8 Most Memorable Small Towns In Oklahoma
Get ready for a road trip of a lifetime as you travel through Oklahoma. Called "The Sooner State" due to the large number of early settlers who illegally entered the territory without permission, Oklahoma opens its arms wide for all travelers from every corner. This rich and wonderful state is also home to the biggest population of Native Americans other than California. As such, Oklahoma is bountiful in cultural heritage and indigenous lifestyle. You will never forget your experience in Oklahoma, especially in the most memorable small towns in the state. From film-worthy sites like Pawhuska to nature-loving locations like Broken Bow, these small towns will create memories that will last lifetimes. So brave this wild and pristine land of wind turbines and tornadoes as you travel from town to town.
Muskogee
Only 50 minutes from Tulsa, the quaint historic town of Muskogee sits comfortably on the banks of the Arkansas River. What makes this metropolitan area so memorable is the small-town atmosphere in a big city landscape. The Honor Heights Park boasts trails, an arboretum, and the Five Civilized Tribes Museum. The latter preserves the history and culture of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole nations. Meanwhile, the Muskogee War Memorial Park on the Arkansas River houses the USS Batfish, a WWII submarine refurbished as a museum. You might also fancy exploring the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, which hosts nation-famous concerts and honors local musicians. Or perhaps the medieval-style Castle of Muskogee, which contains all the fun and festivities of a Renaissance fair.
Stillwater
Stillwater is considered America's friendliest college town. The Oklahoma State University has garnered many national championships—especially wrestling—that visitors can learn at the Heritage Hall Museum and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The unique music genre of Red Dirt—founded in Stillwater by Bob Childers—showcases the dynamic and spectacular way of life in the whole of Oklahoma. Aside from the amicable college atmosphere, Stillwater also promotes many natural attractions for outdoor enthusiasts. One can do numerous kayaking, fishing, or exploring in expansive lakes like Lake McMurtry, Carl Blackwell Lake, and Boomer Lake. Most of all, you can enjoy getting close and personal with kangaroos and camels at the Lost Creek Safari. Only an hour away from Oklahoma City, it is no bother to explore the friendly town of Stillwater.
Broken Bow
The most memorable places are those containing the raw, untroubled jewels of nature. The town of Broken Bow is such a sublime location for outdoor enthusiasts to make memories. As a getaway from city hassle and a gateway to the Beavers Bend State Park, Broken Bow is home to black bears, bald eagles, and a meandering series of pine forest trails. The park's Forest Heritage Center Museum educates travelers of the importance of forestry in local wildlife in the Hochatown area. Meanwhile, the 1884 Gardner Mansion & Museum exhibits Native American and pioneer artifacts telling the town's history. Broken Bow Lake, nourished by the Mountain Fork River, contains a cornucopia of islands and beaches for visitors to have some fun swimming or engaging in fishing. These are a few natural features to enjoy in Broken Bow.
Bartlesville
The diverse town of Bartlesville welcomes travelers with a bevy of cultural attractions. You can get an impressive view of Bartlesville from the top of Price Tower, the only skyscraper designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Try not to miss a chance to listen to a multitude of musicians around the globe at OK Mozart, a musical event held each June. Bartlesville is most famous for being the origin of world-renowned oil companies, Phillips Petroleum Company, ConocoPhillips, and Phillips 66, all founded by entrepreneur Frank Phillips. He also established the Woolaroc Museum, which dwells in the Osage Hills and serves as a world-class art museum. It also acts as a wildlife preserve and an excellent venue for weddings.
Medicine Park
Want a remedy from metropolitan hassle? Then head to Medicine Park, Oklahoma's first resort town, and a getaway for many people like President Roosevelt, Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, and Jack Abernathy. Only about 22 minutes from Lawton, the town is centrally located in the Wichita Mountains near Lake Lawtonka and Bath Lake. Because of its pristine surroundings, Medicine Park acts as a placid retreat for soldiers following their Basic and AIT training in nearby Fort Sill. The town also serves as an entranceway to the 60,000-acre Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge where a diverse range of American animals roam freely. Visitors can climb atop Bison Mountain to get uninterrupted views of the town and the looming Wichita Mountains.
Guthrie
Guthrie was made from the hardships and dedication of late 1800s settlers when they settled in the lush prairies of Oklahoma. Only 35 minutes from Oklahoma City, the town's downtown area is the largest Historic Preservation District in the nation. Travelers can return to an era of pioneers and trailblazers amidst Victorian-style brick buildings and learning centers like the Frontier Drugstore Museum and the Oklahoma Territorial Museum & Carnegie Library. You might also be interested in the spooky Guthrie Ghost Walk, where you can learn all about the local hauntings in the town. If you want an extreme activity, then consider heading to the Avid Extreme Sports Park for intense paintball fights.
Sulphur
Try not to mistake sulfur for Sulphur. The latter happens to be a charming town situated in the Arbuckle Mountains. Native Americans called the region "the land of rippling waters" due to the mineral waters, streams, lakes, and swimming holes crisscrossing Sulphur. Indeed, the Cold Springs Campground contains many luxurious and cleansing springs, although some of which are actually sulfurous. Aside from the excellent springs of the town, Sulphur also promotes Little Niagara Falls and the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, the latter opening up to the amazing Lake of the Arbuckles. Head to the Arbuckle Historical Museum to learn more about the town's history.
Pawhuska
Only about 25 miles from Bartlesville, Pawhuska is the tribal capital of the Osage Nation. The town is named after Osage chief Paw-Hiu-Skah ("White Hair"), and for many years, Pawhuska has been a film-worthy site for many wild western motion pictures like Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Pawhuska is also home to Oscar-winning cowboy Ben Johnson and is the place where the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) conducted their first big case of the Osage Murders, which Scorsese's film is based on. Visitors can learn all about the town's turbulent history at the Osage Nation Historical Museum. Aside from these historical attractions, Pawhuska's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve nurtures many bison, deer, and coyotes. There is also the Osage Hills State Park, which is lush and vibrant with activities, such as a trail connecting Bluestem Lake to Bluestem Falls.
Memories of a place remain forever when the location you explored touches your soul. These small towns of Oklahoma will certainly accomplish that. Whether you are trekking through towns like Muskogee or Pawhuska that are rich in Native American culture or sampling the untroubled natural beauties of Sulphur's Chickasaw National Recreation Area and Broken Bow in the Wichita Mountains, these small towns of Oklahoma stay with you long after they vanish from your rearview mirror. So come visit the Sooner State sooner rather than later.
