Everything Duncan is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Duncan.
18 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Duncan, Oklahoma, owes its name to William Duncan, a Scottish immigrant who established a trading post in the area around 1874. This wasn't just any patch of land; it was Chickasaw Nation territory, part of Indian…
Right here in Duncan, Oklahoma, you're driving past the birthplace of Hoyt Axton! Born in 1938, Axton became a legendary songwriter, singer, and actor. His mom co-wrote Elvis's first hit, but Hoyt really made his mark.…
You're driving through Duncan, the county seat of Stephens County. This town owes its existence to two things: the railroad and oil. William Duncan set up shop here in 1884 along the Chisholm Trail. When the Chicago,…
Right here in Duncan, Oklahoma, you're driving past the birthplace of a Hollywood legend! Ron Howard, the kid who played Opie on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days, was born here on March 1,…
You're driving through Stephens County, and right here in Duncan, in 1918, the O Nah Dy Well struck oil. This wasn't just any oil strike; it was the first in the area to produce oil of commercial value. Suddenly, this…
You're driving past Duncan, Oklahoma, the birthplace of Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick! Born right here in 1926, she grew up to become a prominent political scientist and diplomat. After starting her career in politics as a…
You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in Duncan, a visionary named Erle P. Halliburton, of oil-field fame, dreamed big. In the late 1920s, inspired by Lindbergh's flight, he launched S.A.F.E.way Airlines. His…
You're driving through Stephens County, not far from Duncan. Right here, you're passing through what was once Empire City. It flared up in the early 1920s as an oil boomtown. Imagine it: three thousand people, dirt…
You're driving through Marlow, Oklahoma, a town named for a family that settled here back in the 1880s. But the town's real fame comes from the dramatic story of the Marlow Brothers themselves. In 1888, four brothers…
You're rolling through Comanche, Oklahoma, a town with roots stretching back to the late 1800s. It all started with the Tucker post office, established in 1887. But the real townsite, laid out in 1892 by a Chickasaw…
You're driving through Stephens County, near Marlow. This area, known for ranching and farming, consolidated four small school districts in 1921 to create Central High School. The first student graduated in 1923. After…
You're driving through Stephens County, just east of Marlow, and you're passing through Bray. This tiny community got its name back in 1908 from its very first postmaster, Thomas W. Bray. For decades, it was just a few…
You're driving through Velma, a town that owes its existence to the Chisholm Trail and, later, to oil. Settlers first arrived here in the late 1860s, following the cattle drives. The post office officially opened in…
You're driving north on Highway 81, just east of Waurika, and you're passing through Addington. This town, founded in the 1890s as a railroad stop, once promised big things. By 1907, Addington boasted two cotton gins, a…
You're driving through Grady County, and right here is Rush Springs. This spot was a vital watering hole for cattle herds trailing up the Chisholm Trail, but its history goes back even further. In 1858, this area was…
You're driving through Oklahoma, maybe near Rush Springs, and right here, a major battle happened on the frontier. It was October 1858, and Brevet-Major Earl Van Dorn, a decorated Mexican War veteran, was leading a…
You're driving through Grady County, not far from Rush Springs, and right here, on October 1st, 1858, a surprise attack turned a peace conference into a tragedy. U.S. Army forces, operating from Camp Radziminski,…
You're driving through Loco, a town that started in the late 1880s. While many think its name came from the locoweed, local historians say it’s from the Latin word for 'being in this place.' An early settler chose the…