Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
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Broken Arrow is a city located in northeastern Oklahoma. It is the largest suburb of Tulsa. As of the 2004 census estimates, the city had a total population of 100,399.
History
The name comes from a Creek community who established a new town site in a place where reeds for making arrow shafts grew plentifully. The town's Creek name, Rekackv (pronounced thlee-Kawtch-kuh), meaning broken arrow, was not "official" until the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway company built a railroad which ran through the area. MKT was granted town site priveleges along the route. They sold three of the as-yet-unamed sites in 1902 to the Arkansas Valley Town Site company. W.S. Fears, secretary of the company, was allowed to choose and name one of the locations. He selected a site about 18 miles southeast of Tulsa and about five miles north of the thlee-Kawtch-kuh settlement and named the new town site Broken Arrow. From "Visit Broken Arrow 2006" published by the City of Broken Arrow, OklahomaGeography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 118.1 km² (45.6 mi²). 116.5 km² (45.0 mi²) of it is land and 1.6 km² (0.6 mi²) of it (1.34%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 74,859 people, 26,159 households, and 21,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 642.4/km² (1,664.0/mi²). There were 27,085 housing units at an average density of 232.4/km² (602.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.34% White, 3.73% African American, 4.02% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.22% from other races, and 3.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.56% of the population.There were 26,159 households out of which 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $53,507, and the median income for a family was $58,891. Males had a median income of $42,397 versus $27,559 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,555. About 3.4% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Noteworthy Residents
- Kristin Chenoweth, actress and soprano.
- Phil Farrand, author and novelist.
- Brad Penny, starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.
External links
- http://www.city.broken-arrow.ok.us/
- http://www.brokenarrow.org/
- [Urban OK Forums -- BA Civic & Development Discussion]
- [Broken Arrow Public Schools]
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