Nowata, Oklahoma
Nowata is a city of 3,542 people in Nowata County, Oklahoma, founded in 1889.
Why visit Nowata
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails and 2 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include United States Post Office Nowata.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Nowata
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Nowata
Nowata (Lenape: Nuwatu, Nuwi ta ) is a city in and the county seat of Nowata County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Nowata had a population of 3,517. The area where it was established was then part of the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory.
From the Wikipedia article Nowata, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
United States Post Office Nowata
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Post office in Nowata, Oklahoma, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship12
History
The first community established at this site was named Metz, named for its first postmaster, Fred Metzner. The name was changed even before the railroad was built in 1889.
Nowata served as a train stop for Native Americans from the East being forced to resettle by the United States government. Some controversy exists about the meaning of the town name. Lenape tribesmen who passed through named it "nuwita," meaning "friendly" or "welcome." In the Cherokee language, the town is called ᎠᎹᏗᎧᏂᎬᎬ (A-ma-di-ka-ni-gunh-gunh, roughly), which means, "water is all gone," translating what it sounded like the word meant: No Water.
In 1889, the Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railway (later part of the Missouri Pacific Railway) built a line through Nowata. A post office was established in the town on November 8, 1889. Nowata was incorporated April 17, 1899. By 1900, Nowata had 498 residents.
Oil and gas were discovered nearby in 1904, stimulating the Nowata economy. The find established Nowata as "...a region (having) a reputation for being the world's largest shallow oil field." Some wells in this field have continued to produce into the twenty-first century.
From the History section of Nowata, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Nowata
31 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 26°F | 1.6 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 30°F | 1.7 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 38°F | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 48°F | 4.4 in |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 7.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 67°F | 5.2 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 3.4 in |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 3.8 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 60°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.7 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 38°F | 2.5 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 29°F | 2.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Nowata (1 mi away), rain and snow from Lenapah, 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
Nowata County has had 29 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-10-07: Severe Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bartlesville Municipal Airport (BVO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Chelsea 16 mi southeast, about 26 min by car
- Bartlesville 17 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Dewey 18 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Oologah 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Collinsville 26 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Claremore 27 mi south, about 43 min by car
- Justice 29 mi south, about 46 min by car
- Owasso 31 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Catoosa 37 mi south, about 59 min by car
- Tulsa 42 mi south, about 1 h 15 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
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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
- Nowata County Courthouse, Stugarrett, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nowata Post Office, Stugarrett, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nowata, OK 74048, USA - panoramio, Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0
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