Hochatown, Oklahoma

Hochatown, Oklahoma
Unincorporated community
Hochatown, Oklahoma
Hochatown, Oklahoma

Location within the state of Oklahoma

Coordinates: 34°09′30.49″N 94°45′16.55″W / 34.1584694°N 94.7545972°W / 34.1584694; -94.7545972Coordinates: 34°09′30.49″N 94°45′16.55″W / 34.1584694°N 94.7545972°W / 34.1584694; -94.7545972
Country United States
State Oklahoma
County McCurtain
Elevation 715 ft (217 m)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 74728
Area code(s) 580

Hochatown is a community in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States, the second to hold the name after the first was flooded by the damming of the Mountain Fork River to create Broken Bow Lake.[1] The city lies within the Little Dixie region of Oklahoma, an area originally settled largely by Southerners seeking a new start following the American Civil War.[2]

History

The land that would become Hochatown was owned by the Choctaw tribe, with twelve families moving into the area in the 1880s. Like Broken Bow, Hochatown grew around the Choctaw Lumber and Coal Company, gaining a post office in 1894 and become a bustling town by 1900.[1]

During the 1920s and 1930s, prime lumber supply dwindled and the lumber company moved to other local areas. Meanwhile, the community became noted for its moonshine production. The town's heyday soon passed, however. The post office shut down in 1963 and the last family left the site in 1966. The cemetery and town church were moved to higher ground while all other buildings were destroyed. The area is now covered by 40 feet of water.[1]

The second incarnation of Hochatown is located beside Broken Bow Lake. Its economy is based on tourism. In addition to Broken Bow Lake, the area includes Beavers Bend Resort Park, Hochatown State Park, and Cedar Creek Golf Course at Beavers Bend.[1] Hunters also visit the region, which bills itself as the "deer capital of the world."[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Morris, John Wesley (1978). Ghost Towns of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0806114200.
  2. ↑ Little Dixie at Wikipedia.org.
  3. ↑ Kiamichi Country (accessed April 6, 2010)


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