Lawton, Oklahoma

Right here in Lawton, you're driving past the home of a woman who turned a gift into a multimillion-dollar empire. Edna Hennessee started with a Merle Norman franchise in 1944, but she didn't stop there. In 1973, she…

Right here, near Lawton, Oklahoma, you're driving through a place where history was painted. In 1842, artist John Mix Stanley traveled to Indian Territory, setting up a studio at Fort Gibson and visiting Tahlequah. The…

Right here in Lawton, Oklahoma, you're driving through a town that owes its existence to the great land rush of 1901. Two weeks before the Kiowa and Comanche lands opened up, a young lawyer named Lorraine Michael…

You're driving through Lawton, and right here, a future literary star got her start. Caroline Janice Cherry, who you might know by her pen name C. J. Cherryh, moved to Lawton as a kid. She fell in love with classics,…

You're driving through Comanche County, near Lawton, where Scott Ferris, a prominent Oklahoma politician, got his start. He settled here in 1901, practicing law and quickly rising through the ranks. Ferris went on to…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, in Lawton, back in 1903, a plasterer named J. Harvey Lynch had an idea. Workers in both the Oklahoma and Indian Territories had unions, sure, but they weren't talking to…

Established in 1869 by General Philip Sheridan, Fort Sill served as the final holding place for Geronimo and remains an active Army post today.

Last building of a gold rush ghost town. Population: 6. Seven-inch longhorn burgers.

Imagine the Wild West, and you're picturing a place a lot like Fort Sill. It all started back in 1869, when General Philip Sheridan established the fort during the Indian Wars. Its mission was to control the Southern…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're passing near the final resting place of a legendary Apache leader: Geronimo. Born in the 1820s, his life was defined by fierce resistance against those who threatened his people, from…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through history made by the legendary Buffalo Soldiers. These weren't just soldiers; they were African Americans who bravely served on the Western frontier…

You're driving past Fort Sill, and right here, in 1910, Mildred Imoch was born a prisoner of war. Her family, Chiricahua Apache, had followed Geronimo and were held at Fort Sill, then moved to Florida and Alabama before…

You're driving through Comanche County, and right here, legends of buried treasure once drove folks wild! Back in the 1600s, Spanish explorers searched these Wichita Mountains for gold. Then, in the late 1800s and early…

You're driving through Comanche County, and right here, near the town of Meers, is evidence of some seriously ancient history. About 1,200 years ago, a massive earthquake ripped through this area, creating a fault scarp…

Right here, near Fort Sill, is where Henry Ossian Flipper made history. In 1877, he became the FIRST Black graduate of West Point. Assigned to the Tenth Cavalry, the famed Buffalo Soldiers, he arrived at Fort Sill in…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through a place with a history of legendary warriors. The Forty-fifth Infantry Division, known as the 'Thunderbirds,' was organized back in 1923. Oklahoma…

You're driving through southwestern Oklahoma, and right here, in the Wichita Mountains, was once the site of a genuine gold rush! Forget the tales of Spanish gold in McCurtain County or Jesse James's buried treasure.…

You're driving through Comanche County, and right here, the story of Kicking Bird, a Kiowa peace chief. Born to Kiowa and Crow heritage, he started as a warrior but grew to champion diplomacy. He signed major treaties…

Right here, near Fort Sill, Oklahoma, a unique art movement began to bloom in the most unlikely of circumstances. In 1875, many Plains Indian men, including Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Arapaho artists, were arrested and sent…

You're driving through Comanche County, not far from Fort Sill. Right here, you're in the last home of Naiche, the final hereditary leader of the Chiricahua Apache. Son of the famous Cochise, Naiche fought alongside…

You're driving through the Wichita Mountains, and right here is a place that saw one of the last gold rushes in the United States! Back in August of 1901, word spread about gold, and twenty thousand miners flocked to…

You're driving through the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, home to Oklahoma's largest wildlife refuge. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1905</say-as>, President Theodore Roosevelt…

You're driving through Comanche County, and right here is the site of the Kiowa and Comanche Agency at Fort Sill. In 1869, Quaker Indian agent Lawrie Tatum, known to the tribes as Pot-ta-wat Pervo, or Bald Head Agent,…

Up ahead, atop Signal Mountain, sits a silent sentinel from a turbulent time. This blockhouse, built in 1871, was part of Fort Sill's early warning system. Following the Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867, the U.S. Cavalry…

Lawton, Oklahoma, a city on the Central Great Plains in Comanche County, owes its existence to the land lottery of 1901. Named in honor of General Henry Ware Lawton, the town quickly became a hub for those seeking…

You're driving through Geronimo, a town named for the famous Apache leader who was once incarcerated at Fort Sill. Right here, Geronimo was platted in 1902, a brand new railroad stop. It quickly grew, becoming a hub for…

Oklahoma first resort town founded July 4 1908 with cobblestone buildings from Medicine Creek.

During Prohibition Al Capone and Pretty Boy Floyd hid among the cobblestone cottages.

Spring-fed 1920s swimming hole. 25000+ swimmers every summer for a century.

From derelict ghost town in the 1980s to one of Oklahoma most visited villages.

Right here, near Medicine Park, is the birthplace of James Auchiah, one of the twentieth century's most celebrated Kiowa artists. Born in 1906, his paintings were among the very first by North American Indians to gain…

Right here in the Wichita Mountains, you're driving past the site of an Easter pageant that became one of the longest-running in the nation! It started in 1926 with just five actors and a handful of spectators. But word…

You're driving through Medicine Park, Oklahoma's only cobblestone town, nestled in the foothills of the Wichita Mountains. Back in 1908, visionary Elmer Thomas bought this land, dreaming of a resort powered by the…

Right here in southwestern Oklahoma, you're driving past the legacy of some truly unique architecture! Back in 1911, the first cannonball-style buildings started appearing, using rounded river stones. Think cobblestone…

You're driving through Medicine Park, a town with a unique story. Back in 1908, it opened as Oklahoma's first planned resort and health spa, built around natural medicinal springs. It was known for its distinctive…

Right here, near Mount Scott, you're passing through the area that was once the site of the Medicine Park Resort. This was the brainchild of Oklahoma politician John William Elmer Thomas, who arrived in Oklahoma in 1900…

WPA-built road to a 2464-ft summit with 360-degree views across 500-million-year-old mountains.

The rolling grasslands of Comanche County, Oklahoma, typically marked by the distant Wichita Mountains, experienced a significant agricultural shift in recent years. Concerns surrounding water availability and the…

You're driving through southwest Oklahoma, and right here is the land of Quanah Parker, the last great Comanche chief. Born to a Comanche chief and a white captive, Quanah rose to prominence after his band surrendered…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving through the birthplace of the Western movie! Back in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Oklahoma Territory and saw a cowboy named Jack Abernathy catch wolves with his bare…

Right here in Oklahoma, history was made not just on the frontier, but on early film sets! In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1908</say-as>, Deputy Marshal Bill Tilghman, along with John Abernathy and J. B. Kent,…

You're driving past the Deyo Baptist Church, just outside of Cache. This place has a unique history as the First Comanche Mission, established in 1893 by Elton Cyrus Deyo. The Comanche were initially hesitant, but Deyo…

You're driving past Cache, right near the edge of the Fort Sill Military Reservation. This town owes its existence to the 1901 land lottery, which opened up the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Reservation. The first town plat was…

In 1907 fifteen bison from the Bronx Zoo rebuilt the southern plains herd. Today 650 roam free.

Right here in Elgin, you're passing through a town with a name change story. It started in April 1902 as Ceegee, named after a developer named Charles G. Jones. But the Post Office Department didn't like that. So, just…

Lost 1923 amusement park with a rattlesnake pit and Roy Rogers on the bill.

Imagine looking up and seeing a sky full of stars, even in broad daylight. That's the vision Quanah Parker brought to life at his Star House. Quanah Parker, a prominent leader of the Comanche people, built this house…

WPA-built replica of ancient Jerusalem. Longest-running outdoor Easter pageant in America since 1926.

You're driving through Faxon, a small town in Comanche County. It all started in January 1902, when the post office opened. The town was named for Ralph Faxon, secretary to a U.S. Senator. The Chicago, Rock Island and…

You're rolling through Sterling, a town born from the 1901 land lottery that opened up Comanche County. It was named for Captain Charles Sterling, a Texas Ranger who grazed his cattle here before the land rush. Sterling…

CCC-built miniature Hoover Dam named for the last Comanche chief deep in the Wichita Mountains.

Gold fever hit Meers hard in 1901, but the only gold found was microscopic! This tiny spot, now just a dot on the map, was once a bustling prospecting town. Named after mine operator Andrew J. Meers, this community…

You're driving through Stephens County, near Marlow. This area, known for ranching and farming, consolidated four small school districts in 1921 to create Central High School. The first student graduated in 1923. After…

Right here in Walters, Oklahoma, Fred Roy Harris was born in a two-room farmhouse back in 1930. He grew up to be the youngest U.S. Senator ever elected from Oklahoma, winning his seat at just thirty-three years old. He…

Right here, near Walters, Oklahoma, is the birthplace of Van Heflin, an actor who proved Oklahomans could crash Broadway and win Oscars! Born in 1908, Heflin's journey from this state took him to the biggest stages and…

You're driving through Cotton County, and right here is Walters, where Toby Morris made his home and launched a long career in Oklahoma politics. Born in Texas in 1899, Morris moved to Oklahoma as a boy and served in…

You're driving through Fletcher, Oklahoma, a town that owes its very existence to a generous land donation. Back in 1902, Fletcher Dodge gave up half of his 160-acre homestead to establish this very spot. Development…

You're driving through Walters, Oklahoma, a town born from a land lottery. Back in 1901, this area was opened for settlement by the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache tribes. Right here, a townsite was chosen on Cache Creek…

You're driving through Cotton County, Oklahoma, and right here is the stomping ground of Jed Joseph Johnson. Born in Texas in 1888, his family moved to a farm near Walters when he was just a baby. After serving in World…

Faxon sits squarely in Comanche County, where the rolling plains of the Central Great Plains ecoregion begin their subtle rise. This is Sequoyah country, a land of wide skies and fertile soil. While no one from Faxon…

You're driving through Chattanooga, a town born from the opening of the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Reservation to settlers in 1901. It was named by N. C. Sisson for his hometown in Tennessee. A big boost came in 1903 when…

You're driving through southwestern Oklahoma, near Apache, and right here is the land where the Fort Sill Apache tribe made their last stand, not with arrows, but with resilience. They were brought here in 1894,…

Right here near Apache, Oklahoma, you're driving through the birthplace of Allan Houser, a legendary Chiricahua Apache sculptor and painter. Born in 1914, Houser became one of the most important Native American artists…

You're driving through Apache, Oklahoma, the hometown of Doc Tate Nevaquaya. Born here in 1932, Nevaquaya became a world-renowned Comanche artist and musician. Imagine this: he was commissioned to design a shield…

You're driving through Apache, Oklahoma, and you're passing through history! This town holds the distinction of Oklahoma's LAST land run, happening on August 6, 1901. Originally, this spot was supposed to be named…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving through a crossroads of Native American dance traditions! Because so many tribes were moved here in the 1800s, Oklahoma became a vibrant hub for diverse cultural expressions. When…

Chattanooga, Oklahoma, sits on the Central Great Plains, its story woven into the region's agrarian past. The town emerged in Comanche County as settlers, drawn by the promise of fertile land, began to cultivate the…