Travel Oracles 50 States: Oklahoma
As part of my summer series - Travel Oracles 50 States - I am revisiting each os the fifty American states as an overview on travel culture and history. Today: Oklahoma
Joined: The land that today makes up Oklahoma was added to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Throughout the 19th century, the U.S. government relocated Indian tribes from the southeastern United States to the area, and by 1900, over 30 Indian tribes had been moved to what was originally called the Indian Territories. Oklahoma became the 46th state on September 17, 1907, following several acts that incorporated more and more Indian tribal land into U.S. territory.
Original Indigenous Peoples: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole
First Settlers: The first European to arrive in Oklahoma was Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1541. Like most Spanish explorers he was searching for gold, but did not find any in Oklahoma. Over one hundred years later, French explorer Robert de La Salle arrived.
History moment: After its inclusion in the union, Oklahoma became a center for oil production, with much of the state’s early growth coming from that industry. During the 1930s, Oklahoma suffered from droughts and high winds, destroying many farms and creating the infamous dust bowl of the Great Depression era. In the 1930s, more than a million Oklahoma residents moved to California as a result of it and they were known as "Okies,” a term that was initially pejorative but became a badge of pride for later generations. In 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which forced the Eastern Woodlands Indian tribes off of their homelands and into “Indian Territory,” which is now the state of Oklahoma. By 1840, nearly 100,000 Indians had been evicted and close to 15,000 had died of disease, exposure to elements or malnutrition along the journey, which became known as the “Trail of Tears.” In 1905, representatives from the Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, Choctaw and Chickasaw nations—known as the Five Civilized Tribes—submitted a constitution for a separate Indian state to be called Sequoyah. Although a large majority of voters supported the petition in the November election, Congress refused to consider the request for statehood. On November 16, 1907, Indian and Oklahoma territories were combined to form the state of Oklahoma. During the course of the day on June 8, 1974, Oklahoma City was struck by five different tornadoes. Between 1890 and 2011, the city, which is located near the heart of “tornado alley,” was hit by a total of 147 tornadoes.
Known for: Trail of Tears, Tulsa Massacre, many Tornadoes, Native American heritage, booming agriculture and energy industries
Places: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Movie setting: Oklahoma, Grapes of Wrath, The Outsiders, Silkwood, Twister - and the great new series ‘Reservation Dogs’
Musicians from: Chet Baker, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith
Surprising facts: Thirty-nine American Indian tribes are headquartered within the state of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma is the geographical and cultural crossroads of America, where the green mountains of the East dissolve into the golden prairies of the West. A dozen ecosystems blanket the state, which cradles 200 man-made lakes, more than 1 million surface-acres of water, and 2,000 more miles of shoreline than the Atlantic and Gulf coasts combined. With deep ties to Native Americans, Oklahoma (derived from the combination of two Choctaw words meaning "red people") is home to 39 tribal headquarters. But Oklahoma is more than just a metaphorical crossroads. Five cattle trails that crossed this territory after the Civil War left behind a still-vibrant Western heritage that is most evident in a thriving agricultural and ranching economy, with more horses per capita than any other state. Visitors benefit from frequent rodeos, superb trail-riding facilities, and some of the best Western art collections in the world. Let’s travel to Oklahoma
My Experience: I have never been but I am really intrigued
Place: Oklahoma City, Tulsa and things to do
Nature: There are six National Parks in Oklahoma including Chickasaw National Recreation Area and Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
Ranking in US: Per the annual US News report, Oklahoma is currently ranked #43 out of 50 in 2021 and in 2019.