Locust Grove is a town in Mayes County, Oklahoma, situated in the Grand River valley of northeastern Oklahoma's Green Country, a region defined by wooded hills, rivers, and large reservoirs. Its 2020 population was 1,371, a slight decline from 1,423 a decade earlier, and the town functions as a small residential and service center for the surrounding rural landscape. It lies within the Cherokee Nation's historic region of northeastern Oklahoma, and nearby communities include Pryor, Salina, and Chouteau. Water is central to Locust Grove's identity. The town sits between two major Grand River impoundments: Lake Hudson, a roughly 11,000-acre reservoir just to the south near Salina, and Grand Lake o' the Cherokees, one of Oklahoma's premier recreational lakes, to the northeast. This positioning makes fishing, boating, and lake recreation an everyday part of life, and it draws visitors to the broader Disney-area attractions on Grand Lake. A drive-through wildlife park in Locust Grove itself adds a family-oriented stop to the local recreation mix. The town's economy and daily life are anchored by Locust Grove Public Schools, a four-campus district covering about 153 square miles, along with small businesses and agricultural activity in the surrounding countryside. U.S. Route 412, a four-lane freeway, runs near the town and provides a direct route to Tulsa, about 47 miles to the west, while State Highway 412 Alternate passes through the center of Locust Grove on the old highway alignment. Locust Grove suits those seeking a quiet, affordable small-town base with lake access and a straightforward Tulsa commute. Its character is rural and community-centered, with the Grand River's lakes providing both recreation and a scenic backdrop that distinguishes the area from Oklahoma's larger urban centers.