from
WorldWeb.com Travel Guide
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National
Cowboy and Western
Heritage Museum1 |
Although associated primarily with the oil industry, Oklahoma City has many exciting
attractions. With more than 67 American Indian tribes and a Western, cowboy culture,
the city has a mosaic of arts, statues, rodeos, museums and murals along with
metropolitan establishments. A century ago, Oklahoma City was a grass and wood
prairie, but today the city spreads across 625 sq mi (1618 sq km). The city's
population is over one million, one third of Oklahoma State's entire population.
Diversity and the combination of many cultural backgrounds have made Oklahoma
City a vibrant and unique city.
ORIENTATION
Oklahoma City is the capital of Oklahoma State and the most populous among
the five Great Plains states, which includes Kansas,
Nebraska, North
Dakota and South Dakota.
Located east of the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains is a wide expansion of
prairie starting from New Mexico
and Texas and reaching
Alberta, Manitoba
and Saskatchewan in Canada.
Oklahoma, bordered by Kansas to the north, Texas to the south, Arkansas
to the east, and Colorado
to the west, is located in the south-central portion of the United
States.
HISTORY
Approximately 11,000 years ago, American Indian civilizations lived in Oklahoma.
The state has been home for many tribes such as Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw,
Creek, Seminole, Osage, Cheyenne and Pawnee. The Native American population
in Oklahoma State has been over a quarter million, the largest such population
of any state. American Indians resided in Oklahoma before Spanish explorer Coronado
discovered the region in 1541 while searching for the Lost City of Gold. The
American Indian history is reflected in the name Oklahoma, originally from the
Choctaw language, as the word okla means people and the word humma means red.
Therefore, the name of the state literally means the land of red people.
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| American
Indian Regalia2 |
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During the 1800s, the American government forced American Indians to relocate
from all over the country into an area called the Oklahoma Territory. A small
area of the region was left and known as the Unassigned Lands. Many landless
Americans called the Boomers began moving into this area without authorization
and began pressuring the government to open the land for settlement. Finally
in 1889, President Benjamin Harrison opened the Unassigned Lands and so began
the Land Run with about 50,000 homesteaders gathered at the boundaries. Some
even stayed overnight to be the first to obtain major lands and to hide from
army patrols. These were known as the Sooners. The Sooners and Boomers eventually
settled in what is today Oklahoma City.
By 1907, Oklahoma had joined the union with Oklahoma City as the capital of
commerce. Oil was discovered in 1928 at the corner of South East 59th and Bryant
in Oklahoma City. The oil industry refreshed the city's economy and made it
the state's most significant financial source. Between 1900 and 1935, Oklahoma's
production ranked first among the Mid-Continent Region states. Even today, the
black gold plays a major role in Oklahoma's economy. Oil made Oklahoma and helped
the state gain a significant economical and cultural boom.
With the oil boom and the extra capital, visionary and developmental projects
were launched to boost tourism. In 1993, voters passed a self-imposed, five-year,
one-cent sales tax to start these projects. Since then, the improvements surpassed
all expectations and changed the city's face forever. The changes have refreshed
and renovated the attractions and created new urban areas making the city Oklahoma's
business, entertainment and commercial hub.
On April 19, 1995, Oklahoma's joyful boom was interrupted by a terrorist attack
in Oklahoma City. Timothy McVeigh, a Gulf War veteran, parked a truck filled
with 5,000 pounds of explosives in front of the Murrah Building, which damaged
the northern side of the structure severely when it was detonated, killing 168
people, 19 of whom were children. McVeigh believed the bombing's casualties
were collateral damage and compared the bombing to actions he took during the
Gulf War.
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Month
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Avg.
Daily Temperature
|
Average
Rainfall
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|
Min
|
Max
|
|
Jan
|
-3°C
(26.21°F)
|
8°C
(47.1°F)
|
32.5
mm
|
|
Feb
|
-18°C
(-1°F)
|
-6°C
(22°C)
|
39.6
mm
|
|
Mar
|
-11°C
(12°F)
|
1°C
(33°F)
|
73.7
mm
|
|
Apr
|
-3°C
(26°F)
|
9°C
(48°F)
|
76.2
mm
|
|
May
|
3°C
(37°F)
|
16°C
(62°F)
|
138
mm
|
|
Jun
|
7°C
(45°F)
|
21°C
(69°F)
|
118
mm
|
|
Jul
|
11°C
(52°F)
|
24°C
(76°F)
|
74.7
mm
|
|
Aug
|
10°C
(50°F)
|
23°C
(74°F)
|
63.2
mm
|
|
Sep
|
5°C
(41°F)
|
17°C
(63°F)
|
102
mm
|
|
Oct
|
-1°C
(31°F)
|
10°C
(51°F)
|
92.5
mm
|
|
Nov
|
-8°C
(18°F)
|
2°C
(35°F)
|
53.6
mm
|
|
Dec
|
-17°C
(1°F)
|
-6°C
(21°F)
|
48
mm
|
|
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Climate data from
the
Western Regional Climate Center
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CLIMATE
Oklahoma's topography affects its climate. Due to the upward slope of the state,
eastern Oklahoma is moister than the rest, which results in precipitation and
severe weather cycles. Because of its location near the heart of Tornado Alley,
Oklahoma City has gained a reputation as one of the more tornado-prone cities
in the United States. May, June and July are the peak months for tornadoes.
It is recommended to keep an eye on the weather during these months and to stay
tuned to local and television broadcasts.
Temperatures in the fall, winter, summer and spring are fairly normal in Oklahoma
compared to the neighboring states. Oklahoma's winter storms are harsh and the
summer occasionally brings strong heat waves. The average temperature in the
summer is 77ºF (25ºC), and the average temperature in the winter is 41ºF (5ºC).
TRANSPORTATION
Will
Rogers World Airport is the main commercial airport for Oklahoma City.
Major airlines
serve the airport offering daily domestic flights to Dallas,
Chicago, Las
Vegas, New Orleans
and other cities in the United States.
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| Downtown
Oklahoma City3 |
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Driving to Oklahoma City is easy since the city is located on two major highways,
the north and south running I-35 (the NAFTA corridor) and the east and west running
I-40.
Once in the city and in need of a car, rental
car agencies are available in many parts of the city. Even without a
car, one can tour with no trouble in Oklahoma City. There is the Bricktown canal
in downtown Oklahoma City where Water
Taxis are used for transportation, running a continual daily service
like a bus. A round trip takes about 40 minutes, during which time Water Taxi
Ambassadors narrate points of interest along the way. The public transportation
system in the city is easy to use and covers 465 mi (748 km) of the metropolitan
area. Transit in Oklahoma City offers a special service for older adults and
persons with disabilities called METRO Link, which is available to everyone
in the service area. The service picks up transit users at the door and drops
them within any designated zone.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Bricktown
The Bricktown district in downtown Oklahoma City is one of the main entertainment
centers. Through Oklahoma City's developmental projects, the residents of Oklahoma
City raised over $300,000 for the revitalization of downtown. The Bricktown
boasts a mile-long pedestrian canal lined with a number of restaurants and nightclubs.
Concerts, ice shows, sporting events and entertainment shows are found in another
Bricktown attraction, the Ford
Center. For classic and independent films, the Harkins
Theatre is found in the Bricktown as well. Southwestern
Bell Bricktown Ball Park is one of the first results of Oklahoma City's
developmental projects. The park has an asymmetrical playing field with a seating
configuration that can accommodate 13,066 baseball fans.
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Arts
Festival Oklahoma4 |
Oklahoma City National Memorial
Previously known as the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, the Oklahoma City National
Memorial is another notable attraction in Bricktown. Just a few months after the
Oklahoma City bombing, the original Murrah Building was demolished and the site
was transformed into the
Oklahoma
City National Memorial and Museum. The museum presents illustrations of
the bombing, rescue and recovery operations and includes a memorial to the victims.
Myriad Botanical Gardens
Located in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, the Myriad
Botanical Gardens is another prominent attraction. These gardens are
nationally-renowned and feature the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. The
conservatory is a jungle of palm trees, plants, waterfalls and animal life.
Crystal Bridge contains more than 1,000 species of plants from every continent
except for Antarctica.
The Omniplex
Oklahoma City's Omniplex
provides a place to discover and explore. The planetarium at Omniplex
explores the sciences and presents educational programs and more
than 350 hands-on exhibits. There are several museums, galleries,
gardens and greenhouses as well. Other local establishments in the
Omniplex include the Kirkpatrick Science and Air Space Museum, the
Red Earth Indian Center and the International
Photography Hall of Fame.
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| Oklahoma
City Museum of Art5 |
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Oklahoma City Zoo
Recognized as one of the best zoos in the United States, the
Oklahoma
City Zoo includes wild cats, aquatic creatures, a butterfly
garden, gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees. In a 9000-seat outdoor
arena, the Zoo Amphitheater presents concerts and shows. The zoo
also features picnic grounds, rides, Zoofari tours and classes.
Arts and Culture
In the heart of the Arts Quarter, the Oklahoma
City Museum of Art hosts rotating exhibitions and displays.
The museum also displays a permanent collection of European and American
arts and has its own Library Resource Center, cafe, store and school.
A collection of Dale Chihuly glass is displayed, and international,
independent and classic films are shown here. Arts are also exhibited
in the annual Arts
Festival Oklahoma, where more than 260 artisans, entertainment
and children's activities are found.
Established 50 years ago, the National
Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum is devoted to preserving
Western culture. Educational programs integrated with exhibitions
to introduce guests to Western cultures and arts are presented.
In the Red Earth Center, the Red
Earth Museum holds a collection containing more than 1,400 permanent
items, including American Indian art, pottery, basketry, textile and beadwork
artifacts.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau; National Cowboy and Western
Heritage Museum; Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau; American Indian Regalia;
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau; Downtown Oklahoma City;
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau; Arts Festival Oklahoma;
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau; Oklahoma City Museum of
Arts; Oklahoma City, OK, USA
