Before the Spanish explorer Coronado ventured through the land that would eventually be known as Oklahoma on his quest for the “Lost City of Gold,” native Indians resided in the wide-open prairies known in the early 1800s as Indian Territory. Many of the more than 250,000 American Indians living in Oklahoma today are descendents from the original 67 tribes inhabiting Indian Territory. Tribes included the Osage, Quapaw, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek and Seminole Indians.
As Western expansion reached the Indian Territory, the native people were forced off their ancestral lands by state and federal governments. Gradually, new institutions and cultural adaptations emerged and began a period of rapid development often called the “Golden Age” of the Indian Territory. Following the destruction of the Civil War, Oklahoma became a part of the booming cattle industry, ushering in the era of the cowboy.
Demand for beef existed along the East Coast. But to fulfill the need, Texas ranchers had to move cattle to the closest railroads in Kansas. Between the two was Oklahoma, home of the great cattle trails of 1866 through 1889. As cattle crossed the Oklahoma plains, drovers recognized the value of Oklahoma’s land for grazing and the economical advantages of originating a herd in the territory. Oklahoma soon turned into a prime site for cattle ranches and today ranks fourth in the nation in cattle and calf production.
To celebrate its past, more than 100 rodeos are held throughout the year in Oklahoma. The rodeo was born on the range where cowboys pitted their herding skills against each other and ranches competed for bragging rights. Rodeos also continue the tradition of three of the more popular Wild West Shows, which originated in Oklahoma. Zach Mulhall’s ranch started one starring his daughter Lucille, the world’s first cowgirl, which became a favorite of President Theodore Roosevelt. Although the shows eventually dissolved, rodeo competitions evolved and are today the only national spectator sport originating entirely in the United States.
In 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state due in large part to the discovery of oil. People came from all over the world to seek their fortunes in Oklahoma’s teeming oil fields. Cities like Tulsa, Ponca City, Bartlesville and Oklahoma flourished from the oil trade making Oklahoma the third largest natural gas-producing state in the nation. Oklahoma City is still a center for producing and refining crude petroleum and working oil towers appear on the city skyline. In fact, a point of interest in Oklahoma City is the State Capitol, one of the few in the nation without a dome, and probably the only one in the world with a working oil well on its grounds.
Oklahomans are filled with pride for their land of diverse cultures, hundreds of scenic lakes and rivers, and the genuine warmth and friendliness of their people. This proud Oklahoma spirit is echoed in the accomplishments of its more famous citizens: Humorist and “Cherokee Cowboy,” Will Rogers, Olympian and American Indian Jim Thorpe, African American author Ralph Ellison, astronaut Thomas Stafford, jazz musician Charlie Christian, and country music superstars Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and Garth Brooks.
As Western expansion reached the Indian Territory, the native people were forced off their ancestral lands by state and federal governments. Gradually, new institutions and cultural adaptations emerged and began a period of rapid development often called the “Golden Age” of the Indian Territory. Following the destruction of the Civil War, Oklahoma became a part of the booming cattle industry, ushering in the era of the cowboy.
Demand for beef existed along the East Coast. But to fulfill the need, Texas ranchers had to move cattle to the closest railroads in Kansas. Between the two was Oklahoma, home of the great cattle trails of 1866 through 1889. As cattle crossed the Oklahoma plains, drovers recognized the value of Oklahoma’s land for grazing and the economical advantages of originating a herd in the territory. Oklahoma soon turned into a prime site for cattle ranches and today ranks fourth in the nation in cattle and calf production.
To celebrate its past, more than 100 rodeos are held throughout the year in Oklahoma. The rodeo was born on the range where cowboys pitted their herding skills against each other and ranches competed for bragging rights. Rodeos also continue the tradition of three of the more popular Wild West Shows, which originated in Oklahoma. Zach Mulhall’s ranch started one starring his daughter Lucille, the world’s first cowgirl, which became a favorite of President Theodore Roosevelt. Although the shows eventually dissolved, rodeo competitions evolved and are today the only national spectator sport originating entirely in the United States.
In 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state due in large part to the discovery of oil. People came from all over the world to seek their fortunes in Oklahoma’s teeming oil fields. Cities like Tulsa, Ponca City, Bartlesville and Oklahoma flourished from the oil trade making Oklahoma the third largest natural gas-producing state in the nation. Oklahoma City is still a center for producing and refining crude petroleum and working oil towers appear on the city skyline. In fact, a point of interest in Oklahoma City is the State Capitol, one of the few in the nation without a dome, and probably the only one in the world with a working oil well on its grounds.
Oklahomans are filled with pride for their land of diverse cultures, hundreds of scenic lakes and rivers, and the genuine warmth and friendliness of their people. This proud Oklahoma spirit is echoed in the accomplishments of its more famous citizens: Humorist and “Cherokee Cowboy,” Will Rogers, Olympian and American Indian Jim Thorpe, African American author Ralph Ellison, astronaut Thomas Stafford, jazz musician Charlie Christian, and country music superstars Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and Garth Brooks.