop building was erected 1941 and a vocational building in 1948.
Parks, recreation and events[edit]
Okemah Lake, north of town, is a city lake that features swimming, boating, hunting, fishing, and camping.[11]
Okemah’s Municipal Park at Ash St. and S. 2nd St., now with picnic tables and playground equipment, was originally constructed by the WPA in 1935.[12]
Pioneer Days in Okemah are the last weekend in April annually.[13]
The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, also known as WoodyFest, occurs annually in July.[14]
Transportation[edit]
Okemah is at the intersection of Interstate 40 and State Highway 27.[15]
Okemah Airport (FAA Identifier: F81), two miles south of town, features a 3,400-foot runway.[16]
The following sites in Okemah are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: