8 Oklahoma Towns With Unforgettable Main Streets

For a feeling of true-blue American small towns, Oklahoma has plenty to offer. The main streets of its charming towns, some of them well beyond the state's larger cities like Tulsa or its capital, Oklahoma City, promise a rewarding trip to the visitor willing to make the journey. A part of the Union only since 1907, the "Sooner State" — so named for the settlers willing to make their home in Oklahoma territory 'sooner' than others trying to do the same — has carved out its place in the United States through persistence and grit. That feeling helped inspire the state's official Latin motto, which translates to "Labor conquers all things." For a sense of Oklahoma's local culture and the small towns that uphold local traditions today, these small-town main streets will show you the way.

Ardmore

In the town of Ardmore, in southwest Oklahoma, the town's Main Street Authority safeguards the town's past glories and vibrant present. Most of the action takes place on West Main Street, which runs through a broader section of town called the Depot District, a nod to the days when railroads dominated local jobs, commerce, and town life. Ardmore's cultural goings-on center on West Main Street today, from season festivities to all-the-time options for places to eat, stay, and play. Each fall brings the Ardmore Pecan Festival, celebrating the local crop, while the Depot Nights and Lights event brings holiday cheer to the town each winter.

For downtown visitors, be sure to seek out the Mercy Train, a locomotive that brought aid workers to Ardmore following a 1910 explosion that damaged much of the town's center. The Mercy Train stands in the Depot District today.

Davis

South of Oklahoma City, the small town of Davis is a petite place with large-scale appeal. Visitors can enjoy the place's relaxed atmosphere, and take in a small-town, diner-style meal or two from the local selection of eateries: from Main Street Restaurant, to the Iron Wolf Coffee House, and the Boomerang Diner, which serves breakfast-to-dinner American classics, according to its online menu.

For a little culture before or after a meal, the Davis Museum, also called the Arbuckle Historical Society Museum, exhibits artifacts and explanatory signs that show the local heritage of the Old West. The museum is housed in the Sante Fe Depot, a former rail station downtown that has earned a slot on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In outdoor adventure, Davis sits close to Turner Falls Park and its namesake waterfall — the biggest waterfall in Oklahoma. The Chickasaw National Recreation Area, and within it, the Lake of the Arbuckles, stands southeast of town.

Elk City

In western Oklahoma, the town of Elk City celebrates its position along Route 66, a highway that runs almost all the way across the United States. Running right through the center of town, Elk City makes good on its lucky location by hosting the National Route 66 Museum, which celebrates the historic importance of the road and the country it supports. As the museum explains, Route 66 actually came on top of the cattle trails between Texas and Dodge City, Kansas. More of that history awaits the visitor at the Old Town Museum, part of Elk City's Museum Complex, a comprehensive historical zone joining a handful of museums that honor the bygone days of Oklahoma's settlement. For a taste of Western history and the freedom of the open American road, Elk City's main street attractions have plenty to entice the visitor.

Guthrie

In north-central Oklahoma, the town of Guthrie has a double claim to fame: as the first capital during the region's territorial days and as having the largest downtown historic district in the United States. With more than 2,000 buildings forming the town's historic core, the mass of preserved architecture promises something of interest to every visitor.

For travelers and locals alike, Guthrie has taken pains to preserve its urban center, which resulted from the influx of settlers during the Land Run of 1889. Bike lanes line many of the streets and lanes downtown, while urban planning laws include a 'complete streets' ordinance, which safeguards multi-purpose usage of streets for cars, pedestrians, and cyclists of all abilities and mobilities. For tourists looking to see Guthrie without the effort of walking, the First Capitol Trolley system offers street-level access and an easy network of rides through town.

McAlester

In east-central Oklahoma, the town of McAlester draws travelers to South Main Street, a lively downtown area. The main drag offers accommodations at all budget levels and a bevy of restaurants that lean on multiple options for Mexican food, from El Zocalo to the nearby El Jalisco. For shopping, choices on and off South Main vary widely, from The Galleria shopping mall to budget options at locations like Teri's Red Barn and treasure-hunting for antiques at Main Street Junction.

For a break from retail shopping and dining, head to the McAlester Building Association, a museum that displays local architecture. Gems of the local built environment include the Aldridge Hotel, a vibrant example of the Art Deco style of the early 20th century. Fresh-air junkies will find their bliss at Eufaula Lake northeast of town.

Stillwater

Stillwater, a larger town with just under 50,000 inhabitants, boasts a historic main street that should entice the curious visitor. The Downtown Stillwater Cultural District, on and around South Main Street, combines art galleries, museums, a community center, and a library branch that hold appeal for locals and out-of-towners. Each spring, the town hosts the International Red Dirt Film Festival, a celebration of cinematic creativity from Stillwater and beyond. The Sheerar Museum of Stillwater History displays town highlights for all visitors.

The town is also home to Oklahoma State University, where students and campus life gather during the fall and spring semesters. For nightlife and the youthful college spirit, the bars and restaurants along Washington Street — known locally as simply 'the Strip' — make for a cultural outing all its own. For sports fans, the town's National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors champion wrestlers from Oklahoma and elsewhere. For a gentler take on local culture, take a walk through the Oklahoma State University Botanic Garden, which showcases native plant life.

Tishomingo

In south-central Oklahoma, the town of Tishomingo, counting only about 3,000 inhabitants, punches above its weight in interest for visitors. The town's Main Street Program has supported a general revitalization of the downtown, with some 140 local businesses benefiting from the project, according to Oklahoma media. The town stands as the former capital of the Chickasaw Nation, one of Oklahoma's most influential Native American tribes. The Council House Museum exhibits one of the planet's most comprehensive collections of Chickasaw artifacts and goods.

Visitors may also want to seek out traces of the Oklahoma-born superstar country music singer Blake Shelton, who calls Tishomingo home. For some relaxation, take a stroll through Pennington Creek Park, which lies along the body of water of the same name. Tishomingo Golf Course sits north of town, while Main Street Cycle, actually a motorsports dealer, sells all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, and dirtbikes for some red-dirt fun.

Weatherford

In west-central Oklahoma, Weatherford's Main Street has long enticed local and foreign tourists. On and around it, the visitor can find the best of the town's offerings. These include the Stafford Air & Space Museum, featuring objects and artifacts from the career of astronaut Thomas Stafford, a Weatherford local boy made good. Like in Elk City, Weatherford lies along Route 66, and the town is proud to celebrate its long relationship with what some call America's "Mother Road." The Heartland of America Museum on Route 66 describes those connections in detail.

Also in Weatherford, the Heartland Museum celebrates Oklahoma's state and regional history, displaying objects of interest from the late 19th century to today. The town's Heritage Park along Route 66 celebrates the highway, family-friendly relaxation, and a memorial wall dedicated to veterans of the Vietnam War.

Oklahoma's Best Lies Along Its Main Streets

As these towns show, some of Oklahoma's finest gems lay hidden along the main streets of its sometimes-overlooked smaller towns. From the mighty history of western railroads in Ardmore and Davis to the living heritage along Route 66 and towns like Elk City and Weatherford, Oklahoma's diverse interests should appeal to even the most choosy of visitors. Add to that a history-rich destination like Guthrie or a youthful paradise like Stillwater, and it becomes clear that Oklahoma's main streets stand among the state's most attractive destinations of all. Oklahoma's western spirit is sure to please the out-of-state visitor, no matter their tastes or the timing of their visit to the Sooner State.