Named for the Potawatomi tribe, Pottawatomie County is located in central Oklahoma. In the early 1800s, explorers traveled through this area, including the Leavenworth-Dodge Expedition of 1834. The California Road and the West Shawnee Cattle Trail both ran through Pottawatomie County in the 1800s. In 1895, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad was constructed in the county. Due to the oil boom in the early 1900s, Pottawatomie County hit its population crest in 1930 with 66,572 people.
See historical artifacts and exhibits at the Pottawatomie County Museum Shawnee, a stone depot built in 1904. Also in Shawnee, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Museum preserves artifacts and offers a family research center. You can also find more local history information at the Tecumseh Historical Museum.
In 2019, census records showed 72,592 people living in Pottawatomie County. Countless resources exist for tracing genealogy in Pottawatomie County including a local genealogical society. For more information about genealogy in Pottawatomie County, resources are provided below.
Pottawatomie County Courthouse Information
Pottawatomie County Courthouse
325 N. Broadway
Shawnee, OK 74801
Telephone: (405) 273-3624
Records available: County Clerk has marriage, divorce, probate and civil court records; County Clerk has land records from 1892.
Detailed Map of Pottawatomie County
Search for cemeteries, highways and scenic sites, or examine county and township lines with this detailed map of Pottawatomie County.
Existing Towns in Pottawatomie County
While researching your family history in Pottawatomie County, be sure to visit Shawnee, the largest town in the county. The following towns and cities are located in present day Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma.
Ghost Towns in Pottawatomie County
The following towns and cities either no longer exist in Pottawatomie County or are still populated, but significantly less so than in years past. These towns and cities are commonly referred to as "ghost towns."
Anderson
Box
Burnett
Chisney
Eason
Harjo
Hoover
Isabella
Lakeview
Morvin
Neal
Oberlin
Pearson
Romulus
Trousdale
Cemeteries in Pottawatomie County
The following cemeteries are located in present day Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma.
Absentee Shawnee
Tribal Cemetery
Bethel United Methodist
Church Cemetery
Britton Cemetery
Coalter Cemetery
Earlsboro Cemetery
(African-American)
Emmanuel Episcopal
Church Columbarium
Harjo Underwood Family Cemetery
Lemke Cemetery
McClain Cemetery
McKosta Cemetery
Pink Cemetery (AKA Willow View)
Pleasant Prairie Cemetery
Potter's Field Cemetery
Roberts Family Cemetery
Ruggles Cemetery
Washington Cemetery
Libraries in Pottawatomie County
McLoud Public Library
133 N. Main
McLoud, OK 74851
Telephone: (405) 788-4132
Shawnee Public Library
101 N. Philadelphia
Shawnee, OK 74801
Telephone: (405) 275-6353
Tecumseh Public Library
114 Broadway
Tecumseh, OK 74873
Telephone: (405) 598-5955
Historic Newspaper Archives of Pottawatomie County
Tribal Nations in Pottawatomie County
Absentee Shawnee Tribe
2025 S. Gordon Cooper Dr.
Shawnee, OK 74801
Telephone: (405) 275-4030
Citizen Potawatomi Nation
1601 S. Gordon Cooper Dr.
Shawnee, OK 74801
Telephone: (405) 275-3121
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma
401 N. Hwy 102
P.O. Box 70
McLoud, OK 74851
Telephone: (405) 964-7053
Additional Genealogy Resources for Pottawatomie County
Pottawatomie County Genealogy Club
Places to Visit in Pottawatomie County
While researching your family history in Pottawatomie County, be sure to check out the following attractions located in the area.
