Cushing, Oklahoma

Right here in Yale, Oklahoma, was born a jazz legend who would become known as the 'West Coast Miles Davis': Chet Baker. Born in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1929</say-as>, Baker's understated trumpet style…

You're driving past Ingalls, Oklahoma, and right here is the story of Mattie Beal, a pioneer woman who became a landowner during the great land runs. Born in Missouri in 1879, her family staked a claim near Ingalls in…

Imagine hitting the jackpot, then losing it all because people thought you couldn't handle the money. That's kind of what happened here. In 1916, the Gypsy Oil Company struck it big on Jackson Barnett's land with the…

Imagine this quiet spot once buzzing with the energy of Oklahoma's oil boom. This is where the Drumright Gasoline Plant No. 2 stood, a critical piece of the Cushing-Drumright Oil Field. Construction on the plant…

You're driving through Creek County, and right here is the town of Shamrock. It got its start in 1910, named by a guy who missed his hometown in Illinois. But Shamrock really hit its stride during the oil boom, becoming…

You're driving through Oilton, a town that exploded to life in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1915</say-as>. This was the height of the oil boom, and Oilton sprang up around the massive Cushing-Drumright Field.…

Right here, in the 1840s, you're driving through land that was just being explored by scientists! Samuel Washington Woodhouse, a doctor and naturalist from Philadelphia, was part of a U.S. Army survey team. Their…

You're driving through Quay, a town that started as Lawson back in 1894. It got its current name in 1903, honoring a Pennsylvania senator. This quiet farming community hit the big time in the 1910s and 20s, becoming an…

Right here, you're driving through land that was once part of the Sac and Fox reservation. On September 22, 1891, Oklahoma held its second-ever land run, the Sac and Fox opening. This was the first time land previously…

You're driving through western Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the lands settled by Germans from Russia. These weren't Germans who lived in Russia their whole lives, but ethnic Germans who had moved to…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the territory of a man known as the 'King of the Wildcatters,' Tom Slick. He started his oil career in Tryon back in 1904, a place that would…

You're driving through Lincoln County, and right here is Tryon, a town with a wild streak! Back in 1903, the Farmers and Merchants Bank opened its doors. It quickly became a legend for a different reason: robberies. In…

You're driving past Kendrick, Oklahoma, and right here is where a future governor, Roy Turner, was born in 1894. He started out near Kendrick, but ended up in Oklahoma City, served in World War I, and got into real…

You're driving through Lincoln County, just north of I-44. Right here is Kendrick, a town born from a railroad deal. In 1902, Guthrie businessmen bought the land, and by November, town lots were for sale. They even…

You're driving through Perkins, Oklahoma, a town with a rather unusual beginning. When it was established in 1889, right after the land run, the founder, William Knipe, needed 150 settlers to get a post office. But he…

You're driving through Payne County, near Perkins, and right here is the ancestral home of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma. Back in 1878, bands of Iowa people left their reservation in Kansas and Nebraska, seeking to…

You're driving through Olive, Oklahoma, the birthplace of Jack Guthrie, the man who first made the song "Oklahoma Hills" famous. Born Leon Jerry Guthrie in 1915, he adopted the cowboy persona and name "Jack" because he…

Right here in Stroud, Oklahoma, you're driving past a town with a wild past! Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1915</say-as>, Stroud was known as a notorious "whiskey town" – one of the last places liquor…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're passing through history made by Dora Steel Schexnider Young. Born into the Sac and Fox Nation, she made history on August 25, 1973, when she became the first woman ever elected chief of…

Right now, you're driving near Sac and Fox Nation headquarters, south of Stroud. You might know the Sac and Fox for their famous member, Jim Thorpe. But did you know in 1983, they created their own system for vehicle…

You're driving through Lincoln County, right near Stroud, where Moses Keokuk, a chief of the Sac and Fox tribe, lived and died. He wasn't just a tribal leader; he was also a Baptist minister who encouraged his people to…

Pull over! You're approaching a slice of Route 66 history: The Rock Café, a survivor and a star! Built in 1936, and opening its doors in 1939, this restaurant is named for the sandstone that makes up its walls. The Rock…

Right here in Pawnee County, you're passing through Jennings, a town with a name that might ring a bell with outlaw fans. While some say it's named for a developer, many believe it honors Alphonzo 'Al' Jennings, a…

Imagine the hustle and bustle of passengers and steam engines – this spot was once Stillwater's vital link to the outside world. Built in 1900, the Stillwater Santa Fe Depot served as the town's railway station for…

You're driving past Maramec, Oklahoma, a town with a name that sounds like it's straight out of a history book. And it is! Originally called Crystal, this town got a new name in 1903, inspired by a Civil War ship: the…

Stillwater, Oklahoma, owes its existence, and its name, to the Land Run of 1889. When settlers staked their claims on the prairie, they chose a spot beside a particularly calm creek. They called their new town…

You're driving through Lincoln County, and right here is Carney. Originally a camp called Cold Springs, this town got its name from Carney Staples, who helped survey the area back in 1871. After the land opening in…

1920s filling station near Warwick with 65+ vintage motorcycles. Free admission.

You're driving through Davenport, right on historic Route 66! This town owes its start to the Sac and Fox Opening back in 1891, when Noah and Annie Davenport staked a claim. Their daughter Nettie even became the first…

You're driving through Depew, a town that owes its name to a New York senator. Founded in 1901 by Walter F. Malley, it was named for U.S. Senator Chauncey M. Depew. Initially a farming community, Depew really took off…

You're driving through Lincoln County, and right here is where one of the most notorious outlaws in Indian Territory history struck! Crawford Goldsby, better known as 'Cherokee Bill,' was part of the infamous Cook gang.…

You're driving through Oklahoma, a state legendary for its unpredictable weather, especially its tornadoes. Right here, in the heart of 'Tornado Alley,' the dread of these storms has been a constant since the Land Run.…

You're driving through Lincoln County, not far from Chandler, the birthplace of Roy Harris. Born in 1898, Harris grew up to become one of America's most significant classical composers. His Symphony Number Three,…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the heart of a major battle for the soul of the state. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1903</say-as>, Abbie B. Hillerman, known as the…

You're driving through Chandler, right on historic Route 66. This town's origin story is wild! It was supposed to open on September 22nd, 1891, the same day as a big land run. But guess what? Soldiers blocked the way…

You're driving through Chandler, Oklahoma, a town that was once a hub for a powerful socialist movement in the early 1900s. Right here, in 1904, Kate Richards O'Hare arrived with her husband. She wasn't just any…

You're driving through Lincoln County right now, passing near Chandler. This area is where Joseph Colburn Pringey homesteaded back in 1891 when the Sac and Fox lands opened. He wasn't just a farmer, though. Pringey…

You're driving through Glencoe, Oklahoma, a town with a name that echoes a bloody Scottish history. The town itself sprang up in 1899 with the arrival of the Eastern Oklahoma Railway. But the name Glencoe? It wasn't…

1935-37 WPA armory in red sandstone reopened 2007 with immersive Route 66 exhibits.

You're driving through Stillwater, the home of a legend. Right here, Hank Iba built his "Iron Duke of Defense" dynasty at Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University. For over three decades, his teams dominated college…

You're driving through Stillwater, and right here is where Oklahoma's agricultural future was decided in a political showdown. Back in 1890, the race was on to land the territory's land-grant college. Farmers and…

You're driving through Stillwater, and right here is where history was made for women in Oklahoma education. In 1891, a 16-year-old named Jessie Thatcher walked into Oklahoma A&M College, which is now Oklahoma State…

You're driving through Stillwater, home of Oklahoma State University, where a legend was forged on the wrestling mat. Edward Clark Gallagher, a man revered as the 'Knute Rockne of the Mats,' built a wrestling dynasty…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're passing through a piece of history that transformed a generation: the GI Bill. Passed in 1944, this landmark legislation gave millions of returning World War II veterans a shot at…

Right here near Stillwater, you're driving past the birthplace of the nation's first commercially successful Western string band! Otto Gray and His Oklahoma Cowboys weren't just playing music; they were pioneers.…

You're driving through Stillwater, home of Oklahoma State University, where history was made on the basketball court. Right here, back in the 1940s, you had Bob Kurland, the first seven-foot-tall player in college…

You're driving through Stillwater right now, home of Oklahoma State University, where one of the greatest football players of all time got his start. Barry Sanders, born in Kansas, arrived on campus in 1986. Though…

Right here in Stillwater, Oklahoma A&M College became a vital hub during World War II, training thousands of women for the WAVES program. These women, part of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, stepped…

You're driving through Stillwater, a town born from a daring act of defiance! Back in 1884, Captain William Couch led a group of 'Boomers' into the Cherokee Outlet, staking claims and setting up tents. The U.S. Cavalry…

You're driving past Stillwater, the birthplace of one of Oklahoma's earliest movie stars, Art Acord. Born in 1890, Acord was wrangling cattle at just nine years old. His incredible rodeo skills, honed right here, caught…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in Stillwater, a pivotal moment happened for young farmers. Back in May of 1927, vocational agriculture students gathered at Oklahoma A&M College – today’s Oklahoma State…

Right here in Payne County, you're driving through land that was once part of the Creek Nation. It was established back in 1890, but the real drama? That happened over a county seat dispute! Settlers from Stillwater and…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, the spirit of agricultural innovation is alive and well, thanks to the Cooperative Extension Services. Back before it was officially established in 1914, agents were…

You're driving through Stillwater, Oklahoma, passing by Oklahoma State University. Right here, in 1924, Doel Reed arrived to teach. He was an internationally recognized artist, a master of aquatint, and he brought a…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through a piece of history from the Spanish-American War. Back in 1898, Oklahoma and Indian Territories sent nearly 850 volunteers to fight. Troop D, part…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of B.B. Chapman. He wasn't just a historian; he was a passionate scholar who called Oklahoma a 'historian's paradise.' Chapman spent…

Right here in Stillwater, you're driving past the town where Elmer Lincoln Fulton first landed in Oklahoma in 1900. He'd come from Nebraska, but he'd already lived a colorful life, performing in grand opera in New York…

Right here in Stillwater, you're driving past a place that was once home to Lola May Smeltzer Scott. While her husband was president of Oklahoma A&M, Lola was a powerhouse in the Oklahoma and Indian Territory Federation…