Lehigh, Oklahoma


Lehigh is a city in Coal County, Oklahoma, United States. Its population was 272 at the 2020 census.

History

Lehigh began as the first mining camp in what is now Coal County, Oklahoma. At the time of its founding, Lehigh was located in Atoka County, Choctaw Nation. It was originally named Boone, but the name was changed to Lehigh. The new name was taken from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, a coal-mining region.
A post office opened in Lehigh, Indian Territory, on April 4, 1882, and several railroads built lines to Lehigh, including the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, and the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway. In addition to mining, ranching was an important contributor to the local economy. Stockyards were built in 1884 and, even as they neared completion, 23 railroad cars of cattle and seven carloads of hogs awaited shipping.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lehigh was a growing settlement that greatly profited from the coal mines surrounding it. During the 1910s and 1920s, the demand for coal lessened as railroads switched to oil-powered trains. The mines eventually closed, and in the early 1920s, boll weevils destroyed the cotton crops in the area. Many businesses closed, and people left the town. The Merchants National Bank Building in Lehigh is the only structure that remains from the once-prosperous downtown area.

Geography

Lehigh is located in southeastern Coal County. U.S. Route 75 passes through the city, leading north to Coalgate, the county seat, and southeast to Atoka.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is covered by water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Lehigh had a population of 272. The median age was 49.1 years, with 20.2% of residents under the age of 18 and 25.0% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.9 males age 18 and over.
0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 118 households in Lehigh, of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.1% were married-couple households, 22.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 130 housing units, of which 9.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.6% were owner-occupied and 25.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%.
RacePercent
White65.4%
Black or African American<0.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native9.9%
Asian0.4%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander<0.1%
Some other race10.3%
Two or more races14.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 315 people, 114 households and 77 families were residing in the city. The population density was. The 144 housing units had an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 76.51% White, 0.95% African American, 14.92% Native American, 0.95% Asian, and 6.67% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.27% of the population.
Of the 114 households, 29.8% had children under 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were not families. About 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76, and the average family size was 3.26.
The age distribution was 28.9% under 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.4 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 101.8 males.
The median household income was $24,16, and the median family income was $25,156. Males had a median income of $20,278 compared with $17,344 for females. The per capita income was $10,699. About 18.8% of families and 27.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.8% of those under 18 and 12.5% of those 65 or over.

Notable people