Oklahoma City: The Western Mosaic
 |
|
| National
Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum1 |
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.
 |
|
| American Indian Regalia2 |
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.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Climate data from
the |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
 |
|
| Downtown Oklahoma City3 |
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.
 |
|
| Arts Festival Oklahoma4 |
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.
 |
|
| Oklahoma City Museum of Art5 |
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
