Cameron, Oklahoma Explained

Official Name:Cameron, Oklahoma
Settlement Type:Town
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Oklahoma
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Le Flore
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:3.86
Area Land Km2:3.86
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Total Sq Mi:1.49
Area Land Sq Mi:1.49
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:323
Population Density Km2:83.57
Population Density Sq Mi:216.49
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation Ft:495
Coordinates:35.1372°N -94.5392°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:74932
Area Code:539/918
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:40-11300[2]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2413153

Cameron is a town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 302 at the 2010 census, a decline of 3.2 percent from the figure of 312 recorded in 2000.[3]

History

When the Fort Smith and Southern Railway laid tracks in the area of the present day town of Cameron in 1886–87, there was already a settlement of about 40 people. At the time of its founding, Cameron was located in Skullyville County, a part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation.[4] The U. S. Post Office Department established a post office that it named Cameron, Indian Territory in 1888.According to Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the post office and town may have been named for either of two persons. One was William Cameron, a former Mine Inspector for Indian Territory. The other was James Cameron, an employee of the Fort Smith and Southern Railway.

In 1883, James Reynolds, a successful rancher and entrepreneur, established the Cameron Institute, which was sponsored by the Presbyterian Church but was open to enrolling students of any denomination. It educated children from primary to high school level. Reynolds became a resident of Cameron, where he built an imposing home, now known as the James E. Reynolds House, that had the appearance of a castle. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places listings in LeFlore County, Oklahoma.

Geography

Cameron is located 8miles northeast of Poteau.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3sqmi, all land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 312 people, 115 households, and 90 families residing in the town. The population density was 1158.9sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 126 housing units at an average density of 468sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 83.65% White, 0.32% African American, 11.54% Native American, and 4.49% from two or more races.

There were 115 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% 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 3.11.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,750, and the median income for a family was $26,339. Males had a median income of $27,679 versus $17,321 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,055. About 14.7% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.9% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

References

  1. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. September 20, 2022. January 19, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119173812/https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer. live.
  2. Web site: U.S. Census website . . January 31, 2008 . July 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210709054630/https://www.census.gov/ . live .
  3. http://censusviewer.com/city/OK/Cameron
  4. Morris, John W. Historical Atlas of Oklahoma (Norman: University of Oklahoma, 1986), plate 38.

External links