Created at statehood and named for Granville Craig, a prominent Cherokee, this area was part of the Cherokee Nation. The area was only sparsely settled until after the Civil War when a few scattered Cherokees made their homes in the region. Vinita, the county seat, was once called both Downingville and The Junction and was established in 1891 at the junction of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad (Katy) and the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, (later the Frisco), the first rail lines to enter Oklahoma. Craig County has long been a livestock producing area with cattle ranches located throughout. The industrial base of Vinita has been expanded to include everything from the manufacturing of towers to micro connectors. As headquarters of the Grand River Dam Authority, Craig county is also the site of the Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma Electric Power Distributor, and the Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative. Eastern State Mental Hospital has been in operation since 1913. Annual events include the original Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo in August, the Calf Fry Festival in September and Oktoberfest. The Craig County Book offers more information. Location: Craig County borders Kansas and is located in northeastern Oklahoma. Climate: The average precipitation is 45.6 inches yearly in this area. January's average temperature is 40.6 degrees Fahrenheit and July's average is 79.6 degrees Fahrenheit. County Seat: Vinita Distances: Vinita to: Bartlesville - 50 miles Tulsa - 66 miles Land Area: 762 square miles of agricultural land on rolling hills and level plains