Ada, Oklahoma
Ada is a city of 16,575 people in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, founded in 1889.
Why visit Ada
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include East Central University, McSwain Theatre, Ada Arts and Heritage Center and F.W. Meaders House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Ada
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ada
Ada is a city in and the county seat of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,481 at the 2020 United States census. The city was named for Ada Reed, the daughter of an early settler, and was incorporated in 1901. Ada is home to East Central University, and is the capital of the Chickasaw Nation.
From the Wikipedia article Ada, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
East Central University
School · 0.5 mi
Public university in Ada, Oklahoma
McSwain Theatre
Cinema and theater · 0.9 mi
Theater, music venue and former movie theater in Ada, Oklahoma
130 West Main Street, Ada
Museums and landmarks6
Ada Arts and Heritage Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Public library
F.W. Meaders House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Ada, Oklahoma, United States
Pontotoc County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
County courthouse in Oklahoma, United States of America
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Sugg Clinic
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Hospital in Oklahoma, United States
Wintersmith Park Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic district in Oklahoma, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes17
5 more on the map.
History
In the late 1880s, the Daggs family (by way of Texas) became the first white family to settle what is now known as Ada, which was formerly known as Daggs Prairie. In April 1889, Jeff Reed (a Texan and relative of the Daggs family) was appointed to carry the mail from Stonewall to Center (which was later combined with Pickett), two small communities in then Indian Territory. With his family and his stock, he sought a place for a home on a prairie midway between the two points, where he constructed a log house and started Reed's Store. Other settlers soon built homes nearby. In 1891, a post office was established and named after Reed's oldest daughter, Ada. Ada incorporated as a city in 1901 and grew rapidly with the arrival of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway line. Within a decade the Santa Fe Railroad and the Oklahoma Central Railway also served the town.
From the History section of Ada, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship33
Saint Luke's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.5 mi
110 East 17th Street, Ada
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries25
Healthcare3
Map of Ada
109 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 27°F | 2.1 in | 2.3 in |
| Feb | 57°F | 31°F | 2.0 in | 0.5 in |
| Mar | 65°F | 39°F | 3.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 48°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 80°F | 58°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 72°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 70°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 62°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 75°F | 50°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 39°F | 2.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 54°F | 30°F | 2.7 in | 1.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ada Hcn (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Pontotoc County has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-04-30: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Tornado)
- 2021-02-24: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-17: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-07-25: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ada Municipal Airport (ADT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Latta 3 mi southwest, about 4 min by car
- Pickett 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Byng 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Francis 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Stonewall 11 mi southeast, about 18 min by car
- Shawnee 42 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Ardmore 47 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Norman 50 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- McAlester 52 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Durant 56 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- PontCoCH, Holt9359 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- Ada Arts and Heritage Center (1), Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ada Public Library, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Former Montgomery Ward, Ada OK, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Montgomery Ward, 128-130 E Main, Ada OK, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ada Arts and Heritage Center, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- AdaArtsHeritage, Holt9359 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- AdaSuggClinic, Brad Holt, en:User:Holt9359, Public domain
- Rilla Askew Reads, Literatureisforeveryone, CC BY-SA 4.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 019 (4902523789), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 014 (4902521477), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 015 (4903106156), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (8) (4902519825), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 018 (4903107278), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 017 (4902522629), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 012 (4902520669), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (6) (4902519019), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (2) (4903101110), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (11) (4903110410), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (3) (4902517269), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (7) (4902519393), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (9) (4903104344), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (10) (4902524837), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 005 (4902517837), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (5) (4902518677), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (4902515837), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (1) (4902516357), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 CentennialPlaza (4) (4902518245), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 020 (4903108530), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 021 (4902524553), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 025 (4902525275), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- EastCentralUniv 17July2010 026 (4903110072), Brad Holt, CC BY 2.0
- Wintersmith Park Historic District OK NRHP 00000623, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Wintersmith Park Historic District 3 OK NRHP 00000623, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Wintersmith Park Historic District 5 OK NRHP 00000623, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Wintersmith Park Historic District 4 OK NRHP 00000623, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Wintersmith Park Historic District 2 OK NRHP 00000623, Brad Holt, CC BY-SA 2.0
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