Everything Bethany is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Bethany.
Cattlemen's Steakhouse has been the anchor of Oklahoma City's Stockyards since 1910. Legend has it the original owner won the building in a dice game. Presidents, ranchers, and oil barons have all eaten the same hand-cut steaks at the same counter. The lamb fries (look it up) are a Stockyards tradition. It's the real Oklahoma — no pretense, just beef.
Oklahoma City rose from the red earth almost overnight. Picture it: the Land Run, 1889, a chaotic surge of humanity staking claims on land that had been designated unassigned. From that frenzy, a city was named, quickly incorporated, and began to take shape on the plains. Its elevation, over a thousand feet, meant drier air rolling in, and the scissor-tailed flycatchers, the state bird, became a common sight against the vast Oklahoma sky. Route 66, the Mother Road, wound its way through, bringing travelers and commerce, and in 1953, Sonic Drive-In, with its carhop service, was founded, offering a distinctly American experience. Even beneath the surface, a hidden history took root, an elaborate network of tunnels used for bootlegging during drier times. The city grew, fueled by government, energy, and aviation, industries that continue to shape its economy. But the city’s story is also etched with tragedy. April 19, 1995. The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. An act of terror that claimed 168 lives, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s collective memory. Oklahoma City rebuilt, and continues to evolve, a testament to resilience rising from red soil.
Out here near Oklahoma City, the National Severe Storms Laboratory has spent decades chasing one stubborn question: how does a tornado actually form? A supercell first spins up a wide, slow rotation a few miles overhead, called a mesocyclone. But that high spin is the easy part. The mystery is the last few hundred feet. Somehow that rotation has to tighten near the ground and stretch into a narrow, violent vortex that reaches the dirt. Most rotating storms never do it. Fewer than about one in seven mesocyclones produce a tornado, and you often cannot tell which one will, even on radar. The rear-flank downdraft, the dry air curling around the back, seems to matter. Researchers ran the VORTEX field campaigns starting in 1994 to find out, hauling radar trucks across the plains. The exact near-ground trigger is still an open question.
Memorial to the 168 people killed in the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
Founded in 1955, this Oklahoma City museum houses one of the finest collections of Western art and artifacts in the world.
On April 22, 1889, an estimated 50,000 settlers lined up to claim two million acres of unassigned land in one of the most chaotic events in American frontier history.
A modern Route 66 landmark in Arcadia featuring a 66-foot illuminated soda bottle and over 700 varieties of bottled soda.
168 empty chairs for the 168 lives lost in the 1995 bombing. Profoundly moving.
Oklahoma City's Stockyards icon since 1910. Won in a dice game. Presidents and cowboys eat the same T-bone at the same counter.
Only round barn on Route 66. Bent green oak. Saved by 80-year-old Luther Robison.
A 66-foot soda bottle and 700+ varieties of pop on Route 66. LED lights at night.
Oklahoma City's walkable arts neighborhood. Galleries studios and the best First Friday in the state.
A perfectly round barn from 1898 on Route 66. One of the most photographed barns in America.
301 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the area that was home to Ernest Istook, Jr. He wasn't born here, but he made Oklahoma his home, graduating from law school in Oklahoma City…
You're driving past Warr Acres, a town that owes its very existence to a fight over annexation! Back in 1948, Bethany, a neighboring town, tried to gobble up several housing additions. Residents of Warr Acres and nearby…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're passing through the hometown of Shannon Lucid, a woman who literally reached for the stars! Born in China, Lucid considers Bethany her home. She graduated from Bethany High and the…
Right here in Bethany, Oklahoma, you're driving past the birthplace of a legend in aviation: the Aero Commander. Back in 1950, Rufus Amis and George Pew set out to build a twin-engine plane that was safe, comfortable,…
You're driving through Bethany, just west of Oklahoma City, and you might not realize this quiet town was almost wiped off the map. On November 19, 1930, a massive tornado tore through Bethany. In just minutes, it…
Right here in Bethany, Oklahoma, you're passing through the hometown of Allie "Super Chief" Reynolds. Born in 1917, Reynolds wasn't just a "Super Chief" because of his Creek heritage; he had a super fastball! He pitched…
You're driving through Bethany, and right here is Southern Nazarene University, one of Oklahoma's oldest private colleges. It started way back in 1899 as Texas Holiness University, but the first school on this campus,…
You're driving through Bethany right now, past Southwestern Christian University. It started in 1946 as Southwestern Bible College, originally in a former nightclub in Oklahoma City, aiming to train leaders for…
You're driving through the Oklahoma City metro area, and right here, you're passing through Woodlawn Park. It's an 'urban island,' a small residential community completely surrounded by Bethany and Oklahoma City. This…
You're driving past Nichols Hills, a city born from a dream of luxury in Oklahoma. Back in 1928, developer Gilbert A. Nichols, inspired by places like Beverly Hills, envisioned a community unlike any other. He bought…
You're driving past The Village, a community born out of a post-World War II housing boom. Right here, farmers used to grow wheat, but developers saw potential in the farmland. In 1949, houses started popping up, and to…
Keep an eye out for a giant milk bottle – you're approaching a quirky piece of Route 66 history! Back in 1930, this triangular building was erected as a small grocery store. Then, around 1948, someone had the bright…
You're passing through a place that once aimed to be a little slice of Spain right here in Oklahoma City. This is the Paseo Arts District. Originally called the Spanish Village, it was built in 1929 by Oklahoman G.A.…
Oklahoma City's walkable arts neighborhood. Galleries studios and the best First Friday in the state.
Get ready to cruise back in time! This stretch of Broadway, now bustling with restaurants and shops, was once the beating heart of Oklahoma City's car industry, known as Automobile Alley. Starting in the early 1900s,…
Memorial to the 168 people killed in the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
Cattlemen's Steakhouse has been the anchor of Oklahoma City's Stockyards since 1910. Legend has it the original owner won the building in a dice game. Presidents, ranchers, and oil barons have all eaten the same…
Heritage Hall School in Oklahoma City is where Wes Welker was the 1999 Oklahoma player of the year, scoring 80 career touchdowns. He became a star at Texas Tech, went undrafted by the NFL, and turned into a five-time…
Oklahoma City rose from the red earth almost overnight. Picture it: the Land Run, 1889, a chaotic surge of humanity staking claims on land that had been designated unassigned. From that frenzy, a city was named, quickly…
Out here near Oklahoma City, the National Severe Storms Laboratory has spent decades chasing one stubborn question: how does a tornado actually form? A supercell first spins up a wide, slow rotation a few miles…
The name was born right around here. In 1952, two U.S. Air Force meteorologists, Major Ernest J. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller, titled a research project on severe weather in Texas and Oklahoma 'Tornado Alley.'…
Prepare to be awestruck by the First National Center, a dazzling Art Deco skyscraper that has dominated Oklahoma City's skyline since the Great Depression. Built in 1931 for the First National Bank and Trust Company,…
Out here in storm country, the radar can now see the tornado itself, not just the wind around it. Older radar only sent horizontal pulses. The dual-polarization upgrade, rolled out across the National Weather Service…
Out here on the Plains, people read the sky long before there were instruments to do it for them. Plains peoples like the Lakota watched the wind's direction and strength, and tracked the stars and seasons, knowledge…
When an F5 tore through Moore and Oklahoma City on May 3, 1999, it changed how this state thinks about shelter. Out of that came a rebate program and a wave of FEMA-rated safe rooms. The standard is brutal by design. A…
Here in Oklahoma City, when the sky turns green, people don't run to the window. They turn on the TV. For decades, this market built a culture of wall-to-wall storm coverage, where a meteorologist takes over the whole…
Pull over here for a second; we're about to pass a real piece of Oklahoma City history. This is the Colcord Hotel, Oklahoma City's first skyscraper. Finished in 1909, the Colcord was the vision of Charles Colcord, a…
Out here in storm country, computers are learning the radar shapes of a twister. In 2024, researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory released TorNet, an open dataset of more than 200,000 radar images, including 13,587 that…
If these walls could talk, the Skirvin Hilton would have some seriously spooky stories to tell! This grand hotel has been a landmark in Oklahoma City since 1911. Many believe the Skirvin is haunted by the ghost of a…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving past the legacy of some incredible athletes and a sport that's been around for centuries! It all kicked off for Oklahoma with immigrant clubs like the Czech Sokols in Yukon,…
Right here in Yukon, you're passing through the heart of a Czechoslovakian immigrant's success story. John Francis Kroutil arrived in Oklahoma in 1890 and, with his brother, bought the Yukon Mill and Grain Company in…
You're driving past Yukon, Oklahoma, a town born from a railroad deal and a bit of homesteading savvy. Back in 1891, A. N. Spencer wanted a railway stop, so he struck a deal with landowners Minnie Taylor and Luther…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and maybe you've heard of David McCurdy. He was a congressman from Oklahoma's Fourth District for over a decade, serving from 1981 to 1995. McCurdy was a major voice for the military…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing the site of one of America's most profound tragedies. On April 19, <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1995</say-as>, at 9:02 a.m., a massive bomb detonated in front of the…
You're driving through Oklahoma right now, and you're passing through the heart of a massive land grab known as the Boomer Movement. Back in the late 1800s, millions of acres in the middle of Indian Territory – the…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you're passing through history! Right here, William Lewis Couch was a key leader in the Boomer Movement, pushing to open this land for settlement. Imagine the…
Right now, you're driving through land that was once called the Unassigned Lands. But for a special group, it's known as the Eighty-niners' territory. These are the folks who participated in the famous Land Run of April…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is a piece of American art history. It's called 'End of the Trail,' a powerful sculpture of a Native American on horseback. Created by James Earle Fraser, the…
You're driving past the Oklahoma State Capitol right now, and you're looking at a symbol of pride that took eighty years to complete! Perched atop the dome, completed in 2002, is 'The Guardian.' This…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, surrounded by buildings that stand as a testament to Solomon Andrew Layton. For over forty years, Layton shaped Oklahoma's skyline, designing more buildings than any other architect…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, past a place that started with a simple idea: preserving the American West. Back in the early 1950s, Chester A. Reynolds worried the nation was forgetting its cowboy…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of a modern annoyance: the parking meter! <break time="400ms"/> Back in 1932, Oklahoma City was choked with cars, and folks who worked downtown hogged all…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, past the site of a financial collapse that shook the nation. In 1960, Penn Square Bank opened its doors, a modest start in a shopping mall. But in 1975, under new…
You're driving through southeastern Oklahoma County, not far from where I-240 meets Bryant Avenue. Right here, back on March 26, <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1930</say-as>, an oil well nicknamed "Wild Mary…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, a place that literally sprang into existence overnight! On April 22nd, 1889, the legendary Land Run of 1889 opened up the Unassigned Lands, and thousands of people rushed…
You're driving through Oklahoma County right now, and you're passing through the birthplace of a state capital! Back in 1887, this was just a watering stop for steam engines on the Southern Kansas Railway, called…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Oscar Ameringer, the 'Mark Twain of American Socialism,' lived and worked. Born in Germany, he came to Oklahoma in 1907 and helped build one of the largest…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through a spot that used to be a whole lot more exciting. Back in 1902, Delmar Garden opened its gates, becoming one of Oklahoma's earliest amusement…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the heart of its banking history. When Oklahoma Territory opened in 1889, banks sprang up almost overnight – some literally in tents! The First…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the heart of a political powerhouse. Catherine Ann 'Kate' Barnard wasn't born here, but she made Oklahoma her own. After seeing urban poverty at the 1904 World's Fair,…
Right here in Oklahoma, long before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, African Americans were playing their own brand of baseball, known as 'Blackball.' Black minor-league clubs, organized as early as 1910, were a…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of Susie Maxwell Berning, a true golf legend. She learned the game at Lincoln Park when she was just fifteen and went on to break barriers, becoming the first…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the heart of a legendary jazz era. Circa 1923, this was the home of the Oklahoma City Blue Devils, a band that became one of the finest in the region. Led by the…
Right here in Oklahoma City, in 1928, a single-engine plane took off, launching Braniff Airways. Brothers Paul and Tom Braniff, both Oklahoma natives, turned this small operation into one of the nation's most successful…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past a place that shaped the sound of American jazz. Zelia Breaux, a powerhouse musician and educator, arrived in Oklahoma in 1898. By 1918, she was leading music for African…
You're driving through Oklahoma, maybe near Oklahoma City or Tulsa, and you might be humming a tune you don't even know is an Oklahoma original. John Weldon Cale, known as J.J. Cale, was the master of the laid-back…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, the birthplace of Joe Carter! Born in 1960, Carter was an incredible baseball player, drafted by the Cubs in 1981. He played sixteen seasons in the majors, hitting 396 home runs.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, in 1940, police raided the Progressive Bookstore. The owners, Robert and Ina Wood, along with several others, were arrested. Why? They were accused of violating…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the birthplace of a Hollywood legend, Lon Chaney, Jr. Born Creighton Tull Chaney in 1906, his arrival was so premature, he wasn't breathing! The story goes that his…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of Yvonne Chouteau. Born in 1929, she became the youngest dancer EVER to turn professional, joining the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the neighborhood where jazz history was made. Charlie Christian, born in Texas, moved here in 1918. He learned his craft on Deep Deuce,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, the hometown of rock and roll legend Eddie Cochran! Born in Minnesota, Cochran claimed this city as his own after his family lived here in the 1940s. He rose to fame in the 1950s…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the territory of a man who shaped this place: Charles Francis Colcord. He arrived with the Land Run of 1889, staking a claim in Hennessey, but…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the stomping grounds of Samuel Crocker, a man who chased the Oklahoma dream before it was even a dream. He was a Boomer, a political activist,…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you were born Ralph Ellison, the literary giant whose novel 'Invisible Man' is considered one of the most important American books ever written. Growing up in the early 1900s, Ellison was…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the legacy of Fred Jones, a true automotive pioneer. Back in 1938, a tiny corner of a service department became the birthplace of the Fred Jones Manufacturing…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you're passing through history! This city's first mayor, William James Gault, wasn't just any politician. He was an original '89er, arriving on the historic Land Run…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of Edward King Gaylord, a true Oklahoman pioneer. He arrived in 1902, fell in love with this young town, and bought into the Daily Oklahoman. Under his…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, Lola Hall was breaking barriers in broadcasting. Back in 1956, she became the first woman in the Southwest to work as a TV weathercaster, earning the nickname "the…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of John William Harreld, the very first Republican to represent Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate. He arrived in Oklahoma in 1906, eventually making his mark in the…
Right here, you're driving past a place that was once the center of Oklahoma's first steps toward statehood. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1890</say-as>, David Archibald Harvey became Oklahoma's very first…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in places like Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Muskogee, a musical revolution was brewing. This is the story of Oklahoma Jazz! Back in the 1920s and 30s, this state was a…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Charles "Gristmill" Jones made his mark. Arriving in 1889, he immediately set out to build Oklahoma Territory's first flour mill, earning him his famous…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you might be passing the site of a major historical event. Back on April 19, 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing rocked this city. The blast…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of John Elson Kirkpatrick, a man whose wealth built up this city's cultural landscape. Born in 1908, Kirkpatrick wasn't just an oilman; he was a philanthropist…
You're driving through Oklahoma, a state built by people from all over, but in the 1920s, a wave of fear and social change made it fertile ground for the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan officially arrived in Oklahoma in 1920,…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past a place where history was made by a woman who broke barriers. Patience Latting was the first woman elected mayor of Oklahoma City, and the first woman to lead a major…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of legal education in our state! Back in 1907, Epworth University opened Oklahoma's very first law school. It was a serious program, requiring three years…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you're passing the site of a significant legal 'first'. Margaret McVean, a pioneer lawyer, was the very first person ever sworn into practice on Oklahoma statehood…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Perle Mesta, the "Hostess with the Mostes'," spent her final years. Born in Michigan, Mesta became a legendary Washington D.C. hostess and Republican…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center. It's a massive hub for aviation training, and get this: every single civilian air traffic controller, flight inspector, and…
Right here, in Oklahoma, grew up Marc "Pete" Mitscher, a man who would command America's most powerful naval force in World War II. Born in Wisconsin, his family moved to Oklahoma City when his father became mayor.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing the birthplace of a man who became known as 'Mr. Aviation.' Almer Stillwell 'Mike' Monroney was born in Oklahoma City in 1902. He started his career…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of Bobby Murcer, a name synonymous with baseball greatness. Born in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1946</say-as>, Murcer was a standout athlete…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving through the heart of rodeo history! For twenty years, this was the "Super Bowl of rodeo" – the National Finals Rodeo. From 1965 to 1984, Oklahoma City hosted the biggest names…
Right here, in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of Gilbert Apple Nichols, a man who shaped the very landscape of this city. After moving to Oklahoma Territory in 1890, Nichols found his calling not in…
You're driving past Oklahoma City, and right here is where oil history went wild! Back in 1928, the Oklahoma City Field exploded onto the scene with the discovery of the Oklahoma City Number One. But this wasn't just…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving through a place that made history for education in America. Back in 1951, Oklahoma lawmakers urged the FCC to reserve TV channels just for learning. Then, in 1953, Oklahoma became…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, passing by a place that helped build this city into a powerhouse: the Oklahoma National Stockyards. Opened in 1910, it was Oklahoma City's very first major industry,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the legacy of Henry Overholser, a true pioneer of the Land Run. He arrived just days after the 1889 run, but he wasn't empty-handed. He'd already shipped in…
Right here, in Oklahoma, the airwaves crackled to life for the very first time just after World War I. It started in a garage in Oklahoma City, where a couple of young guys, Earl Hull and H.S. Richards, tinkered with…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing by the heart of a vibrant celebration that started in 1987: the Red Earth Festival. Imagine this: the National Finals Rodeo left town, and Oklahomans wanted to highlight…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, the birthplace of a baseball legend who never got to play in the big leagues, but still made it to the Hall of Fame. Wilber "Bullet Joe" Rogan was born right here in 1893, just…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the birthplace of a legend: Jimmy Rushing, the man they called 'Mr. Five-by-Five.' Born in 1901, Rushing was a powerhouse vocalist for the Count Basie Band from 1935…
Right now, you're driving through Oklahoma as it celebrates a half-century of statehood! In 1957, the state went all out for its 50th anniversary, picking up the pace after a quiet 25th during the Depression. They chose…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where a true art pioneer made her mark. Nannine "Nan" Quick Sheets, arriving in 1916, became the first Oklahoman artist honored in "Who's Who in American Art" in…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, past the Civil Aeromedical Institute. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1960</say-as>, this is where Clyde Snow, a forensic anthropologist, began his career…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of George Washington Steele, Oklahoma's very first territorial governor. Appointed in 1890, Steele faced the monumental task of building…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing the stomping grounds of Sallie Sturgeon, a woman who broke barriers in more ways than one. Back in 1920, she was appointed as the first female health…
Right here, in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the site of Oklahoma's first-ever television broadcast! Back on November 10, 1939, in the Municipal Auditorium, RCA engineers set up equipment to show the public what…
You're driving past Tinker Air Force Base, just southeast of Oklahoma City. This massive installation, home to thousands of personnel and civilian employees, traces its roots back to late 1940. Civic leaders, wanting to…
Right here in Oklahoma City, back in 1933, one of America's most notorious criminals struck. You're driving past the scene of a crime that shocked the nation: the kidnapping of wealthy oilman Charles Urschel. "Machine…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the site of a truly wild event from Oklahoma's past. It's 1940, and Reverend Edward Webber, a popular radio preacher known for his fiery sermons and patriotic fervor,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Oklahoma's broadcast history was born. In 1921, WKY radio first signed on from a garage, broadcasting from Earl C. Hull's house. It started as an…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right now, you're passing through a state that was profoundly changed by World War II. Before the war, Oklahoma was still struggling through the Great Depression. But by the time the…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of open-heart surgery in the state! In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1959</say-as>, Dr. Nazih Zuhdi performed the first-ever cardiopulmonary…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and what you see is built on a scramble! Back on April 22nd, 1889, the day of the Land Run, the Seminole Town and Improvement Company was already here, staked out and…
Right here, in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of aviation in the Sooner State! Back in 1910, Charles F. Willard took to the skies for the very first time in Oklahoma, launching from farmland in the…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, farmers were making a national statement. In the late 1970s, struggling with low prices, Oklahoma farmers joined a movement demanding fair prices for their crops. They…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past a piece of medical history. Leila Edna Andrews, born in Indiana, moved to Oklahoma City in 1908. She became the first woman elected to the prestigious American College of…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in the early 1900s, a determined woman named Kate Biggers was leading the charge for women's right to vote. As president of the Oklahoma Woman's Suffrage Association from…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, boxing used to be a crime! Yep, back in 1890, prizefighting was illegal. Even governors tried to crack down, but Oklahomans mostly ignored the law. It wasn't until 1959…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1944</say-as>, a local guy named Keith Kahle dreamed up Central Airlines. It took a few years, but by <say-as…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you might be passing by the birthplace of a culinary icon: chili! While its roots trace back to Mexico and Texas, Oklahoma claims some of the earliest chili vendors in…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you're passing through the stomping grounds of Sidney Clarke, a man who helped open this land for settlement. Clarke was a Kansas politician who became a key lobbyist…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of Anton Classen. He arrived in Oklahoma during the 1889 land run, initially landing in Guthrie before heading to Edmond. But his…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you might have been able to hear the sounds of jazz and blues drifting from Slaughter's Hall in Oklahoma City's Deep Deuce district back in the 1930s. Dance halls were a…
Right now, you're driving through Oklahoma, celebrating 75 years of statehood. The Diamond Jubilee kicked off in June of 1981, with events all across the state. Think parades, music festivals, air shows, and even a…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, past the site of a woman who helped build this community from the ground up. Sophia Julia Coleman Douglas, born in New York in 1851, moved here in 1891. She became…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of Stanley Draper, the man they called 'Mr. Chamber of Commerce.' Arriving in 1919, Draper dedicated nearly fifty years to building…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, the echoes of World War I are still being felt. Back in 1919, fueled by wartime patriotism, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a law. It declared English the official…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and you might be passing a farmers' market right now. For over a century, these markets have been the heart of local agriculture. Back in the territorial days, farmers would haul their…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through a piece of American literary history. Back in 1935, the Federal Writers' Project, part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, kicked off in Oklahoma.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and if you're lucky, you might be passing through during the Festival of the Arts! Back in 1967, it all started in Civic Park, planned in just three weeks on a shoestring…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the heart of a political battleground, shaped by the vision of Ira Monroe Finley. Born in Missouri in 1886, Finley came to Oklahoma as a…
Right here, in Oklahoma, football isn't just a game, it's a way of life, a reflection of our unique blend of Southern passion and Midwestern order. You're driving through the heart of 'football country,' a place where…
You're driving through western Oklahoma right now, and you might be passing the very landscapes that Andrew Alexander Forbes captured with his camera over a century ago. Born in Wisconsin in 1862, Forbes was an…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Hollywood glamour was born. Kay Francis, one of the biggest stars of the 1930s, got her start as Katharine Edwina Gibbs right here in 1905. Known for her…
Right here, in Oklahoma, during the height of the Cold War, Oklahomans launched a mission to boost science education for kids across the state. In 1955, the Frontiers of Science Foundation was chartered, pooling half a…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where a massive General Motors assembly plant once stood. Announced in 1973, this place was supposed to be a huge economic boost for the state. Construction…
Right here in Oklahoma, Bennett Hill Griffin was pushing the limits of flight! In 1927, he piloted the 'Oklahoma,' sponsored by Phillips Petroleum, in the daring Dole Race to Hawaii. Though mechanical issues ended that…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, in the shadow of the Capitol building, is the legacy of William Fremont Harn. Back in 1891, Harn wasn't a politician or a businessman – he was a special agent sent…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through a part of history that shaped the state. Back around 1910, as Mexico faced revolution, thousands sought refuge and work right here in Oklahoma.…
Right here in Oklahoma, for centuries, horses and mules were the backbone of our economy. Before the rumble of engines, these animals powered everything from bison hunts for Plains tribes to the tough work of ranching…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing by the headquarters of a commission that’s been shaping America’s energy policy for nearly a century. It’s the Interstate Oil Compact Commission, born out of a massive oil…
You're driving through Oklahoma, but this land was once a wild frontier explored by mountain men like Thomas James. Back in 1821, James led a party of eleven men, loaded with over ten thousand dollars in trade goods,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing a piece of history that bubbled up from the community itself. For nearly fifty years, Jay-Kola was one of the few African American-owned bottling…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the site of a true rags-to-riches story! Sidney Daniel Lyons, born likely in the Choctaw Nation or Arkansas, came to Oklahoma and built an empire. He started small, with…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Dean McGee made his name, known early in his career as 'the man with a nose for oil.' He was a petroleum geologist who, after working for Phillips Petroleum,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where a true WWII hero got his start. Raymond S. McLain, born in Kentucky, moved here at seventeen and built a business. He joined the Oklahoma National Guard,…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of professional medical training in our state. Back in the early 1900s, Oklahoma was flooded with medical quacks selling fake diplomas. But the University…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving through the heart of a territory once led by a Belgian priest named Theophile Meerschaert. Born in Belgium in 1847, he came to the U.S. and eventually became the first Roman…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through a piece of history for Middle Eastern immigrants. Many came to Oklahoma in the late 1800s, often from Lebanon, seeking new opportunities. In 1895,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, right near the North Canadian River, and you're passing through a place that was once called Elm Grove. Back in the early 1930s, during the Great Depression, this was a "Community…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you’re passing through the birthplace of Vicki Miles-LaGrange. Born in 1953, she became a trailblazer, facing down racism from an early age when she was barred from a national leadership…
Right now, you're driving past Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, the current headquarters for an incredible group called The Ninety-Nines. This isn't just any club; it's an international organization of…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here is where nursing got its start as a regulated profession. Before 1909, nurse training was basically on-the-job at individual hospitals, with no state oversight. But in…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the site of a cultural institution with roots stretching back over a century! It started in 1904 as the Club Renaissance, a women's group focused on art appreciation. By…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past a place that's been celebrating Oklahomans for nearly a century. The Oklahoma Hall of Fame started back in 1927 as the Oklahoma Memorial Association, founded by Anna B.…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past a place that's been dedicated to saving lives for decades: the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. It all started back in 1946, when a group of Oklahomans decided they…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, the story of modern comfort begins. Back in 1906, entrepreneurs saw a goldmine in the gas fields of north-central Oklahoma, not of oil, but of natural gas. Their big…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, the heartland of a media empire! Right here, the Oklahoma Publishing Company, or OPUBCO, got its start back in 1903. It began with The Oklahoman newspaper, but under E. K. Gaylord's…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of Marian Peter Opala, a man whose journey began in Lodz, Poland. He was just starting law school in 1939 when the Nazis invaded his homeland. Opala joined the…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the Overholser Mansion, a place where Oklahoma's social scene truly took off. Anna Ione Murphy Overholser, a prominent socialite, made her mark by introducing…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of Edward Overholser. Arriving in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1890</say-as>, he wasn't just a mayor; he was a booster…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of Clarence E. Page, a true pioneer of flight. Page was captivated by aviation from a young age, witnessing one of Oklahoma's first airplane flights back in…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing through a piece of living history, thanks to Camille Phelan. In the late 1920s, Camille decided to stitch together Oklahoma's story. She spent two years researching, and then…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, Oklahomans were doing their part during World War II. They were submitting to rationing, a system designed to make sure everyone got a fair share of scarce goods. Think…
You're driving through Oklahoma right now, and you might be seeing the state tree, the redbud, especially if it's April. Its purple-pink blossoms are a welcome sight, a symbol of love and a historical welcome to…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Thomas Meriwether Richardson, a true Eighty-niner, set up shop. Just days after the Land Run of 1889, he opened the *very first bank* in this brand new town,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through history made by Angelo C. Scott. He was one of the very first settlers after the Land Run of 1889, helping to launch not just a law office and…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you might be on Shartel Avenue. That street is named for John Wilford Shartel, a key developer who helped shape this city. In 1898, Shartel bought twenty acres and…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the site of a pioneering Oklahoma artist's legacy. Nellie Ellen Shepherd, born in Kansas, came to Oklahoma with her family during the Land Run of 1889. She studied art in…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is a place named for a man who truly loved this state: George Henry Shirk. Known as 'Mr. Oklahoma History,' Shirk was an attorney and a WWII colonel, but his real…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you're passing by a place with a history stretching back to territorial days: the State Fair of Oklahoma! Back in 1889, just months after the Land Run, Oklahoma City…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, maybe past the new skyscrapers downtown, or the Health Center, or the Kennedy neighborhood. Did you know much of this landscape was shaped by 'urban renewal'? Starting…
Right here, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma built the nation's first war savings stamp bank back in 1918. It was a place where kids could save up their change, buying twenty-five cent stamps to eventually purchase a war…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, women have been making their mark for over a century. Back in the day, teaching was one of the first respected professions open to women. But they didn't stop there!…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through a legacy of the Great Depression. Back in 1935, President Roosevelt launched the Works Progress Administration, or WPA, to get people back to work.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where a newspaper was born that would shape the state's identity. It's January 14, 1894, and the very first issue of The Daily Oklahoman hits the streets. Founded…
You're driving past the Oklahoma State Capitol right now, and here's something cool: the pink and gray granite that forms its foundation? It was quarried right here in Oklahoma, specifically from Johnston County.…
Right here, in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the stomping grounds of Alvan Leigh Adams, the "Oklahoma Kid." He wasn't just a basketball star; he was a standout student, graduating valedictorian of Putnam City…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, the fight for prohibition was a huge deal! Back in 1898, the Oklahoma Territory Anti-Saloon League kicked off a massive campaign to ban alcohol. Working with churches and…
Right here in Oklahoma, barbecue isn't just food, it's a celebration! Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1907</say-as>, folks celebrated Governor Charles N. Haskell's inauguration with a big barbecue. And…
Right here, in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the stomping grounds of General Charles Franklin Barrett, a man deeply involved in shaping Oklahoma's early military and political landscape. While he didn't see…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and you might be passing through areas that were shaped by a nationwide trend called the City Beautiful Movement. Back in 1903, Oklahoma City's ladies' clubs formed a Civic…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is a story about a man who built an empire from humble beginnings. B. D. Eddie, born Adeeb Eid in Lebanon, came to Oklahoma with his family in 1905. His father opened…
You're driving through Oklahoma right now, passing through a time when the Great Depression hit artists hard. Back in the 1930s, the Federal Art Project, part of the WPA, aimed to put artists back to work. Here in…
You're driving past the Oklahoma Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma City, a beautiful Dutch Colonial Revival home. Construction started in 1927, funded by the oil boom with seventy-five thousand dollars for the house and…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Rex Francis Harlow began his journey in 1912. He was part of a family that published Harlow's Weekly, and he quickly became a pioneer in public relations.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the birthplace of a publication that was once called 'the literary digest of Oklahoma.' In August of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1912</say-as>, Victor…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, birthplace of Carolyn Gimpel Hart, born here in 1936. She turned her childhood love for Nancy Drew into a career writing award-winning murder mysteries. Her popular 'Death on…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the heart of a Western swing revolution! Merl Lindsay and His Oklahoma Night Riders were huge in the 1940s and 50s. Born Merle Salathiel, he started in his family's dance…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, a city that became home to a nationally significant composer: Ray Luke. While born in Texas, Luke found his artistic home here, becoming a professor at Oklahoma City…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where a WWI vet, Louis Macklanburg, got tired of leaky windows. Back in 1920, he invented his own solution: Numetal, a springy brass weather stripping. He teamed…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in this very district, General Wesley Merritt was tasked with keeping the peace before the Land Run of 1889. He traveled by train, inspecting camps at Oklahoma City and…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the birthplace of a trailblazing politician. Cleta Deatherage Mitchell was born in 1950 and went on to break barriers. After graduating from OU, she was elected to the…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving through a piece of a national experiment that tried to pull America out of the Great Depression. It was called the National Recovery Administration, or NRA. Headed by Oklahoman…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you might be passing by the Jim Norick State Fairgrounds Arena. It was renamed for James Henry Norick, a businessman and mayor who dramatically shaped this city.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, a place that was home to a boxing champ who burst onto the scene at just fifteen years old. Sean O'Grady, born in Texas, moved here with his family in 1969. He turned pro in 1975…
You're driving through southeastern Oklahoma, and maybe you don't see it, but you're passing over the ghost of a railroad. The Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Railway was a latecomer, incorporated way back in 1923. It took over…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of a musical institution. The Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra has a long and complex history, starting way back in 1924 as an amateur group. It struggled…
Right here, in Oklahoma City, women were organizing to make a difference! It's 1898, and Sophia Douglas calls for clubs across the territories to unite. Twenty-four women, representing eleven clubs, gather to form the…
Right now, you're driving past the heart of Oklahoma's higher education system! Back in 1941, Oklahomans voted to create the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Before this, our colleges and universities were a…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, where Gomer Griffith Smith spent the latter half of his life. He was known as Oklahoma's perennial politician, running for office a staggering eight times between 1930 and 1948! He…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, and you're passing by the work of a man who literally wrote the book on Oklahoma history. Joseph Bradfield Thoburn was a historian and civic leader who, from 1913 to 1917,…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where a legendary jurist made his mark. Edgar Sullins Vaught arrived in Oklahoma City in 1901, first as a school principal and superintendent. But he found his…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, back in 1932, a radical labor group called the Veterans of Industry of America was founded. Led by Ira Finley, this group aimed to help the poor and unemployed…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of the Baptist Messenger! For years, Oklahoma Baptists relied on papers from out of state or short-lived publications. But on May 15, 1912, the first issue of…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here on Southwest Eleventh Street, you're passing the former home of the Boardman Company. Founded in 1910 by John R. Boardman, this place started out making metal tanks…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Joe Campbell lived and worked. Campbell was a man of many hats – a trapeze artist in his youth, an Army electrician in World War I, and a police lieutenant.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through the birthplace of community service organizations in the state. Back in the early 1900s, folks were looking for ways to improve society. The…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing by a place connected to Sister Mary Coletta. Born Florence Massoth in Kansas, she came to Oklahoma and became a driving force in healthcare innovation. After earning degrees…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past a piece of bread-making history. In 1928, Carl Skogsberg opened the Colonial Bakery, boasting it was 'Oklahoma's most modern bakery.' Imagine, a…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're passing through the birthplace of Frederick Alvin Daugherty. He was born in 1914 and went on to serve with distinction in World War II and the Korean War, eventually reaching the rank…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is a place tied to Leonard Dickerson, a civic leader who served on the City Council for twenty years. Born near Edmond in 1903, Dickerson left the family farm at…
Right here in Oklahoma, you might have driven past the stomping grounds of Marvin "Mickey" Edwards, a Republican congressman who represented Oklahoma's Fifth District for sixteen years. He wasn't just any politician; he…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, the birthplace of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau. Back in 1942, farmers and ranchers banded together to form this organization. Their goal? To tackle agricultural challenges…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, the birthplace of Bryce Harlow, a man who shaped American politics from behind the scenes. Born in 1916, Harlow started as an assistant librarian in the U.S. House of…
Did you know Oklahoma City was once home to one of the Southwest's only general publishing houses? Victor Emmanuel Harlow founded Harlow Publishing Company in 1915. He used his political savvy to land state printing…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past a legacy of music! Guy Fraser Harrison, born in England, came to lead the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra in 1951. He took an orchestra with WPA roots and turned it into…
You're driving through Oklahoma City right now, a place that owes a lot to civic leaders like Seymour Heyman. Born in New York in 1861, Heyman moved to Oklahoma City in 1897 and opened the Hub Clothing Store. But he was…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, the push for better roads began! Back in 1912, the state's Department of Highways was just getting started. To get the word out, they launched 'Oklahoma Highways: A…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is where Robert Potter Hill made his mark. Hill was a congressman, but not just for Oklahoma! He actually represented Illinois first, before moving here in 1918.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is a place tied to Edith Cherry Johnson. Born in Ohio, she came to Oklahoma City with her family in 1903. After her father’s death, she found work at The Daily…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the legacy of the Klein Iron and Foundry Company. Founded in 1909 by Jacob Bernard Klein, this company was a powerhouse of Oklahoma industry. They crafted everything from…
You're driving past Oklahoma City, the heart of our state's government. But did you know that for the first few years of statehood, the legislature met way up in Guthrie? It wasn't until 1910 that they packed up their…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, in the 1100 block of South Walker Avenue, stands the Shrine of the Little Flower. This church has roots stretching back to 1914, when Carmelite priests, fleeing…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, we're talking about Alice Lee Marriott. Born in Illinois, she moved to Oklahoma City at age seven and became a trailblazer in anthropology. She was the first woman to…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the birthplace of a publication that helped define early Oklahoma. In 1889, Frank McMaster, an Eighty-niner, launched 'Oklahoma Magazine.' It wasn't just about promoting…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, we're passing through a place that was touched by Paul Miller. Born in Missouri in 1906, Miller's journalism career kicked off young, winning a national contest at…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're passing through land that was once mapped by an artist named Heinrich Balduin Möllhausen. He wasn't from here, but he was part of a major survey in <say-as interpret-as="date"…
Right here in Oklahoma City, you're driving past the heart of a state agency dedicated to bringing the arts to everyone. Back in 1965, the Oklahoma Legislature created the Oklahoma Arts Council, or OAC. Its mission? To…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is Oklahoma City Community College. It started back in 1969 as a dream of the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, who wanted a junior college for the area.…
Right here in Oklahoma, people have been fascinated by their own stories, songs, and traditions for over a century. It all started way back in 1888 with the American Folklore Society, and soon, Oklahomans were…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the home of a company that's powered your journey for over a century: the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, or OG&E. Founded way back in 1902, OG&E started by…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the home of the Oklahoma Humanities Council. Born in 1971, this group is an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Its mission is to…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in Oklahoma City, you're passing the headquarters of an organization that helps keep our state's history alive. The Oklahoma Museums Association, or OMA, officially…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you might have passed the practice of Dr. Winonah Monroney Sanger. Born in 1874, she came to Oklahoma City and became a physician, advocating for birth control at a…
Right here in Oklahoma, the story of the Catholic press is a long and winding road. It started way back in 1890 with the Indian Advocate, published near Sacred Heart Abbey. Then came papers like the Orphan's Record, the…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here is the site of a remarkable story of faith and community. Back in the early 1900s, Syrian-Lebanese immigrants, many from a single village, found their way to this…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing a vibrant piece of immigrant history. Back in 1914, Oklahoma City's Greek residents, most of them Greek Orthodox Christians, formed their own society.…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing near the legacy of Shirley Ann Thomson-Smith. Born in Missouri in 1929, she moved to Oklahoma City at age five. After discovering sculpture at the…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, Sibyl Dunn Warden left her mark on education and publishing. Born around 1870, she was a teacher at Oklahoma City High School and Epworth University before marrying…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're surrounded by a landscape that's famously flat. But look up! Those windmills you see dotting the horizon? They're more than just farm equipment. The first commercially successful…
Founded in 1955, this Oklahoma City museum houses one of the finest collections of Western art and artifacts in the world.
You're driving through Mustang, Oklahoma, home of Olympic gold medalist Kendall Cross. Born in Montana in 1968, Cross moved to Oklahoma and became a state champion wrestler for Mustang High. He went on to win a national…
You're driving past Mustang right now, a town that owes its name to a railroad man's horse. In 1895, E.M. Maxwell opened the post office, and he named it after his trusty steed, Mustang. It took six more years for…
You're driving through Oklahoma City, and right here, you're passing through Forest Park. This wasn't always part of the big city. Back in the mid-1920s, this was a heavily wooded area, 180 acres purchased by golf…
You're driving past Lake Aluma, a secluded little town that started as a peaceful retreat for Oklahoma City folks. Back in the early 1920s, a club called the Lake Aluma Club bought this wooded land, imagining a place…
You're driving past Smith Village, a tiny town right next to Oklahoma City and Del City. It all started around 1949 when Rose Henrietta Smith inherited a twenty-acre farm. She decided to turn it into a housing…
You're driving through Valley Brook right now, a tiny town surrounded by Oklahoma City. This area was once the heart of the Oklahoma City oil field, booming with activity back in the 1930s. Oil-camp housing sprang up…
Right here in Del City, Oklahoma, you're driving past the hometown of a wrestling legend: John Smith. Born in 1965, Smith became the first American wrestler in eighty years to win two Olympic gold medals, a feat he…
You're driving past Del City, a community born from a simple idea: building homes for returning GIs after World War II. In 1946, builder George Epperly bought 160 acres, planning just fifty houses. He used precut units…
Right here, under your tires, is where Oklahoma City transformed from a sleepy state capital into a boomtown. On December 4th, 1928, the Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Company struck black gold at this very spot.…
Right here, you're driving through the story of a city that never was. In 1910, Israel Putnam thought he'd built Oklahoma's next capital city. He bought two thousand acres northwest of Oklahoma City, named it 'Putnam…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, the state played a crucial role in a national debate that echoes even today. Back in 1972, Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment, or ERA, sending it to the states…
Right here in Oklahoma, way back in 1910, women started forming what became known as home demonstration clubs. These weren't just social gatherings; they were vital hubs for learning. Thanks to the Smith-Lever Act of…
You're driving through Piedmont, a town that sprung to life in 1903 thanks to Dr. E. H. Long. It quickly became a bustling hub, especially when the St. Louis, El Reno and Western Railway arrived in 1904. Imagine the…
Edmond, Oklahoma, began as a whistle stop. Literally. In 1887, a Santa Fe Railroad work crew laid tracks across the open prairie, and the spot known as Milepost 103 was designated a watering station. That was it. But…
On September 25, 2014, a recently fired employee walked back into Vaughan Foods in Moore, Oklahoma, stabbed and beheaded a 54-year-old co-worker, then attacked a second woman. Mark Vaughan, the company's chief operating…
You're driving past Spencer, Oklahoma, a town born from a vision of water power and a nod to Indiana roots. Back in 1901, brothers Louis and Henry Kramer, already Oklahoma City businessmen, developed this townsite. They…
Few towns know storm country like Moore, Oklahoma. On May 3, 1999, a violent F5 tore through Bridge Creek and into Moore, and a Doppler-on-Wheels radar clocked winds near 318 mph inside it, the highest wind speed ever…
Right here in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20, 2013, an EF5 tornado with peak winds estimated just over 200 mph carved a path that killed 24 people. And it left that haunting checkerboard: one house gone to the slab, the…
Here is something strange about tornado ratings out here in storm country. When you hear a twister was an EF3 or an EF4, almost nobody measured those winds directly. A tornado will shred the very instruments that try to…
Out here over Moore, when a supercell is about to go to work, watch the back side of the storm. A surge of dry air wraps around the rotating updraft, the mesocyclone, and sinks toward the ground. Forecasters call it the…
You're driving past Midwest City, and right here, during World War II, stood a massive Douglas Aircraft plant. This factory built over half of the ten thousand C-47 Skytrain 'Gooney Birds' used by the U.S. Army.…
You're driving east of Oklahoma City, and right here is Midwest City. It all started back in 1940, when the U.S. Army Air Corps needed new bases. A local land speculator named Bill Atkinson bought up land, guessing…
You're driving past Rose State College in Midwest City, a school that opened its doors way back in 1970. It started as Oscar Rose Junior College, named after a local school superintendent. The college district itself…
Right here at Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City, the science of predicting tornadoes was born. On March 20, 1948, a tornado tore across the base, wrecking dozens of aircraft and causing millions in damage. Two…
You're driving past Tuttle, Oklahoma, home to a dairy operation that's one of the largest in the world! Right here, Braum's Dairy milks ten thousand Holstein cows, fourteen hundred an hour, every hour, three times a…
You're driving through Grady County, and right here is Tuttle, a town that helped shape a future federal judge. Alfred Paul Murrah was born near Earl in 1904, but after his mother died, he became a 'knight of the road'…
You're driving through Tuttle, a town named for a rancher, James H. Tuttle. It sprung up around 1901 when the Perry-Dowden Land Company bought land from the Colbert family to plat the townsite. The railroad came through…
Right here, you're driving through Moore, a town that's become all too familiar with the destructive power of nature. It sits in what's often called 'Tornado Alley,' and it's faced some devastating encounters. On May…
You're driving through south-central Oklahoma, passing through a district that's home to major cities like Norman, Lawton, and Ada, the headquarters of the Chickasaw Nation. Right here, you're in the territory…
On April 22, 1889, an estimated 50,000 settlers lined up to claim two million acres of unassigned land in one of the most chaotic events in American frontier history.
You're driving through Edmond right now, and you might see the post office. But back on August 20th, 1986, it was the scene of a horrific tragedy. On that day, a disgruntled postal worker named Patrick Sherrill walked…
You're driving past Edmond, Oklahoma, and right here is where a legend made her dash for land! Meet Nanitta Daisey, better known as 'Kentucky Daisey.' She was a petite woman with a pistol, a reporter, and a whole lot of…
You're driving through Edmond, a city with a rich history starting with the railroad. But right here, in 1986, a tragedy struck the community. An Edmond postal employee entered the post office and shot and killed…
You're driving through Edmond, Oklahoma, home of Olympic gymnastics legend Shannon Miller! Born in Missouri in 1977, Shannon moved here as a baby. Doctors discovered her legs were turning inward, and she had to wear…
Right here in Edmond, you're driving past the birthplace of higher education in Oklahoma. In 1891, the Territorial Normal School of Oklahoma opened its doors, making it the very first public institution of higher…
Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving past the birthplace of a unique cultural tradition: Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park. Back in 1985, Jack and Kathryn O'Meara, inspired by a national trend, decided Oklahoma City…
You're driving past Edmond, and right here, a legal battle unfolded over who got to claim this land! It all started with the 1889 Land Run. Alexander Smith, a railroad worker, was already living in a tent here before…
You're driving past the area that was once Oklahoma's most important oil discovery of the 1940s: the West Edmond Field. It all started with Ace Gutowsky, a man who claimed to find oil using 'doodlebug' techniques, like…
A 66-foot soda bottle and 700+ varieties of pop on Route 66. LED lights at night.
Right here, you're driving past Nicoma Park, a town born from a utopian dream in the 1920s. The Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce wanted to create a suburban paradise where families could live on acreage, keep chickens,…
You're driving through Canadian County, right where history was made. In 1869, the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes were moved here from Colorado. Just a few years later, in 1874, Fort Reno opened its doors to protect…
You're driving through Union City, right here in Canadian County. The post office opened way back in 1889, and the townsite was officially platted the very next year. Union City owes its existence to the railroad – the…
Just south of El Reno, Oklahoma, on May 31, 2013, the widest tornado ever recorded ground across the prairie, about 2.6 miles wide at its peak. It turned suddenly, ballooned in seconds, and hid inside heavy rain. Among…
Out here near El Reno, Oklahoma, on May 31, 2013, the widest tornado ever recorded tore across the open country, roughly 2.6 miles wide at its peak. The reason we know just how monstrous it was comes down to radar…
This unassuming train station marks the spot where the Wild West began to tame itself. The Rock Island Depot was built here in 1907. It served as a vital hub for both passengers and freight, connecting the east-west and…
At 660 W Highway 66 in Arcadia, on historic Route 66 northeast of Oklahoma City, a 66-foot soda bottle sculpture nicknamed 'Bubbles' stands beside a glass-and-steel soda ranch called POPS. Designed by Oklahoma City…
You're driving through Canadian County, Oklahoma, right past where the Southern Arapaho people were forced onto a reservation in 1869. Their new home, north of the Canadian River, was carved out of lands previously held…
You're driving past El Reno, and right here is the site of Fort Reno, a frontier military post that played a huge role in Oklahoma's early days. Established in 1874, its main job was keeping the peace on the…
You're driving through Oklahoma, but maybe you've heard of Alphonso "Al" Jennings. He started out as a prosecutor right here in El Reno, Canadian County, back in the 1890s. But things took a turn. After a deadly…
You're driving through El Reno, a town born from two separate land runs! The eastern part opened up in 1889, and the western section in 1892. But here's the twist: the town's name comes from Fort Reno, with 'El' added…
You're driving north of El Reno, in Canadian County, where a unique community once stood. Mennoville was established in 1889 by German Mennonite farmers, some of whom were already involved in mission work with the…
You're driving through El Reno, and right here is Redlands Community College, but did you know its roots go back to 1938 as El Reno Junior College? It was the only municipal junior college in Oklahoma to publish its own…
Right here, you're driving past Newcastle, a town that owes a lot to a bridge. In 1922, work began on a bridge across the South Canadian River, right here. It was Oklahoma's first federal aid project and part of a…
A modern Route 66 landmark in Arcadia featuring a 66-foot illuminated soda bottle and over 700 varieties of bottled soda.
You're driving through Oklahoma, maybe near Yukon or Mustang, and right here is where a group of Czech immigrants made their mark. Back in 1889, Anton Caha led about twenty-five Czech Americans, all eager to stake their…
You're driving through Canadian County, near the site of the Sand Hill Fight. It was April 6, 1875, the end of the Red River War. As soldiers tried to shackle a Cheyenne warrior named Black Horse, he broke free. Panic…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you might be passing near some of the earliest Ukrainian settlements in the state. These folks started arriving in the early 1900s, seeking better wages, land, and…
You're driving through Lincoln County, not far from the town of Jones. This is the land Ulysses Stevens Stone called home starting in 1894. He worked his way up from banking to oil, and then, he set his sights on…
Right here, near Darlington, Oklahoma, you're passing through the birthplace of Carl Sweezy, one of the first American Indian professional artists. Born around 1880, Sweezy, whose Arapaho name was Wattan, Black, found…
You're driving through Canadian County, near Concho, where John DeBras Miles served as superintendent of the Darlington Agency from 1872 to 1884. A Quaker and former businessman, Miles took over after the death of the…
You're driving through Jones, originally known as Glaze. This suburban community got its name from Charles G. Jones, a three-time mayor of Oklahoma City. The townsite was platted in 1898, just before the railroad came…
On May 24, 1973, a violent tornado tore into Union City, Oklahoma, killing two people. But this storm changed history in another way. Just down the road, researchers at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman…
You're driving through Cashion, Oklahoma, a town born from a land run and a dream of connecting farmers to markets. In 1900, two railroads, the Guthrie and Kingfisher Railway and the Guthrie and Western Railway, met…
Right here near Arcadia, you're passing through the stomping grounds of Orren Mixer, one of Oklahoma's most celebrated Western artists. Born in Oklahoma City in 1920, Mixer found his passion painting livestock,…
You're driving through Arcadia, a town born from the 1889 Land Run. Its name, inspired by a Greek paradise, reflected the hopes of early settlers drawn to the fertile land. Rail access in 1903 transformed it into a…