Delaware

Formed November 16, 1907 (39^th county)

Delaware County (40,393), Jay (2,422), Grove (6,954)

The stone Art Deco courthouse of Delaware County is located on the square, United States Highway 59 (Main Street) at 5^th Street.  It was built in 1941 from a design by Walter T. Vahlberg.  The building was enlarged in 2002.  There are veteran memorials and a gazebo on the grounds.  The county was created on November 16, 1907 from the Cherokee Nation as the 39^th county.  Grove Springs was the first county seat until 1911 when Jay assumed the seat.  Delaware County is named for the Native American tribe.  Jay was named for Jay Washburn, the grandson of an early missionary. 

Delaware County government consists of a sheriff and 4 Commissioners.  Five District Court Judges serve Delaware and Ottawa counties.  The county is situated in northeast Oklahoma east of Tulsa, Oklahoma sharing a border with both Arkansas and Missouri.  The Illinois River dominates the northwest part of the county.  The county center is 1 mile West-Northwest of Jay.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Ottawa County and Missouri and Arkansas and Adair, Cherokee, Mayes, and Craig counties. 

The area of the county is 741 square miles.  It is 47 out of 77 in the state.  It ranks 25 out of 77 in population in the state.  It has a density of 54.5 persons per square mile making it 21 out of 77 in the state.  Delaware County has 31.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 59 crosses from Ottawa County to Adair County, north to south.  United States Highway 60 cuts the extreme northwest corner from Ottawa County, north, into Craig County, west.  United States Highway 69 is joined with United States Highway 60 across the northwest corner.  United States Highway 412 crosses the southern part of the county from east to west, Arkansas to Mayes County.  United States Highway 412 Alternate splits off from United States Highway 412 in the far southwest corner of the county to separately go into Mayes County.  The county is a tall rectangle shape.  Jay is at or near the county center.  Grove is located in the northeast quarter of the county.  Jay is the county seat and Grove is the largest city.  Jay is 6.0% of the county population while Grove is 17.2% of the county population.

Oaks