Oklahoma

National Memorial and Museum
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma is the state directly west of Arkansas, where I live.  It is in the center of the United States from East to West.  It is a state that has a little bit of everything geographically.  It shares the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains with our state but also has a large area of prairie grasslands since it is in the southern edge of the Great Plains Region.  There are 50 State Parks, 6 National Parks or regions and a total of 11 different ecological areas.  Everything from scuba diving to rock climbing is available for outdoor adventure travelers.

Holy City Easter Pageant Ground
Lawton, Oklahoma - Vintage card

Route 66 – the legendary highway that linked the eastern states to the west from 1926 until 1985 – had over 400 miles in Oklahoma.   It has been called the Main Street of America, The Mother Road or the Will Rogers Highway.  It was the road used by many who migrated to California during the Dust Bowl years when severe drought struck the southeastern part of the United States.  Museums about Route 66 are in Elk City, Chandler and Clinton. 

Native American Dancer vintage postcard
 

The Trail of Tears ended in Oklahoma.  This was the largest forced migration of Native American peoples during the 19^th Century.  You will find museums in several cities in Oklahoma that chronicle this sad time in the history of our country.  There remains a large Native American population in Oklahoma who continue to follow their traditions.   Native American gatherings are held throughout the year with many of them open to those who would like to learn about their unique culture.  The Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma City is held annually, a gathering of 100 or more Native American Tribes from all over the United States.  Exhibits of art are on display along with some ritual dances to observe.

The International Rodeo Association headquarters are in Oklahoma City and rodeos are major sporting events in the state.   You can find many other interesting places to visit in Oklahoma and their website is interactive so it allows you to quickly locate the places that are waiting for you to visit.  The website for tourism in Oklahoma is http://www.travelok.com .