Mayes

Formed November 16, 1907 (53^rd county)

Mayes County (39,044), Pryor (9,448)                

The Modern style red brick courthouse was built in 2006 and sits on a square at Adair and Court streets.  United States Highway 69 is one block east.  BKL Incorporated is the building designer.  The 1921 courthouse still stands.  The county was organized on November 16, 1907 using an 1899 courthouse.  Pryor has always been the county seat.  The county was originally part of the Cherokee Nation as the 53^rd county.  Mayes County is named for Samuel H. Mayes who was a Cherokee Chief.  Pryor was named for Nathaniel Pryor, a scout with the Lewis and Clark expedition. 

The area of the county is 656 square miles.  It is 56 out of 77 in the state.  It ranks 27 out of 77 in population in the state.  It has a density of 59.5 persons per square mile making it 17 out of 77 in the state.  Mayes County has 42.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 44 crosses the northwest corner of the county from Craig County to Rogers County.  United States Highway 69 enters from Craig County to the north and exits into Wagoner County to the southwest.  United States Highway 412 crosses the southern part of the county from east to west, Delaware County to Rogers County.  United States Highway Alternate 412 enters from Delaware County and joins United States Highway 412 in southern Mayes County.  The county is shaped like a tall rectangle with a southwest leg. 

Mayes County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an assessor, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Nine District Court Judges serve Mayes, Craig, and Rogers counties and a court clerk serves Mayes County (judicial.)  Tulsa, Oklahoma is west of the county.  The county center is 7.5 miles East of Pryor nearer Salina.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Craig, Delaware, Cherokee, Wagoner, and Rogers counties.  Pryor is in the western half of the county.  Pryor is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 24.2% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced PRIE-UR.

Strang