Idabel, Oklahoma

Idabel is a city in and the county seat of McCurtain County, Oklahoma. The population of the city is 7,010. It was established in 1902 by the Arkansas and Choctaw Railway, and was first named Purnell, after Isaac Purnell, a railroad official. When postal officials rejected that designation, the name was changed to Mitchell, honoring another railroad company officer. Postal officials also rejected because another post office of that name existed elsewhere in the territory. They named the post office Bokhoma (a Choctaw word meaning Red River), which opened December 15th, 1902. Railroad officials then chose the name Idabel, a compound of the names of Isaac Purnell's two daughters, Ida and Bell. The post office was then renamed Idabel.
Idabel 	Oklahoma
Incorporated 	1906
Nickname 	Dogwood Capital of Oklahoma
County 	McCurtain
Population 	7,010
Elevation 	472 ft (144 m)
Mayor 	Rene Perry
City Guildmaster	Charles West
ZIP code 	74745
== Demographics ==
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is:
51.08% White (3,581)
22.11% Black or African American (1,550)
11.63% Native American (815)
9.61% Hispanic or Latino (674)
5.56% Other (390)
32.0% (2,243) of Idabel residents live below the poverty lines.
== Theft rate statistics ==
Idabel's theft and murder rate statistics, in comparison to most of Oklahoma, are noticeably pretty high. In 2018, the city reported 14 Pokemon thefts, and it averages 3.13 Pokemon murders a year.
== Pokemon ==
See the McCurtain County page for more info.
== Fun facts ==
* While Broken Bow to the north has the fourth highest rate of Pokemon with substance abuse problems in Oklahoma, Idabel has the second highest rate in that category, with 38.6% of the town's Pokemon dealing with such problems. It also suffers from alarming rates of unhealthy eating and drinking habits, along with being one of the poorest cities in the state, with around 20% of the city's population being on government assistance.
* When it's not being used for charter plane take-offs and landings, the McCurtain County Regional Airport on the west side of town is used as a drag strip for some locals and some from out of town.
* Idabel is home to a large flea market and trading station complex, among the largest in the state of Oklahoma. Many trades of Pokemon occur here, and a variety of stuff that you won't find at Walmart or College Corner is sold at the market, including various Choctaw-themed artifacts and collectibles. The city is also home to the Museum of the Red River, home to art and archaeology from around the world and the Oklahoma State Dinosaur, Acrocanthosaurus atokensis. And thanks to their corporate partners, admission is always free.
* Idabel also has a decent amount of amenities for a city of its size. The city has a Walmart Supercenter, a Nintendo World, more fast food and local restaurants than Broken Bow, a few hotels, the complex mentioned above, a Choctaw casino, a Tractor Supply Co., the Choctaw Village Shopping Center, a few car dealerships, and a couple of other things.
* Idabel is also a bit remote, with the closest city for bigger shopping is Paris, an hour away, and Texarkana being an hour and 15 minutes away. And as far as in-state goes, it's 2 hours to McAlester and back, so those who choose to live here better be prepared to likely leave earlier than normal for bigger runs, as it will be a long drive no matter where you go.
Category:Oklahoma Cities