Search results
- Native American Heritage. Oklahoma’s history is deeply intertwined with its Native American heritage. The state is home to a diverse array of tribes, each with their own unique cultures, languages, and traditions.
- Route 66. The iconic Route 66 stretches across Oklahoma, embodying the spirit of adventure, freedom, and exploration. This historic highway has captured the imagination of travelers for decades, offering a nostalgic journey through small towns, roadside attractions, and stunning landscapes.
- Tornadoes. Oklahoma’s unique geographical location places it in the heart of Tornado Alley, where warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cold, dry air from the Rocky Mountains, creating a perfect environment for tornado formation.
- Oil and Gas Industry. Often referred to as the “Oil Capital of the World,” Oklahoma’s history is closely tied to the oil and gas industry. The discovery of oil at the Spindletop well in Texas led to a rush of oil exploration in Oklahoma, leading to booms in cities like Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
- The Sooner State
- Native American Heritage
- Museums
- Route 66
- Oil and Gas
- Wind Energy
- Tornadoes
- All Things Sports
- Rose Rocks
- Man-Made Lakes
One of Oklahoma’s nicknames is the Sooner State, named for the Land Rush of 1889. After Native Americans ceded territory to the settler U.S. government, plans were made to open the land to white settlers. Almost 2 million acres of land in what is now Oklahoma were offered as land for some 50,000 settlers who showed up at the border to claim tracts ...
Oklahoma’s indigenous history stretches back far longer than its history of settlement and carries on to this day. The state is home to 39 indigenous tribal nations, such as the Osage, Cherokee, and Pawnee nations. More than 300,000 of the state’s residents are Native American. Many of those tribes were forcibly moved there under various acts and d...
Speaking of museums, Oklahoma is famous for highly regarded art, history and science museums. In Tulsa, the state’s second-largest city, you can find the Philbrook and Gilcrease art museums. The former is located in a gorgeous Italian Renaissance villa and hosts a variety of rotating exhibitions. Oklahoma is known for its Wild West history and the ...
If you’re heading to Oklahoma, make sure to get your kicks on Route 66. The iconic, now-decommissioned American highway — perhaps the country’s most famous road — passed through the heart of Oklahoma on its way from Chicago to the West Coast. The road’s name calls to mind long stretches of highway, great sprawling plains, a sun painted by the setti...
Since the mid-1800s, Oklahoma has been one of the top oil producers in the country. In 1859, workers drilling for salt first discovered oil by accident near Salina. Commercial drilling began a few decades later, leading to various oil booms as Oklahoma went from a territory to a state. The state also has deposits of natural gas. Most of the 77 coun...
While oil and gas are exhaustible resources, Oklahoma has a high potential capacity for renewable energy. Half of the state lies in the open, rolling plains that make up North America’s wind corridor. Take a drive through western Oklahoma and you’ll see wind turbines that spin on and on, generating almost one-third of the state’s electricity.
Windy as it is, Oklahoma is famous for its tornadoes — or maybe I should say infamous. Situated smack dab in the middle of the Great Plains, Oklahoma gets hit by the warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, the hot, dry fronts from the southwestern deserts and the cool, dry winds from the Rocky Mountains. In short, the recipe for awe-striking torna...
Oklahoma may only have one major league sports team, but that does not mean there’s a lack of athletic culture in the state. Oklahoma City Thunder is a men’s professional basketball team named for the famous thunderstorms common in the state. With several division championships since the franchise moved to Oklahoma in 2008, the Thunder are sure to ...
These geological curiosities are so unique to Oklahoma that they were named the state rock in 1986. Rose rocks go by many other names, like desert rose, barite rosette and sand rose, which all evoke the flower-like shape of the rocks. The rock is a kind of crystal formed from gypsum or barite in arid and sandy places. The crystals fan out with over...
For the beach lovers, I am sorry to tell you that you’ll no longer find any ocean or sea in Oklahoma. But you will find man-made lakes, more than in any other state. Oklahoma is known for having more than 200 man-made lakes. In the early decades of the twentieth century, the state was plagued by devastating floods and, later, crippling droughts tha...
- Native American Heritage. Oklahoma has the third-largest number of federally-recognized Native American tribes (behind Alaska and California), with 67 in total.
- The Trail of Tears. The large Native American population in Oklahoma is unfortunately partially attributable to an atrocity known as the Trail of Tears, or the forced displacement of over 60,000 people.
- The Sooner State. Did you know that Oklahoma is nicknamed the Sooner State? In 1889, the U.S. government opened nearly 2 million acres of land in Oklahoma for settlement.
- Cross Timbers. The term “Cross Timbers” describes a strip of land in the U.S. from southeastern Kansas to central Texas, crossing central Oklahoma. It is characterized by a distinctive ecology: a mix of prairie, savanna, and woodland.
Take a look at the many facets of Oklahoma's terrain and prepare to be blown away by the natural beauty in these 20 photos: 1. A stunning sun setting over Wister Lake.
- Turner Falls, Davis. If you're looking to de-stress, Turner Falls is the place to be. Nestled within the Arbuckle Mountains in Turner Falls Park, these 77-foot falls are purported to be one of Oklahoma's largest.
- Gloss Mountain State Park. Hiking Cathedral Mountain is one of the most popular things to do at Gloss Mountain State Park. Time your climb for sunrise or sunset for the most rewarding and photogenic vistas.
- Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Over 59,000 acres of spectacular wilderness welcome visitors to this impressive wildlife refuge. Established in 1901, the area protects hundreds of plant and bird species, as well as fish, reptiles, amphibians, and other creatures (like elk, bison, and longhorn cattle).
- Roman Nose State Park, Watonga. From golfing to rock climbing to swimming, it's hard to get bored in Roman Nose State Park, nestled within a breathtakingly gorgeous canyon.
Jun 20, 2024 · Going to the Sooner State? From the Oklahoma City Memorial to Bricktown and the Philbrook Museum of Art to Beavers Bend, here are the best things to do in OK.
People also ask
What makes Oklahoma famous?
Why is Oklahoma famous for Native American culture?
What to do in Oklahoma?
Why should you visit Oklahoma?
What makes Oklahoma a great place to live?
What is Tulsa, Oklahoma known for?
Mar 28, 2024 · From Chuck Norris and chicken fried steak to Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge and Route 66, here's all the things Oklahoma is known for.
