Vinita is located in northeastern Oklahoma in
Craig County (of which it is the county seat) northeast of
Tulsa along historic
Route 66 just off
Interstate 44. The town is within minutes of myriad recreational facilities including
Lake Oologah to the west and
Bernice State Park,
Honey Creek State Park,
Disney/Little Blue State Park,
Cherokee State Park,
Spavinaw State Park,
Snowdale State Park,
Grand Lake O' the Cherokees,
Spavinaw Lake,
Lake Eucha and
Lake Hudson, to name just a few.
Will Rogers attended the Willie Halsell Institute saying he felt more at home here than any other school he ever went to. To honor the "Cowboy Comedian", the town puts on its annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo in August and has now produced more than 60 of them.
Local attractions include the Eastern Trails Museum and the Civil War Monument. In addition, Vinita has a self-guided tour of 35 turn-of-the-century homes, all listed in the National Register of Historic Buildings.
The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 5,741, a decrease of 63 since 1990.
