Choctaw County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,205. Its county seat is Hugo. The county was created in 1907, at the time of Oklahoma statehood. According to the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the name is derived from Chahta, the mythical founder of the Choctaw people.HistoryThe Choctaw Nation moved into the area now occupied by Choctaw County in 1831 - 32, as a result of their forcible expulsion from the Southeastern United States. The U. S. Army had already established Fort Towson in the area in 1824, and took on the mission of protecting the newcomers from other tribes. In 1837, the Chickasaws settled the area around Doaksville, which was adjacent to the fort. Both the town of Fort Towson and Doaksville served as the capital of the Choctaw Nation. Doaksville became a ghost town after the Civil War. In 1848, the Presbyterian church established a mission, which still exists and is now known as Goodland Academy.The St. Louis and San Francisco Railway built a line through the town of Hugo in 1902, causing the town to become a commercial center for the region. Before statehood, the area of Choctaw County was part of Jackson, Kiamichi, Cedar, and Towson counties, Choctaw Nation. When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Choctaw County was created and Hugo was named the county seat.
