Atoka

History

Atoka was founded by the Choctaw Indians in the 1850s, and named for Captain Atoka, a leader of the Choctaw Nation and the signatory of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, which began the process of re-locating the Choctaw people from Mississippi to Oklahoma in 1830. The name "Atoka" is derived from the Choctaw word ' (or '), which means "ball ground" in English. He is believed to be buried near the town of Farris. Atoka is the site of the oldest Catholic parish in the Indian Territory, the oldest chapter of the Freemasons in Oklahoma, and the oldest chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Oklahoma. A small Civil War confrontation occurred on February 13, 1864, north of Atoka. Early in 1864, Colonel William A. Philips set out with some 1,500 Union troops from Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, to cut a swath through Confederate Indian Territory (Oklahoma). Their purpose was to break Confederate control over the Indian Territory and gain the support and possibly recruits from the Native Americans. "I take you with me to clean out the Indian Nation south of the river and drive away and destroy rebels. Let me say a few words to you that you are not to forget .... Those who are still in arms are rebels, who ought to die. Do not kill a prisoner after he has surrendered. But I do not ask you to take prisoners. I ask you to make your footsteps severe and terrible. Muskogees! (Creeks) the time has now come when you are to remember the authors of all your sufferings; those who started a needless and wicked war .... Stand by me faithfully and we will soon have peace ...." -- Colonel William A. Philips, to his men before beginning the campaign Along the way, Colonel Phillips sent out an advance of about 350 men toward Boggy Depot, a large Confederate supply base located on the Texas…

Geography

Atoka is located at (34.384206, -96.127577). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.00%, is water. }}

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• ATOKA ES
  Elementary · Atoka · 587 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• TUSHKA ES
  Elementary · Atoka · 333 students · 15.1:1 ratio
• ATOKA HS
  High · Atoka · 281 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOL
  Elementary · Atoka · 219 students · 18.3:1 ratio
• STRINGTOWN ES
  Elementary · Stringtown · 157 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• TUSHKA HS
  High · Atoka · 150 students · 15:1 ratio
• STRINGTOWN HS
  High · Stringtown · 91 students · 18.2:1 ratio