Latimer

Formed November 16, 1907 (48^th county)

Latimer County (9,446), Wilburton (2,276)

The white stone 1938 Art Deco courthouse of Latimer County fits into the architecture of Wilburton.  It is located on Ada Street at North Central Avenue.  United States Highway 270 is one block to the north of the site.  Forrest Butler designed the building.  Wilburton had a 1903 courthouse which is the only other county courthouse for Latimer County since its founding on November 16, 1907 as the 48^th county. The current courthouse was renovated in 1968.  A member of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention, James S. Latimer, was the source for the county’s name.  Wilburton was named for Elisha Wilbur, a railroad president. 

Latimer County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an assessor, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Five District Court Judges serve Latimer, Haskell, and Le Flore counties and a court clerk serves Latimer County (judicial.)  The county is situated in east Oklahoma southwest of Fort Smith, Arkansas.  The county center is 8.2 miles South of Wilburton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Haskell, Le Flore, Pushmataha, and Pittsburg counties. 

The area of the county is 722 square miles.  It is 49 out of 77 in the state.  It ranks 58 out of 77 in population in the state.  It has a density of 13.1 persons per square mile making it 56 out of 77 in the state.  Latimer County has 29.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 270 crosses east to west from Le Flore County to Pittsburg County.  The county is shaped like a small “r”.  Wilburton is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Wilburton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 24.1% of the county population.