Дурант қаласы: Оклахома штатының тарихы мен мәдени орталығы

Durant (/d//uː//r//æ//n//t/) is a city in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 18,589 in the 2020 census. It serves as the capital of the Choctaw Nation, and is the largest settlement on the reservation, ranking ahead of McAlester and Poteau. Durant is the principal city of the Durant Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 46,067 in 2020. Durant is also part of the Dallas–Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area, anchoring the northern edge. The city was founded by Dixon Durant, a Choctaw who lived in the area, after the MK&T railroad came through the Indian Territory in the early 1870s. It became the county seat of Bryan County in 1907 after Oklahoma statehood. Durant is home to Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the headquarters of the Choctaw Nation. The city is officially known as the Magnolia Capital of Oklahoma. The city and its micropolitan are a major part of the Texoma region.

The Durant area was once claimed by both Spain and France before officially becoming part of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase and Adams–Onís Treaty. During the 1820s and 1830s the area was designated as part of the Choctaw Nation in the southern Indian Territory. During the Indian removals the Choctaws followed the Choctaw Trail of Tears from their ancestral homeland in Mississippi and Alabama into this area. The Choctaw Nation originally extended from the Mexican border in the west (now part of the Texas panhandle) to the Arkansas Territory in the east, from the Red River in the south to the South Canadian River in the north. In 1855, the Choctaw and Chickasaws formally divided their land into two separate nations, with Durant remaining in Choctaw territory on the east. Chickasaw land extended west to the boundary that would divide Indian Territory from Oklahoma Territory after passage of the Oklahoma Organic Act in 1890. Fisher Durant's son Dixon Durant is recognized as the founder of Durant and is honored as its namesake. A minister, businessman and civic leader, Dixon Durant is credited with pastorates in local Presbyterian, Congregational and Methodist churches. He established the first store selling general merchandise in 1873, around the time of the 1872 creation of the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (Katy Railroad) siding at Durant, which was the initial impetus for establishing the community. The U. S. Postal Service re established the post office at the site as Durant on March 8, 1882, dropping the word "station" from the name. Beginning in 1882, the area was simply called Durant. In 1895, a fire destroyed the original business district, which had spread along the Katy tracks. Calvin Institute was opened in 1894, representing the first institute of higher education in the immediate area, which was an outgrowth of Presbyterian mission work among the Choctaw Indian nation. Its success led it being reopened as a larger school, Durant Presbyterian College in 1901, later renamed as Oklahoma Presbyterian College. After statehood became effective on November 16, 1907, the state legislature created the Southeastern State Normal School at Durant, which opened March 6, 1909. This school was renamed Southeastern State Teachers College in 1921, and renamed again in 1974 as the present Southeastern Oklahoma State University. In 1904, Durant was named in a grand jury instruction as a sundown town where a notice had been posted warning African Americans not to stay after dark. The Oklahoma Constitutional Convention selected Durant as the county seat for Bryan County, Oklahoma, which would supersede Blue County at statehood. In 1908, a special election ratified this choice over three other candidates for the honor: Bokchito, Blue, and Sterrett (later renamed Calera). The town's population grew from 2,969 in 1900 to 5,330 in 1910, 12,823 in 1990, and to 13,549 in 2000.

Durant is located in southeast Oklahoma, in a region named Texoma, or Texomaland, because of its short distance from Lake Texoma. The city is also part of Choctaw Country, formerly Kiamichi Country. Its geographic coordinates are (33.999834, −96.384825). It is approximately 14 mile (23 km) north of the Texas border at the Red River. Dallas is about 88 mile (142 km) south of Durant. The north edge of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, in McKinney, is about 58 mile (93 km) to the south. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Durant has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.24%, is water.

Durant is home to the annual Magnolia Festival and the Three Valley Museum. The festival is put on by the Durant Chamber of Commerce and Durant Main Street Program the weekend following Memorial Day. It features music, shopping, shows, and two pageants – the Magnolia Pageant and the Choctaw Princess Pageant. The Oklahoma Legislature proclaimed Durant as the "Magnolia Capital of the World" in 1993. Every year since, the town has celebrated a Magnolia Festival during the weekend following Memorial Day. The Three Valley Museum houses historical artifacts of Bryan County. Opened in 1976, it is named for a book about Durant, Queen of the Three Valleys by Henry McCreary, which references the city's location in the middle of the Red, Blue River, and Washita River valleys. The museum's exhibits include an early law office, doctor's office, child's room, parlor, and general store. The Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival is housed on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival is one of the top summer theatre festivals in America. It has made Durant and Southeastern Oklahoma State University a destination for tourists, professional and aspiring actors and theatre artisans.

Although no major sports team is located in Durant, many sporting opportunities are found in the city, including the Durant Multi Sports Complex, golf, soccer pitches, and baseball fields. The Durant Multi Sports Complex is an athletic facility located 2 mile (3 km) southeast of Durant, on Highway 78. The sports complex, dedicated on November 17, 2006, sits on , with undeveloped. It consists of baseball and softball fields, soccer pitches, and a football stadium/track field. A lake is under construction, and a walking and biking trail is planned to be built around the lake. The cost of the complex was $7 million.

Southeastern Oklahoma State University competes in NCAA Division II in the Great American Conference. The Savage Storm compete in the following sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, football, men's and women's tennis, men's golf, rodeo, women's cross country, softball, women's track & field and women's volleyball. In 2000, the baseball team won the Division II college world series.

Durant is governed by a council manager form of municipal government. The city manager is the administrative leader of the government and is appointed by the city council. The city's ceremonial head is the mayor, who is a voting member of the council with limited administrative power. The current interim city manager is Rick Rumsey, who replaced Lisa Taylor in a council vote. The current mayor is Martin Tucker. The city is divided into four wards with a member of the city council from each. There is also an at large city council member. The current mayor also represents Ward 1.

Durant is home to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, which has about 5,200 enrolled students. It is the only university in Oklahoma to offer a Master of Science in Aviation and Space. Southeastern Oklahoma State University offers degrees through its Aviation Sciences Institute, the largest aviation program in the state. The main campus in Durant has facilities at the airport to support flight training and facilities on campus to facilitate the management options in business, maintenance, safety, and security. The institute offers the undergraduate management degrees as well as the Master of Science degree in Aerospace Administration & Logistics. Southeastern Oklahoma State University also offers a doctoral degree, Ed. D., in Applied Educational Studies with the Aviation and Space Science specialization and a Graduate Certificate in Aviation Security.

Durant is home to the Kiamichi Technology Center, which has eight other locations in southeastern Oklahoma. Kiamichi is part of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

The Durant Independent School District is the largest school district in southeastern Oklahoma and serves approximately 3,100 students. The district includes six schools and includes preschool, primary and secondary education. The region is also home to the Silo School District, which includes three schools and serves approximately 680 students, and to one of two schools in the Rock Creek School District. The city has a private K 12 school, Victory Life Academy, which has an enrollment of about 250 students.

US 69/US 75 – A north south four lane divided highway and freeway. US 69/75 enters Oklahoma as a freeway from the Dallas area. It then downgrades to a divided four lane highway just north of Colbert. The highway then enters Durant from the south. After its at grade intersection with Choctaw Road, it again upgrades to a freeway, passing through western and northern Durant, and again downgrades to a four lane divided highway at the Bryan Atoka County line. US 70 – An east–west route. Highway 70 enters Durant from the east as a two lane highway as Mulberry Street, crossing a Union Pacific railroad via a bridge. It then heads southward toward downtown on First Avenue as a 3 lane, concurrent with SH 78 and Business Routes 69/75. Downtown it has an intersection with Main Street, then continues its route westward on West Main Street concurrent with Business Routes 69/75. Just west of downtown it turns into a three lane street, and after its intersection with 9th Avenue it converts into a 5 lane street. At Washington Avenue it downgrades to a two lane again while it travels through West End Heights, a historic and upscale neighborhood. At 21st Avenue it turns into a divided four lane highway in the Retail District, intersecting with 69/75 as a parclo interchange. Highway 70 continues westward toward Mead and Lake Texoma as a 5 lane highway. SH 78 – A north–south route. SH 78 enters Durant from the south as Southeast 3rd Avenue and as a two lane. It comes to an intersection with East Main Street and turns westward toward downtown continuing its route. At the intersection of Main and First Avenue, the highway turns northward onto First Avenue as a 3 lane street, concurrent with Highway 70 and Business Routes 69/75. It continues northward to University Boulevard and turns into a two lane highway. Just before its intersection with 69/75 (via ramps), SH 78 turns into a divided four lane highway for a short time and then turns into a two lane highway again, exiting the city. Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines. In a 2006 study by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, an average of about 19,100 vehicles pass Durant's Main Street on U. S. 69/75 every day. Approximately 19,000 vehicles pass under 69/75 on Main Street daily. The major streets are First Avenue, Southeast 3rd Avenue, South 9th Avenue, Washington Avenue, Radio Road, University Place, 49th Avenue, Choctaw Road, Rodeo Road, West Main Street, East Main Street, University Boulevard, Chuckwa Street, Gail Farrell Drive, and Mockingbird Lane. There are four exits in Durant from U. S. 69/75, at First Avenue, Washington Avenue, University/Chuckwa (the exit off northbound 69/75 is the only one complete), and Main Street. There are also traffic lights at the intersection of U. S. 69/75 and Choctaw Road south of Durant, where the Choctaw Casino Resort is located.

Durant Regional Airport – Eaker Field, the city's airport, and home to Southeastern Oklahoma State University's Aviation Sciences Institute, was a U. S. Navy auxiliary airfield during World War II. It is named after U. S. Army Air Force General Ira C. Eaker, early commander of the legendary Eighth Air Force in wartime England, who graduated from the university (then known as Southeastern State Teacher's College) in 1917. The closest international airports to Durant are Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.

Durant is a major railroad center. The giant Union Pacific Railroad and the short line Kiamichi Railroad intersect in downtown.

Durant is served by a city owned water plant and sewage treatment center. Residents receive electricity from OG&E and Southeastern Electric Co op.

Durant is served by AllianceHealth Durant, which was formerly the Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma. Built in 1987, the medical center replaced the Bryan Memorial Hospital. Emergency Medical Services are provided by Bryan County EMS.

The Wendell Baker Story – A reference is made in the 2005 film to Neil King (Owen Wilson)'s mother living "nine miles due south of Durant, Oklahoma." All About Steve – In the 2009 film, Sandra Bullock's character, Mary Horowitz, tells her friends " if I had a car, I could drive through Durant, Oklahoma, where they have the world's largest peanut." On the Road with Austin & Santino – Durant was prominently featured in the 2010 episode "Wedding Knots", as the two designers created a wedding dress for a local woman. Local businesses visited include the Choctaw Casino Resort, Bliss Boutique, and Doylene's Fabric Outlet. Criminal Minds – In the 2011 episode "Proof," the team of investigators are led to a case in Durant involving two young women who were found murdered and sexually assaulted. While set in Durant, the production never actually filmed any material there. Many locals were critical of the show and its unrealistic portrayal of the city. Bonnie & Clyde – In this 2013 mini series, Durant, Oklahoma is referenced in a newspaper article that appears on screen. It reads "Barrow Gang spotted in Durant, Oklahoma," with a sub headline reading "Three Businesses Robbed At Gunpoint. Outlaws wanted in multiple states." True to the mini series' inspiration, this was based upon true events. The Small Business Revolution Durant saw an exciting end to 2018 and subsequent beginning to 2019 with a spot in competition to be the location for filming of Season 4 of The Small Business Revolution, a television show produced by Deluxe Corporation for distribution on Hulu and YouTube. The town applied to be considered in August 2018. The announcement was made in November that Durant was included as a finalist in a list of Top 20. The following month, Durant made the top 10. In January, the producers, along with host, Amanda Brinkman, visited the community for a welcome rally and to visit with small business owners who had applied to appear on the show, should Durant win the competition. In a live web announcement on February 12, Brinkman, along with co host Ty Pennington, announced that there had been a slight change in the competition, with 6 finalists, rather than 5, proceeding to the final weeklong public vote. As a part of the campaign for votes, Durant garnered shout outs from Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, and Barry Switzer, among others. During the weeklong public vote, the show made three announcements as to where the votes stood, with Durant in first place as of the final update. At the conclusion of voting, with a week to go before the announcement of the winning town, Durant went to work planning for the #MyDurant party, where Brinkman would appear if Durant should win. Ultimately, Searcy, Arkansas was announced as the winner. The competition gave the city a boost in morale and saw the city work together toward the goal of winning the show. Despite it all, Durant was featured in several blogs published by the production.

Durant has had the honor to be recognized on a national scale on various occasions, regarding famous visitations or other attention. An example of this is as follows:

On April 5, 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Durant on a train, and gave a speech, using the rear of the train as his platform. He later revisited the community in 1910, staying in the downtown Bryan Hotel, while on a hunting trip in the area. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited the community, speaking on March 20, 1937, for Senior Day at Southeastern Teachers College, as it was known at the time. She spoke at the invitation of the president of the college, Kate Galt Zaneis. Mrs. Roosevelt noted in her diary, "I spoke to a packed auditorium of young people, who proved to be a remarkably good audience." As Mrs. Roosevelt stepped up to speak, the orchestra played "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." Mrs. Zaneis said the song was chosen because Mrs. Roosevelt was loved so much. Mrs. Roosevelt received around 2300 people that afternoon. She notes "I rarely do this, but it is also rare for a woman to be a president of a college where there are both men and women students." She also wrote that upon boarding the train to leave town, some of the students waiting at the depot assisted her in loading fifty four boxes of flowers as gifts to her onto the train. In 1953, actor José Ferrer and actress/singer Rosemary Clooney were married in Durant while Jose was performing in the musical Kiss Me, Kate in Dallas. According to papers from the FBI released during the drop of Kennedy documents released in 2017, Jack Ruby went to Durant to look at purchasing a motel just north of town in 1960. He was accompanied by Roy Kimes and Joe Russell Wyatt to area, dropping off Wyatt in Colbert and subsequently picking him up on the way back to Farmersville. On June 2, 1965, less than two years after her former husband was believed to have shot President John F Kennedy (and was subsequently shot himself), Marina Oswald and fiancé Kenneth Porter, came to Durant to get married due to the blood testing laws of the time. They arrived early in the day to take the blood tests, but were told to return at 2pm for the results. They ate lunch and drove out to Lake Texoma to pass time before 2 pm. By the time 2pm came around, the media had caught up to them and they fled to Sherman, Texas to avoid the attention. They were eventually married that evening in Fate, Texas. On July 15, 2015, President Barack Obama visited the city to address the nation from Durant High School on his "Promised Zone" initiative. In 2014, the President designated five areas in the United States as Promised Zones, including the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The other areas designated were Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Southeastern Kentucky. The initiative was "designed to create jobs and increase economic security by partnering local communities with business." While speaking, he also introduced his ConnectHome initiative, which is designed to open up greater access to the internet for low income households. In August 2016, Durant found itself at the unlikely center of controversy after an online petition was created by a citizen of Edmond, Oklahoma suggesting that Durant should be forced to change its name to Westbrook in honor of Russell Westbrook, after Kevin Durant's unpopular departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder. "Ladies and gentleman, the great state of Oklahoma has been betrayed It is because of this heinous action that I believe the State of Oklahoma has a responsibility to change the name of the City of Durant to Westbrook, the man who is loyal, whom we believe in, and who will lead our team to glory. Yes, it is understood that the city Durant was not named after the evil Kevin Durant, but it is just another hideous reminder of what happened," the petition read. Neither the creator of the petition, nor Kevin Durant had ever visited the community. The news surrounding the petition led to an article by ESPN and later by The New York Times. In December 2016, Durant gained national attention again. People published a light hearted article regarding the Durant Fire Department's annual Christmas Card. The department had experienced the birth of six babies during the year and decided to feature them in their annual Christmas card. "If you ask many of the fire fighters in Durant, OK what defines them; they will say brotherhood and family. That is why when this small paid department of 33 looked back on the year and saw that 6 of their brothers had newborn babies, it was time to show the public what was at the core of their department."