Ottawa County

At the very southwest corner of the Joplin metro area and the northeast corner of Oklahoma, Ottawa County is a key part of the MOKAN region. Its communities offer employers a skilled workforce with a solid work ethic and desire to achieve.

We’re right on Interstate 44 and a BNSF Railway mainline, ensuring that companies have access to the materials and marketplaces they need. We're a prime site for manufacturers and the plastics, and leaders in chemicals, alternative energy, distribution and logistics are quickly discovering Ottawa County's merits.

One of our biggest advantages is a strong emphasis on education. Our K-12 schools are introducing students to robotics and computer skills while Northeast Oklahoma A&M is preparing workers with skills in business, computers, healthcare, process technology, management, marketing, and other fields. Local residents are also close to postsecondary providers such as Pittsburg State University, Crowder College, Neosho County Community College, and Labette Community College, giving them convenient access to programs in plastics, technology, manufacturing, engineering, alternative energy, and management.

Miami

The largest community in the county, Miami is conveniently located in the northeast corner of Oklahoma, just 20 minutes from the Missouri and Arkansas borders and 15 minutes from the Kansas border. Considered the "Gateway to Oklahoma", Miami boasts a growing population, a skilled workforce, a strong and diversified industrial base, a convenient transportation network, an affordable cost of living, and an exceptional quality of life. As a hub of the Four-State region, Miami has become a favorite and exciting destination. With easy access to the interstates, it is easy to find whether you are traveling in a group or as an individual. A robust gaming industry affords multiple business opportunities and synergies among suppliers and related services.

City of Miami

Miami Convention Bureau

Miami OK Regional Chamber of Commerce

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Fairland

Fairland is a town in southern Ottawa County with a population of 1,057. The town is in the historic Cherokee Nation. Fairland was laid out along the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway (Frisco) tracks that were laid from Missouri to Vinita in 1871. Fairland was an active farming community until the end of World War II. The town sits on a small rise in the landscape, which is the headwaters of three creeks: Hudson Creek watershed to the Northwest, the Ogeechee Creek watershed to the East, and the Horse Creek watershed to the Southwest. All of these creeks eventually drain in the Neosho River.

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City of Fairland

Fairland Public Schools

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Quapaw

Quapaw was incorporated in 1917 and has a population of 906. Discovery of lead and zinc ores in the area resulted in this area being part of the Tri-State Mining district, and resulted in a population boom as thousands of miners moved into the larger area. In the 1920's, US. Route 66 was developed through Quapaw and was paved through Ottawa County by 1933.

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Quapaw Nation

Quapaw Public Schools

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Commerce

Commerce is a city in Ottawa County with a population of 2,473. What eventually became Commerce was land that was part of the Quapaw Indian Agency, allocated in the late 1830's. In 1908, the Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri Inter-Urban Railway built a line between Miami and Commerce to serve the mining industry. By the 1920 census, Commerce had a population of 2,555. The town's population has remained roughly the same size ever since. Commerce was on Route 66 when that highway was commissioned in 1926, and was the first town on the route through Oklahoma after crossing the Kansas border westbound. Most mines closed by 1960, due to a declining market and the realization of extensive environmental damage to ground, water and air. Residents have turned to occupations such as farming and ranching.

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City of Commerce

Commerce Public Schools

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Wyandotte

Wyandotte is a town in Ottawa County with a population of 488 according to the 2020 census. The town is the tribal headquarters of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma, for which the town was named. The Wyandotte tribe was removed to this area in 1867. Today, the Wyandotte Nation has nearly 7,000 tribal citizens nationwide.

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Wyandotte Nation

Wyandotte Public Schools

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