Latimer County

Located in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma, Latimer County was created at statehood and named for James S. Latimer, a member of the Constitutional Convention.

The Butterfield Overland Mail Route, extending from St. Louis to San Francisco, cut through the county at four stops which are now open to visitors. During the Civil War, outlaws roamed the area, and in 1875, Isaac Parker, a Federal Judge at Fort Smith, Arkansas, became known as the hanging judge because of his efforts to restore order.

A coal boom in 1870 brought a great influx of people, and by 1907 many people had settled in Wilburton. A tragic explosion in 1926 forced the mines to close and since that time cattle raising and agriculture have become the principle ways of life.

Wilburton, the county seat, is the home of industry as well as Eastern Oklahoma State College, begun in 1908 as the Oklahoma School of Mines. Latimer County has five reservoirs and is rich in minerals as well as forests, ranch land, and recreational opportunities.

For more county information, call the county clerk's office at 918/465-3065 or the Chamber of Commerce at 918/465-2759. County narrative provided courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries from the 2002-2004 Oklahoma Almanac.

Population Totals
  2000 Census 2010 Census 
Latimer 10,692 11,154
Median Age: 36.8 40.0
Median Household Income: $23,962 $42,639

Colleges and Universities
Eastern Oklahoma State College

County Government
County Seat: Wilburton
Court Clerk: Melody Littlejohn, D, Wilburton
Clerk: Carolyn Taylor, D, Wilburton
Sheriff: Robert Brooks, D, Wilburton
Treasurer: Delana Moon, D, Wilburton
Assessor: Cynthia Mckenna, D, Wilburton
Election Board Secretary: Barbara Helmert, D, Wilburton

Commissioners:
District 1 – Dennis Deela, D, Wilburton
District 2 – John Medders, D, Talihina
District 3 – Roy Alford, D, Red Oak