Atoka is small town near the Ouachita Mountains
Among the western foothills of the Ouachita Mountains lies Atoka, a small town of under 3,000 residents surrounded by the rich natural amenities of southeast Oklahoma. Atoka was initially settled by the Choctaw people in the mid-19th century and named for a local chief. It remains part of reservation lands, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma supports the community by initiating recycling efforts, partnering with Atoka Public Schools and investing in local businesses. The town’s nearby lakes, reservoirs, state parks and hunting areas encourage an outdoorsy lifestyle, and sprawling rural landscapes offer space to raise livestock. “Most of the time, people coming here are trying to get away from the city,” says local Realtor Brian Allen of B&J Co. with Inc Realty. “They want to get a couple of horses or cattle and maybe five or 10 acres of land.” The town is anchored by a subtly reviving town center of local businesses where folks gather for live music or dinner. “It’s almost kind of the last real good stop before you get to the Ouachita Mountains and wilderness area,” Allen says.
Established homes on sizable plots of land
Atoka’s oldest homes fill narrow, gently wooded streets near the heart of town, including early 20th-century cottages and bungalows. More cottages continued to pop up in and around downtown throughout the 1900s, along with a decent number of modest ranch-style homes on quarter to half-acre lots. The lots are much larger moving out of the town’s center and into the countryside. “Unless it’s in the middle of the city, houses can have one to 20 acres,” Allen says. “There’s not a whole lot of farming because the soil is rocky, but people use their land for hunting and ranching,” Allen says. He adds that cattle ranching is particularly popular. Newly built homes are less common, but a few pepper the community. The median sale price for a home is around $150,000.
Atoka High School offers various student clubs and activities
Atoka Public Schools scores an overall B on Niche and serves just over 850 students. Atoka Elementary School has a B-minus, serving pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students, and Atoka High School receives an A-minus. The high school offers a robust list of student athletics and organizations, ranging from the percussion ensemble and jazz band to cheerleading and Hope Squad. Atoka is also home to a branch of the Kiamichi Technology Center, which offers short and full-time career programs like computer information technology, cosmetology and welding technology.
Local reservoirs and nearby state parks keep locals outside
Atoka’s outdoor amenities are one of its biggest draws. Atoka City Lake is a small, human-made lake just west of downtown, where locals bring kayaks and fishing poles. Picnic tables and a couple of small piers dot the lake’s edge. The lake is partly bordered by a few holes of the Atoka Trails Golf Course, a low-key nine-hole course open daily to the public.
It’s common for locals to head a bit outside of Atoka’s town center for additional recreation. McGee Creek State Park, just under 20 miles east of the community, offers over 60 miles of shoreline along McGee Creek Reservoir where locals camp, fish and hike. Water skiing and swimming are popular on the water. The Atoka Reservoir offers more space to fish, around 8 miles north of the town’s heart, and Historic Boggy Depot State Park has plenty of space for camping and hiking, about 15 miles southwest. Atoka has a large hunting community, and folks often hit spots like Atoka Wildlife Management Area for game like quail, deer and waterfowl.
Home of Reba's Place and more local businesses
Downtown Atoka comprises tightly packed, historic brick buildings with locally owned restaurants, boutiques and antique stores. Country musician Reba McEntire partnered with Choctaw Nation to open Reba’s Place, a multi-story restaurant and live music venue. It has a sizable menu of Southern classics and an attached merch store. Locals also enjoy pizza and pasta at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant, or one of the daily specials at Jackson Family Dining. Atoka-Cola Soda Shop has silver buckets of saltwater taffy and a menu full of dirty sodas among other sweets. Sharpe’s Department Store and Boggy Bottom Antiques and Collectibles are popular spots to shop downtown. Outside of downtown, Mississippi Avenue is a major commercial artery that cuts through the heart of Atoka. It has service businesses, hardware stores, supermarkets and Walmart.
Navigating Atoka County and heading into Durant
Atoka is a car-dependent community crossed by several major highways. “It’s a crossroads between U.S. Route 75 and Oklahoma State Highway 3, where all of the traffic comes through,” Allen says. Commuters also have access to U.S. Route 69 and Oklahoma State Highway 7. Dallas and Oklahoma City are over 100 miles away, so folks often head 32 miles southwest to Durant for additional entertainment options. The Atoka County Medical Center is the community’s primary medical facility, and the Will Rogers International Airport is about 140 miles away.
Written By
Brennen Martin
