Everything Velma is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Velma.
18 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
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 through Carter County, and right here is Ratliff City. It all started in July of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1913</say-as>, when the Healdton oil field blew in! Suddenly, there were too many…
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…
You're driving through Tatums, a town with a unique beginning. It was founded in 1895 by Lee and Mary Tatum, who applied for a post office designation. This place became one of Oklahoma's many all-Black towns. Imagine,…
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…
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…
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…
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 Healdton, a town that owes its very existence to a boom-and-bust cycle fueled by oil. Originally named Mason, it was a quiet cotton center until a railroad line bypassed it, threatening to kill…
Right here in Healdton, Oklahoma, you're passing through the birthplace of a television icon! Rue McClanahan was born here on February 21, 1934. After honing her craft on the New York stage, she became a household name…
You're driving through Carter County, and right here is the Healdton Field, an oil discovery that kicked off big changes in Oklahoma. In July 1913, the Plains Development Company hit oil, and this field quickly became…
You're driving through Elmore City, a town with a name that almost didn't stick! It started in the 1880s as a settlement called Banner, near Rock Creek. In 1890, it got a post office named for J. O. Elmore. The town…
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…