Settled in the mid-1800s, Atoka County was first called Shappaway, with the county seat located at the Choctaw Court grounds on the banks of the Muddy Boggy River. The name was later changed to Atoka in honor of Captain Atoka, a noted Choctaw who led a band of his people to this area during the removal.
Atoka, the county seat, was a stop on the Butterfield Overland Stage Road, the route followed when mail service began between Missouri and San Francisco in 1857. Boggy Depot, located in the western part of the county, served as an important trading post during early years and is now historic Boggy Depot State Park.
Well known for its hunting and fishing, half its area is forested and contains several mountain streams and man-made lakes. It is the site of Oklahoma?s largest rock quarry, which is located at Stringtown.
The county claims many firsts, including Oklahoma's first Masonic Lodge, first chapter of Eastern Star, and first Catholic Church in Indian Territory. Country entertainer Reba McEntire is from the county. Tales of Atoka County Heritage and Atoka County Museum offer more information. The Chamber of Commerce serves as a tourist center, and the Confederate Memorial Museum and Cemetery is also an information and rest area, located on HWY 69 north of Atoka. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 580/889-2410. County narrative provided courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries from the 2002-2004 Oklahoma Almanac.
| Population Totals | ||
|
2000 Census |
2006 Census |
|
| Atoka | 14,000 | 13,879 |
| Median Age: | 38.3 | |
| Median Household Income: | $24,75 |
County Government
County Seat: Atoka
Court Clerk - Barbara Hunt, D, Atoka
Clerk - Christie Henry, D, Atoka
Sheriff - Gary McCool, D, Atoka
Treasurer - Richard Lillard, D, Atoka
Assessor - Nancy Hill, D, Atoka
Election Board Secretary - Kathie Jones, D, Atoka
Commissioners:
District 1 - Marvin Dale, D, Atoka
District 2 - Gilbert Wilson, D, Atoka
District 3 - Harold W. Delay, D, Caney
