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McAlester, OK

Frequently asked questions

McAlester, OK

McAlester is the county seat of Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. The town gets its name from James Jackson McAlester, an early white settler and businessman who later became lieutenant governor of Oklahoma. Known as "J. J.", McAlester married Rebecca Burney, the daughter of a full-blood Chickasaw family, which made him a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. 

McAlester is the home of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, the former site of an "inside the walls" prison rodeo that ESPN's SportsCenter once broadcast. McAlester is home to many of the employees of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant. This facility makes essentially all the bombs used by the United States military. In 1998 McAlester became the home of the Defense Ammunition Center (DAC), which moved from Savanna, Illinois, to McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.

The crossing of the east-west California Road with the north-south Texas Road formed a natural point of settlement. At the time of its founding, the site was located in Tobucksy County, a part of the Moshulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation. Alyssia Young, who emigrated from Mississippi to the Indian Territory, first established a settlement at the intersection of the two roads in 1838. The town was named Perryville after James Perry, a member of a Choctaw family, who established a trading post. At one time Perryville was the capital of the Choctaw Nation and County Seat of Tobucksy County. During the American Civil War, the Choctaw allied with the Confederate States of America (CSA) as the war reached Indian Territory.

McAlester is at the intersection of U.S. Route 69 and U.S. Route 270, in Pittsburg County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41 square miles (110 km2), of which 40.6 square miles (105 km2) island. It has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and average monthly temperatures range from 40.0 °F (4.4 °C) in January to 81.7 °F (27.6 °C) in July. The hardiness zone is 7b.

In McAlester, OK, residents have access to various options to support their health and wellness journey. Sole'renity Spa offers a range of spa services, including massages, facials, and body treatments, aimed at promoting relaxation and stress relief. McAlester Fitness Center provides a fully equipped gym with cardio machines, strength training equipment, and fitness classes to help individuals achieve their fitness goals. Balance Yoga Barre offers a variety of yoga classes suitable for all levels, focusing on mindfulness, flexibility, and breathwork. Regional Chiropractic HEALTH CENTER of McAlester specializes in chiropractic care, offering adjustments, spinal decompression therapy, and rehabilitation exercises to alleviate pain and improve spinal health. Additionally, McAlester City Park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation, featuring walking paths, playgrounds, and sports facilities for community members to stay active. The McAlester Wellness Center hosts workshops, seminars, and wellness challenges to educate and empower individuals to prioritize their health. These diverse offerings make McAlester a supportive environment for residents seeking to enhance their overall well-being.

Top sites in McAlester, OK are McAlester Country Club, Komar Park, and Buffalo Run Disc Golf Course.

Population: 18,108 (2024). ZIP codes: 74501, 74502. Area codes: 539, 918. Elevation: 742 ft (226 m). Area: 17.93 sq mi (46.43 km2).

FAQs

What is McAlester, OK famous for?

McAlester is the home of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, previously famous for the "inside the walls" prison rodeo. Sometimes Oklahomans refer to the state prison simply as "Big Mac" or "McAlester," and the town is referenced in that manner in the opening pages of The Grapes of Wrath when Tom Joad is released from there. The prison was also the site of a 1973 riot that lasted for days and is generally regarded as one of the worst in American history.

Is McAlester, OK safe?

The crime rate in McAlester is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 29 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in McAlester is 1 in 34. Based on FBI crime data, McAlester is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Oklahoma, McAlester has a crime rate that is higher than 83% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.

What are the demographics of McAlester, OK?

In 2021, there were 4.72 times more White (non-Hispanic) residents (12.2k people) in McAlester, OK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.57k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 1.22k American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups. None of the households in McAlester, OK reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

Sources

Wikipedia

City of McAlester

Neighborhood Scout

Data USA

Sole'renity Spa 

McAlester Fitness Center

Balance Yoga Barre

Regional Chiropractic

McAlester City Park

McAlester Country Club

Komar Park

Buffalo Run Disc Golf Course

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