Caddo, Native North Americans whose language belongs to the Caddoan branch of the Hokan-Siouan linguistic stock (see Native American languages). These people gave their name not only to the linguistic branch but also to the Caddo confederacy, a loose federation of tribes that in prehistoric times occupied lands from the Red River valley in Louisiana to the Brazos River valley in Texas and N into Arkansas and Kansas. Members, besides the Caddo, included the Arikara, the Pawnee, the Wichita, and others. The culture of these loosely knit peoples was similar. Generally they were sedentary, living in villages of conical huts, although they did raise horses. The culture of the Caddo proper was marked by a clearly defined system of social stratification and by a religion that closely regulated daily life. Some now reside on tribal land in Oklahoma. In 1990 there were 3,000 Caddo in the United States.

One of a group of North American Indian people living mostly in western Oklahoma, U.S. Their language is of the Caddoan linguistic family. Their name derives from a French truncation of kadohadacho, meaning “real chief” in Caddo. From ancient times they occupied the lower Red River area in Louisiana and Arkansas, and many striking examples of prehistoric pottery and basketry have been found. They were a semisedentary agricultural people who lived in conical pole-and-thatch dwellings. In the 18th century, pressures from white settlers pushed many Caddo off their lands, a process that intensified with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. By 1835 the Caddo had ceded all their land to the U.S., and by 1859 most were living on reservations in Oklahoma. Caddo descendants numbered more than 4,000 in the early 21st century.

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Caddo is a town in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 944 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Caddo is located at (34.126801, -96.265657).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 944 people, 387 households, and 255 families residing in the town. The population density was 449.0 people per square mile (173.6/km²). There were 443 housing units at an average density of 210.7/sq mi (81.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 77.97% White, 0.64% African American, 13.67% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 7.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.59% of the population.

There were 387 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $34,643. Males had a median income of $27,731 versus $18,846 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,890. About 14.2% of families and 21.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.8% of those under age 18 and 25.1% of those age 65 or over.

2008 Earthquake

On February 15, 2008, a magnitude 2.4 earthquake was reported in southern Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Geological Survey at Leonard recorded the quake at 9:41 a.m. Friday. The epicenter was three miles northwest of Caddo in Bryan County and seven miles southwest of Caney in Atoka County.

Officials say residents who were at Caney High School reported a sound like thunder and say the quake felt like a truck hit the school.

No injuries and damage were reported.

References

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