Checotah is a city in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, in the eastern part of the state known as Green Country, situated along Interstate 40 west of the Arkansas border. The 2020 census counted 3,018 residents. The city's name honors Samuel Checote, the first chief of the Creek Nation elected after the Civil War, reflecting the region's deep Native American heritage and the Creek Nation's central place in eastern Oklahoma's history. McIntosh County itself was established at statehood in 1907, and Checotah grew as one of its principal towns. Checotah is best known for its setting beside Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma's largest reservoir, which covers roughly 143,700 acres with about 600 miles of shoreline. Lake Eufaula State Park sits on the lake's north side within the Checotah area, anchoring the city's recreation economy with boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and hunting. The lake's scale makes Checotah a genuine destination town, drawing anglers, boaters, and campers from across the region, while the nearby Honey Springs Battlefield preserves one of Oklahoma's most significant Civil War sites. The city also carries a distinctive cultural identity. It celebrates its Western roots as the Steer Wrestling Capital of the World, and it is the hometown of country music superstar Carrie Underwood, a fact the community embraces with visible pride. The downtown historic district, filled with antique malls and local shops, gives Checotah a real commercial heart. Students attend Checotah Public Schools, and life in the city moves at a small-town pace. For those seeking lake recreation, regional history, and a friendly Green Country community along a major interstate, Checotah offers a well-rounded base in eastern Oklahoma.