Miami

History

The city was founded in an unusual way, compared to other towns established in Indian Territory. Per the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, "... it was settled in a business-like way by men of vision who looked into the future and saw possibilities. It didn't just grow. It was carefully planned." W. C. Lykins petitioned the U.S. Congress to pass legislation on March 3, 1891, to establish the town. He met with Thomas F. Richardville, chief of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, who agreed to meet in turn with the U.S. Indian Commission and the Ottawa Tribe. That meeting resulted in Congress authorizing the secretary of the United States Department of the Interior to approve the townsite purchase from the Ottawa. Lykins, Richardville, and Manford Pooler, chief of the Ottawa, are identified in historical accounts as "fathers of Miami". Lykins' company, the Miami Town Company, bought of land from the Ottawa for $10 an acre. On June 25–26, 1891 they held an auction of lots. In 1895, Miami incorporated and had more than 800 residents. US Route 66 in Oklahoma also passed through Miami. An historic section of the Route 66 roadbed is marked in Miami. It is the capital of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma (after which it is named), Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma, Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, Peoria Tribe of Indians, and Shawnee Tribe.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which (0.82%) is covered by water. Miami is located about north-northeast of Tulsa, north-northeast of Oklahoma City, about west-southwest of Joplin, Missouri, or about west-southwest of Springfield, Missouri. Miami is located on the Neosho River, and was severely affected by the Great Flood of 1951. The town has flooded more than two dozen times since the 1990s, most recently during the 2019 Arkansas River floods. Town residents and neighboring Native American groups have objected to maintaining high water levels on the river at Pensacola Dam and its popular vacation area, Grand Lake, on the grounds that when water backs up downstream, it can increase Miami's flooding problems.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  371
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  340
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  313
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  296
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  259
• Red-tailed Hawk

  Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  249
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  231
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  218

Largest nearby schools

• MIAMI JR HS
  Middle · Miami · 529 students · 18.9:1 ratio
• NICHOLS UPPER ES
  Middle · Miami · 447 students · 14:1 ratio
• ALEXANDER ES
  Elementary · COMMERCE · 445 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• MIAMI HS
  High · Miami · 438 students · 12.5:1 ratio
• QUAPAW ES
  Elementary · Quapaw · 298 students · 16.6:1 ratio
• WILSON ES
  Elementary · Miami · 279 students · 17.4:1 ratio
• FAIRLAND ES
  Elementary · Fairland · 262 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• COMMERCE HS
  High · COMMERCE · 257 students · 18.4:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.82 — 2024-03-23
  9 km SE of Foyil, Oklahoma
• M 2.7 — 2016-01-14
  7 km W of Talala, Oklahoma
• M 3 — 2014-10-01
  9 km SSW of Galesburg, Kansas
• M 2.6 — 2010-05-21
  2 km SW of Centerton, Arkansas
• M 2.5 — 2010-04-29
  3 km SW of Centerton, Arkansas