Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Greater Metropolitan Area | |
|---|---|
| File:Okc.jpg | |
| Nickname: Capital of the New Century | |
 Location in Oklahoma County and the state of Oklahoma. | |
| Country State Counties | United States Oklahoma Oklahoma County Cleveland County Canadian County Pottawatomie County Logan County Lincoln County Grady County McClain County |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mick Cornett |
| Population (2004) | |
• City | 528,042 |
| • Metro | 1,144,327 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Website | http://www.okc.gov/ |
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is also the county seat of Template:USCity. Oklahoma City was founded during one of the largest land runs in the nation on April 22, 1889.
The city's name is often abbreviated as Okla City or its airport's IATA code, OKC. The local socialites have affectionately named it "Action City" and it is also known more recently as the Renaissance City due to its downtown renaissance. Residents of the outlying suburbs and rural areas often call it simply "The City".
Oklahoma City is a large, diverse, and growing metropolitan area; it is the civic, business, entertainment, and commercial center of the state. It is one of the largest cities in the Great Plains region of the United States, and it is the largest city in population of the 5 "plains states" (Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) in addition to four of its neighbouring states (Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and New Mexico). It is also a major crossroads, with Interstate 35, Interstate 40 and Interstate 44 crossing each other in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City is the 29th largest city in the nation, according to a 2004 report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The city's population on July 1, 2004 totaled 528,042, with 1.3 million residents in the metropolitan area.
Oklahoma City was the site of a bombing on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995, the largest act of terrorism on American soil prior to the September 11th attacks and the most destructive act of domestic terrorism in American history.
History
Main article: History of Oklahoma City
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,608.8 km² (621.2 mi²). 1,572.1 km² (607.0 mi²) of it is land and 36.7 km² (14.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.28% water.
Oklahoma City is the third largest city in the country in terms of geographic area, although its urbanized zone is 244 mi² - resulting in an urban population density more comparable to that found in other major cities, 2,515/mi² in 2004.
Oklahoma City is the second largest city in the nation still in compliance with the Clean Air Act (after Jacksonville, Florida).
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Oklahoma City is the principal city of the eight-county Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area and is the state's largest urbanized area. The Oklahoma City MSA was the 46th largest in the nation as of the year 2000.
| North: Guthrie Edmond |
||
| West: Bethany Yukon Mustang El Reno |
Oklahoma City | East: Del City Midwest City Choctaw Shawnee |
| South: Moore Norman |
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 506,132 people, 204,434 households, and 129,406 families residing in the city. The population density was 321.9/km² (833.8/mi²) for the entire city but was more than 2600/mi² in the urbanized areas. There were 228,149 housing units at an average density of 145.1/km² (375.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.41% White, 18.37% Black or African American, 3.51% Native American, 3.48% Asian American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 5.28% from other races, and 3.89% from two or more races. 16.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 204,434 households, 30.8% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,947, and the median income for a family was $42,689. These figures are among the lowest in the nation for a city of this size, but the cost of living is considerably below the national average. Males had a median income of $31,589 versus $24,420 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,098. 16.0% of the population and 12.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.0% of those under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Oklahoma City has the nation's second lowest cost of living among major U.S. cities, about 25 percent below the national average. Unrestrained by natural boundaries such as mountains or oceans, Oklahoma City annexed huge swaths of land in the 1960s, leading to an abundance of housing and cheap land. While sprawl has stretched the infrastructure of the city government and, some have complained, diluted the character of the city, the average commute from the far flung outskirts of the city is quick and mostly gridlock-free because of the city's interstate system (Mayor Mick Cornett remarked in 2005's "State of the City" address that Oklahoma City was one of the few major cities in the nation where "police look for speeders at rush hour"). One exception being the "I-40 Crosstown Expressway", an elevated bridge which crosses the city just south of downtown heading east to west.
The Crosstown Expressway is slated to be relocated to the south of its present location in the near future. ODOT states that the project should be complete by 2006, but many dismiss this as unrealistic, as construction only began in late 2005.
Edmond, an affluent northern suburb, was rated as Relocate America's 3rd best city in America, and is "the best small town in America" according to Universal Publications of New York. It must be noted, however, that the city of 70,000+ residents is by no means a 'small town'.
Cities and Towns making up the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area
In 2005, Hall Park was annexed by Norman, Oklahoma and ceased to be a town, becoming instead a group of housing subdivisions.
Neighborhoods
Downtown
The Metro Conncourse, named after its founder, Jack Conn, is an underground tunnel system connecting nearly all the downtown buildings in a 20-square-block area. The Conncourse is one of the most extensive all-enclosed pedestrian systems in the country, extending three-quarters of a mile and connecting over 30 downtown buildings by tunnel or skyway. The original tunnel link was built in 1931 and the system was extended in the 1970s. Offices, shops, and restaurants line the Conncourse system, but it has fallen into disrepair and neglect over the past decade. It is scheduled to undergo a $2 million renovation in 2006. Upon completion of the renovation, the plan calls for the Conncourse to be renamed the Underground.
Bricktown
The Bricktown Entertainment District in downtown Oklahoma City is the fastest growing entertainment district in the region, and is one of the city's most popular destinations. The former warehouse district on the southeast side of downtown has seen a major renaissance over the last 10 years thanks to MAPS (a citizen passed 1-cent sales tax increase under Mayor Ron Norrick), and is now bustling with restaurants, dance clubs, live music venues, classy retail shops, and offices. It is also home to the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark (aka, the Brick) and the navigable Bricktown Canal.
The Bricktown Canal stretches one mile through the district and runs to a park past the Oklahoma Land Run Monument. When completed, the Land Run Monument will be a series of 36 giant statues stretching over two football fields on the south canal, and will be one of the largest sculptural monuments in the world.
Lower Bricktown boasts a brand new movie complex run by Harkins Theaters, Bass Pro Outdoor World, the new Toby Keith I Love This Bar and Grill restaurant and upscale retail. Several hotels are planned as are additional retail venues and residential housing.
Automobile Alley
This neighborhood along Broadway Avenue in Northeast Downtown was a popular retail district in the 1920s and was home to most of Oklahoma City's car dealerships. The area declined with the rest of Downtown in the 1970s and 1980s. Recently an effort to redevelop the area has transformed the showrooms and storefronts of AAlley into upscale lofts, galleries, and offices. Also in the area are many of downtown's earliest churches along Robinson Ave. (known as "Church Row") in Midtown and the city's first high school, now the headquarters of Oklahoma Farmers Union Insurance.
Today there is a considerable effort to turn AAlley into Oklahoma City's newest upscale urban neighborhood. A new restaurant is being developed and is leading the charge of additional upscale retail and housing announcements.
Deep Deuce
Deep Deuce, a few blocks north of Bricktown, ignited the downtown Oklahoma City urban housing boom in the late 1990's. The area consists mostly of low rise apartment buildings and various formerly vacant mixed use buildings. Deep Deuce was the largest African American neighborhood downtown in the 1940s and 1950s, and was a regional center of jazz music and African American culture. Bands such as the Count Basie Orchestra, the Blue Devils, the Charlie Christian Band, and others resided in this OKC neighborhood. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was once rejected for a position at the Calvary Baptist Church in Deep Deuce for being "too young".
Much of the neighborhood was bulldozed to make way for I-235 in the 1980s, but the Bricktown boom has made the area (with its prime location between Bricktown and the growing biotech center east of I-235) attractive to developers despite how little of the neighborhood's earlier character still exists.
The Arts District
The area now known as the arts district covers part of western downtown that includes the Civic Center Music Hall, the new Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the Myriad Gardens, Stage Center for the Performing Arts, the new central library, several local theaters, and at its northern edge, the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
Due to its close proximity to the principal cultural attractions in downtown the Arts District is also the location of many very upscale condos and apartments, with more planned in the near future.
InnerCity Northside
Asian District
Oklahoma City has the largest Asian population in the state and is home to a rapidly growing cultural district officially deemed the Asia District. Many cultures from all over Asia are represented in the shops and restaurants as well as the neighboring residential and commercial area. The district is often referred to as 'Little Saigon' by local residents, as it was and still is popularly known despite the official renaming as the 'Asia District'.
Centered primarily along Classen Boulevard from 22nd Street to NW 30th, the region is a culturally diverse Chinatown community, with the strongest visually identifiable cultural influence being Vietnamese (thus the slang term 'Little Saigon'). Tens of thousands of Vietnamese refugees settled in the city during the 1970s after the fall of Saigon, leading the revival of what had previously been a declining neighborhood following a suburban exodus of middle class residents. As the new Asian residents rebuilt the community, more immigrants moved into the area from areas beyond just Vietnam and Southeast Asia. It is now home to residents from all around the world.
The Asia District [1] currently has a bustling cosmopolitan scene full of Pho noodle cafés, art galleries, quaint apartments, retail shops, highrise condos, and bars and restaurants of every stripe (literally - in the span of a single block can be found a pizzeria, a diner, an Arby's, an Asian video arcade, a Chinese and two pho restaurants). One can often observe students from nearby Oklahoma City University and Classen School of Advanced Studies frequenting the neighborhood.
Eastside and Adventure District
The Eastside district in the near North East quadrant of Oklahoma City is home to the state's largest African American community and is experiencing a renaissance of its own. Once a perfect example of urban blight and neglect, the Eastside has seen some significant development recently. An African American Heritage Museum is currently in the works along with efforts to revive the long neglected NE 23rd Capitol Business District.
One important neighbourhood of Northeast Oklahoma City is known as the Adventure District, home to many of the city's great museums and major attractions. The Adventure District includes the Omniplex Science Museum, the Oklahoma City Zoological Park, Remington Park Parimutual Racetrack and Racino, the National Softball Hall of Fame and Stadium, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Six Flags Frontier City, the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum, and Cinemark Tinseltown USA among many other attractions.
Other Eastside attractions include the beautiful and newly domed State Capitol of Oklahoma, the 45th Infantry Museum, the Oklahoma Historical Society Museum, the University of Oklahoma Medical Center and the burgeoning Oklahoma Research Center. The area has numerous tree-lined boulevards and is home to many upscale neighbourhoods.
The Eastside is considered by many to be the most economically diverse neighborhood in Oklahoma City, with land values ranging from high in parts of the Lincoln Terrace neighborhood to low land values within public housing districts like Prince Hall Village on Kelly Avenue. This two distinctive economic districts lie within a one mile radius.
NW 39th Street Enclave
Oklahoma City has the state's largest gay/lesbian/bi/trans population and gay village, known as the NW 39th Street Enclave. As with many of OKC's neighborhoods, the lack of established boundaries makes it hard to give an exact location, but generally speaking, this community is principally located along NW 39th Street between Pennsylvania and May Avenues, and there are many "alternative" lifestyle-friendly businesses, organizations and neighborhoods diffused throughout the surrounding area.
The NW 39th Street Enclave rivals Bricktown in terms of sheer volume of clubs, bars, and nightlife including The Habana Inn, billed as The Largest Gay Resort in the Southwest. 39th Street is also home to the local annual PRIDE celebration.
The Paseo, Midtown and Uptown
The Paseo Arts District was built in 1929 as the first commercial shopping district North of downtown Oklahoma City. The Spanish village with its stucco buildings and clay tile roofs is the home of Oklahoma City's Artists' community, the only such district in the state. Located along Paseo Drive at roughly N. Walker Ave and NW 28th Street, the district is home to a number of bars and restaurants and hosts an annual arts festival in the spring.
Although the Paseo Arts District is in the near north quadrant of the city, it is quite central to Oklahoma City's most diverse and cultural neighborhoods. In the immediate area are several historic neighborhoods including Mesta Park, Edgemere, Jefferson Park, and Heritage Hills. To the west of the Paseo is the NW Business District and the NW 39th Enclave and the Eastside is due east. Immediately South West of the Paseo is the city's Chinatown/Little Saigon neighbourhood known as Asia District as well as Oklahoma City University.
Further south are Uptown, Automobile Alley and Midtown as well as St. Anthony's Hospital (the state's oldest and largest hospital) at the northern edge of Downtown. Midtown, like much of the inner city, is experiencing a renaissance as the city cleans out the blight and decay and replaces it with upscale urban amenities like the 10th Street Main Street program and the Plaza District streetscape.
InnerCity Southside
Stockyards City
Located at the Agnew Exit South of I-40 to Exchange Ave, Stockyards City is home to the largest stocker/feeder cattle market in the world. Stockyards City recaptures the architectural flavor of the early Twentieth Century with gaslights and wooden storefronts. Many businesses in Stockyards City date back to the early 1900s when the area was home to several major meat packing companies. The district still has weekly cattle auctions and is home to a local legend, the venerable Cattlemen's Steakhouse.
A number of special events occur in the district, including a Longhorn Cattle Drive each December, sidewalk sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas and the Annual Stockyards Stampede the first weekend in June.
Capitol Hill and Riverside
Oklahoma City has the largest Hispanic population in the State with the majority residing in the South and NW quadrants of the city. The Capitol Hill and Riverside districts, due south of downtown, are the center of Hispanic oriented commerce, culture, and nightlife.
Capitol Hill (located deceptively far from the actual State Capitol) was founded as a separate city during the land run and was later annexed into Oklahoma City. Hence, it has its own impressively well preserved main street business district along SE 25th Street, which has seen a revival in recent years. Capitol Hill was a popular middle class suburb early in the century, but as the population moved into the outer suburbs and the trolley lines that had connected it to downtown stopped running, the neighborhood went into decline.
While Capitol Hill still has problems with crime and gang activity, it is one of OKC's liveliest neighborhoods. One can find almost anything in Capitol Hill, from recording studios to the oddly placed Oklahoma Opry to soccer supply shops and street-side taquerias.
Also due south of downtown, Riverside promises to be yet another major urban district for Oklahoma City. The master plan shows public park and recreation space, residential neighborhoods, office parks, several "urban waterfronts" and river taxi docks along the waterfront. The recently completed Chesapeake Boathouse is a new Oklahoma City landmark on the Oklahoma River and a promising symbol for the Riverside District. Riverside is expected to be one of the best areas for development in Oklahoma City in the coming years. This area of Oklahoma City is also home to the Riverside Skate Park, located at 1700 S. Robinson. Riverside Skate Park is a 26,000 square foot mecca for skateboarders and other extreme sports enthusiasts. The park was designed by local extreme biking guru and national icon Mat Hoffman.
Suburban Northside
Mayfair and Belle Isle
Mayfair and Belle Isle are a pair of middle class, mid century neighborhoods surrounding Penn Square Mall and Baptist Hospital. Also nearby is Lake Hefner, a favorite spot for bikers and joggers, with a trail system around the entire municipal reservoir.
Northwest Expressway, the city's main artery to the northwestern suburbs, is a strip mall filled, restaurant bearing, continuously congested 6-lane boulevard with highway intersections, hotels, and office towers scattered along at various intervals. The Northwest Business District includes most of the large scale highrises office towers and hotels outside of downtown, (including the architecturally interesting United Founders Tower).
Nichols Hills and The Village
Nichols Hills, just north of Belle Isle, is an enclave of the wealthy. The streets are lined with nice houses, the commerce is upscale, the restaurants are gourmet, and the country club is exclusive. There are other such enclaves throughout the city, but Nichols Hills is notable even among them for sheer extravagance. The Village, immediately north, is a middle class post-World War II neighborhood which looks somewhat out of place next to its neighbor to the south, although property values have increased in recent years due to its proximity to Lake Hefner.
Bethany and Warr Acres
Bethany and Warr Acres are located in the suburban inner western part of the city. These suburbs, which until recently were in decline, are home to the metro's most competitive tax rates, and have attracted numerous big box retailers. There are a large number of historic motels, restaurants, and bars along old Route 66 (now NW 39th St), Lake Overholser and growing Korean, East Indian, and Pakistani communities.
Bethany is home to Southern Nazarene University and has a well preserved main street area along 39th Street. Lake Overholser, the city's oldest lake and originally its primary reservoir, has seen proposals for resort development.
Quail Springs/Memorial Corridor
At the far northern edge of the city along Memorial Road and the John Kirkpatrick Outer Loop Turnpike is a huge swath of suburban development rapidly creeping toward Edmond, the city's northern suburb.
Over the past 20 years this area has been transformed from grazing land and farm prairie into a broad ribbon of office parks, housing tracts, chain restaurants, a regional supermall - Quail Springs Mall, Mercy Health Center, and a great number of strip malls and box stores. The area is also infamous for one of the most congested and difficult intersections in the city, Memorial Road and N. Pennsylvania Avenue, a natural consequence of the city's sprawl and developer-controlled planning.
The Memorial Corridor may not make it into tourist brochures any time soon, but the area is popular to locals nonetheless. In addition to the suburban sprawl, this area is also home to Martin Park Nature Center, a fairly large nature preserve with several hiking trails and lots of natural wildlife.
Edmond
Edmond is a suburb directly to the north of Oklahoma City. Edmond's southern city limits begin where Oklahoma City's northern city limts end. Edmond is well known as the site of a devastating post office massacre in the late 80's as well as being the home of Olympic gymnist and 5-time gold medalist Shannon Miller. It is home of the University of Central Oklahoma and the UCO Jazz Lab, a hotspot with locals, suburbanites and students alike. Two major highways intersect Edmond: The Broadway Extension (US-77) runs though the center of the city and I-35 runs along the eastern side.
Over 100,000 residents live in Edmond and it is one of Oklahoma's fastest-growing cities. "Relocate America" recently named it America's 3rd best city to live in, and "Universal Publications of New York" recently named it "America's best small town". The city is known for taking great pride in its "Edmond, America" image.
Suburban Southside
Meridian Avenue/"West End"
The Meridian Avenue "Hospitality" Corridor is along one of the city's busiest arteries, S. Meridian Avenue, and extends from mid-tier West Oklahoma City to suburban SW Oklahoma City.
The busiest section of the corridor is just north of Will Rogers World Airport and survives primarily on traffic generated by it. There are numerous hotels, restaurants, and night clubs located in the district. In addition there are several corporations, including Hobby Lobby, headquartered within a mile of the corridor. Recently the city landed a major Dell Americas Service Center, with an original projection of 500 jobs, like their model for every other Dell campus. It is now the highest performing service center that Dell operates and the current job projection is around 4,500.
The Oklahoma River is also located in close proximity to the Meridian Avenue corridor, causing city leaders to envision regular water taxi service from a stop there to Downtown via the newly navigable waterway.
Moore, Norman & South OKC/"Westmoore"
Along the I-35 South freeway is Moore, the city's alleged "blue-collar" suburb, drawing people from Tinker AFB, York, and the recently-closed GM Automotive Plant. Moore is the metro's fastest growing suburb with around 50,000 people, and there is massive commercial development under construction along the freeway and residential additions are planned.
West of Moore is an area of OKC known as Westmoore, anchored by the Westmoore High School, one of the state's largest and nicest. The area, with about 40,000 people is one of the metro's highest in per capita income and often make the "OKC's best" residential lists.
Norman, Oklahoma is the anchor suburb of the south Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area and boasts a full-time population of over 110,000 residents. It is the state's third largest city and is home to the University of Oklahoma and the world renowned Sooner Football team. Norman is a bustling cosmopolitan city with great urban districts and residential neighborhoods. Boomer Sooner!
Education
Higher education
Oklahoma City is home to many colleges and universities, including Oklahoma City University in midtown and Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City in the Northwest quadrant of the city. The University of Oklahoma is well represented in the city and metropolitan area, with the OU Medical Center due east of downtown and the main OU (Sooners) campus is located in the southern suburb of Norman. The third-largest university in Oklahoma, the University of Central Oklahoma is located just north of the city in the suburb of Edmond. Oklahoma City Community College in south OKC is the largest community college in the state. Just east of Oklahoma City is Rose State College [2] located in suburb of Midwest City.
Oklahoma City also has several public vo-tech schools, the largest of which are Metro Technology Centers [3] and Francis Tuttle.
There are also a number of private colleges and universities throughout the city, including Oklahoma Christian University, Southern Nazarene University [4], University of Phoenix - Oklahoma City Campuses[5], Mid-America Christian University, American Christian College and Seminary, Oklahoma Baptist College, Metropolitan College, Devry University - Oklahoma City Campus [6], and the Downtown College Consortium.
Primary and secondary
The Oklahoma City Public School district is the state's largest and one of the few urban districts in the nation with a growing enrollment, due largely to the so-called MAPS for KIDs city-wide improvement plan. The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics is also in Oklahoma city and is home to the most gifted of the state's math and science pupils.The Oklahoma City Public School District also includes Classen School of Advanced Studies, a national Blue Ribbon School
Numerous other suburban districts circle the urban OCPS district, such as Putnam City Public Schools in suburban northwest Oklahoma City, the largest suburban school district in the state. Also, the city has very well developed private and parochial schools, including Casady School, Heritage Hall, and the schools of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Culture
Major attractions
Besides the skyscrapers that cluster in the city's central business district, one of the more prominent landmarks downtown is the Crystal Bridge at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, a large downtown urban park. Designed by I. M. Pei, the Crystal Bridge is a tropical conservatory that contains foliage more akin to the Amazon River basin than the Great Plains of North America. The park has several amphitheaters where live theater and concerts can be seen and heard in the summer. There is also a lake in the middle of the park inhabited by large goldfish. Waterfalls and fountains add life-giving oxygen to the lake as well as an added attraction for visitors.
The park is also home to the free Twilight Concert Series (summer) and the city's top festivals, including the annual Festival of the Arts, ranked the second best arts festival in the nation, (April), the annual Downtown Salute (a month-long festival in July complete with parades, free concert acts, and the three-day long Bricktown 4th of July Celebration and Fireworks), and Opening Night (December 31/January 1).
The Oklahoma City Zoological Park is highly ranked nationally and is the oldest zoo in the Southwest US. It is home to numerous natural habitats, WPA era architecture and landscaping, and hosts major touring concerts during the summer at its amphitheater.
The Omniplex Museum in the Kirkpatrick Center is one of the largest Science Centers and General Interest Museums in the country. The Kirkpatrick Center houses many informative exhibits on science, photography, aviation, etc, as well as the Omnidome OMNIMAX theater. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum has galleries full of priceless western art and treasures and is home to the Hall of Great Western Performers.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial in the northern part of Oklahoma City's downtown was created, as the inscription on its eastern gate says, "to honor the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995". The outdoor Symbolic Memorial can be visited 24 hours a day for free, and the adjacent Memorial Museum, located in the former Journal Record building damaged by the bombing, can be entered for a small fee. The site is also home to the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, a non partisan, non profit thinktank devoted to the prevention of terrorism.
The Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center is the new downtown home for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The museum features visiting exhibits, original selections from its own collection, a theater showing a wide variety of foreign, independent, and classic films each week, and a fine dining restaurant. OKCMOA is also home to the largest and most comprehensive collection of Chihuly glass in the world including the three-story Chihuly tower in the Museum's atrium.
The capitol building's dome was recently finished as it was one of the few state capitol buildings that did not have a dome atop the structure. Solomon Andrew Layton's original design for the capitol included a dome, but steel rationing during World War I prevented its completion. The effort to build a dome for the capitol was promoted by city and state leaders in the late nineties, and was completed in 2001.
Also in downtown Oklahoma City, Ford Center was ranked by concert industry group Pollstar as one of the top ten live music venues in the world in ticket sales, and along with AT&T Bricktown Ballpark is home to the city's professional sports teams. The Cox Business Services Convention Center, formerly known as the Myriad, is across the street to Ford Center.
The newly renovated art deco Civic Center Music Hall showcases performances from ballet and opera to traveling Broadway shows and concerts. Stage Center for the Performing Arts is home to many of the city's top theater companies. The building that houses Stage Center, designed by John Johansen is a modernist architectural landmark, with the original model displayed in MOMA in New York City.
Other theaters include the Lyric Theatre and the Jewel Box Theatre, both in Midtown and the new 1,200 seat Kirkpatrick Auditorium and 488-seat Petree Recital Hall, both at the Oklahoma City University campus. The university also opened the Wanda L Bass School of Music and auditorium recently, showcasing world class amenities and high-tech attractions. It should be a great addition to Oklahoma City's growing Performing Arts activities.
Six Flags Frontier City is a western themed amusement park with numerous coasters, rides, and games for all ages. The park also hosts a national concert circuit at its amphitheater during the summer. White Water Bay is a Six Flags Water Park located north of Will Rogers World Airport. Six Flags recently announced plans to move its corporate offices out of Oklahoma City and sell the two parks after the 2006 season.
Walking trails line Lake Hefner and Lake Overholser in the northwest part of the city and downtown at the canal and the Oklahoma River. Part of the east shore of Lake Hefner has been developed into upscale offices and restaurants, but the majority of the area around the lake is taken up by parks and trails, including a new leashless dog park and the popular postwar era Stars and Stripes Park. Lake Stanley Draper, the city's largest and most remote, offers more of an escape from the big city and has a more natural feel. The city is implementing a new trail system that will be akin to a bicycle freeway system, allowing residents to access all of the natural beauty of the region and still be within stomping distance to city attractions.
Media
See also: Broadcast Media in Oklahoma City
The Oklahoman is Oklahoma City's major metro newspaper, and is the most widely circulated newspaper in the state. The Oklahoman's internet edition is a collaboration with local CBS affiliate KWTV. The Oklahoma Gazette is Oklahoma City's free independent newsweekly, featuring such staples as local commentary, feature stories, classifieds, restaurant reviews and movie listings. The Journal Record is Oklahoma City's daily business newspaper; OKC Business is a bi-monthly business publication. The MidCity Advocate is Oklahoma City's newest weekly broadsheet. Covering the area from the Oklahoma River north to 63rd Street, from Kelly Avenue west to Portland, the paper covers the heart of downtown, the state Capitol district, and the neighborhoods in Oklahoma City's historic core.
In addition, there are various community and international papers in the city such as The Black Chronicle, headquartered in the Eastside catering to the city's African American community and the OK VIETIMES among many others. Gay publications include Hard News Online and Gayly Oklahoman. There are also five, glossy metro lifestyle magazines produced by locally owned Southwestern Publishing: Nichols Hills News, Edmond Monthly, Norman Living, NW Style and Downtown Monthly.
Oklahoma City was home to several pioneers in radio and television broadcasting. Oklahoma City's WKY Radio was the first radio station transmitting west of the Mississippi River and the third radio station in the United States. WKY received its federal license in 1921 and has continually broadcast under the same call letters since 1922. In 1928 WKY was purchased by E.K. Gaylord's Oklahoma Publishing Company and affiliated with NBC [7]; in 1949, WKY-TV went on the air and became the first independently-owned television station in the U.S. to broadcast in color.
Sports
Oklahoma City is home to several minor league sports teams including the Oklahoma RedHawks, a AAA farm team for the Texas Rangers, the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, the Oklahoma City Lightning, the Oklahoma Storm, and the Oklahoma City Blazers.
In what may prove to be a turning point for professional sports in the city, on September 21, 2005, Mayor Mick Cornett announced an agreement with owner George Shinn of the New Orleans Hornets to adopt the city as its temporary home following the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina to New Orleans and the New Orleans Arena. This will mark the second major league franchise ever to locate in the city. The team will be known as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and will play 35 home games for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons at Ford Center with the balance being played in Louisiana. The Hornets and NBA have publicly stated that they will return to New Orleans during the 2007-2008 season (however, if it turns out that New Orleans can no longer support the NBA, the Hornets may remain in Oklahoma City.)
The University of Oklahoma draws thousands of fans annually to Norman for Sooner home matchups, including football games at Owen Field and men's and women's basketball games at the Lloyd Noble Center. In addition, the OCU Stars play at the new Abe Lemons Arena at Oklahoma City University; OCU also has a top-rated rowing program.
The downtown Ford Center also hosts many events each year including touring concerts, NHL exhibition games, some college basketball games for the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, and other spectator events and conventions. Ford Center held the 2005 NCAA Men's Basketball First & Second Round and will host the Men's and Women's Big 12 Conference Basketball Tournaments in 2007. Nearby SBC Bricktown Ballpark hosted the Big 12 Baseball Tournament in 2005 and will be the site again in 2006 and 2007.
Other notable sporting events in the city include the World Cup of Softball and the annual NCAA Women's College World Series played at the Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium as well as horse races at Remington Park and the many horse shows and equine events that take place at the state fairgrounds each year.
Additionally, Oklahoma City is home to several now defunct sports teams:
- Oklahoma Wranglers : Arena Football League
- Oklahoma City Cavalry : Continental Basketball Association
- Oklahoma City 89ers : American Association (20th century) minor league baseball - now Oklahoma RedHawks
- Oklahoma City Stars : CHL Hockey Team
- Oklahoma City Coyotes : RHI Roller Hockey Team
- Oklahoma City Dolls : All-woman American Football League franchise
Transportation
See also: Transportation in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is an integral point on the U.S. Interstate Network. Most highways throughout the city are 6-8 lanes and have a level of congestion lower than most comparably sized cities. Interstate 35, Interstate 40, and Interstate 44 bisect the city, Interstate 240 connects I-40 to I-44 in South OKC, the Lake Hefner Parkway (OK-74) runs through Northwest Oklahoma City, Kilpatrick Turnpike makes a loop around North and West Oklahoma City, Airport Rd. (actually a freeway section of S.W. 44th Street) runs through Southwest Oklahoma City and leads to Will Rogers World Airport, Broadway Extension/U.S. 77 connects Central Oklahoma City to Edmond, and Interstate 235 spurs from I-44 in North Central OKC into downtown Oklahoma City. The section of I-40 known as the "Crosstown" because of its intersecting path right by downtown, will soon be experiencing renovation. The I-40 Crosstown Construction Project will slightly relocate the stretch of highway using state-of-the-art construction. It is expected to be completed in 2008. Oklahoma City was a major stop on Route 66 and was prominently mentioned in Bobby Troup's 1946 jazz classic, "(Get Your Kicks) on Route 66," later made famous by Nat King Cole.
Oklahoma City is served by two primary airports, Will Rogers World Airport and the much smaller Wiley Post Airport (incidentally, the two honorees died in the same plane crash in Alaska). Will Rogers World Airport is currently undergoing a major reconstruction period. Tinker Air Force Base, in East OKC, is the largerst military air depot in the nation, a major maintenance and deployment facility for the Navy and Air Force, and the second largest military institution in the state (after Ft. Sill in Lawton).
Amtrak has an Art Deco train station downtown, with daily service to Fort Worth and the nation's rail network via the Heartland Flyer. There is also a heritage rail line under re-construction that will connect Bricktown and the Adventure District in NE Oklahoma City.
Greyhound and several other intercity bus companies serve Oklahoma City at Union Bus Station, Downtown. METRO Transit is the public transit company. Their bus terminal and headquarters is located downtown at NW 5th Street and Hudson Avenue.
There were plans in the early 1990s to build a light rail system for the city as part of the MAPS urban redevelopment program, but the project stalled repeatedly on issues of funding. (Ernest Istook, the city's congressman and chairman of the congressional transportation committee, played a major role in killing federal funding for the project).
New Development: The a downtown trolley system could be implemented under a future new MAPS III initiative, circumventing the (thus far) deragatory "role" of the state's congressional leadership in the city's infrastructure. METRO Transit released a new Mass Transit plan in January 2006 that detailed its vision of rapid transit in the coming years. The study results showed light-rail trolley circular in downtown OKC, commuter rail from downtown to the suburbs of Edmond and Norman, and a comprehensive, specialized metropolian bus network.
Economy
Major Companies based out of Oklahoma City
- Sonic - Fortune 1000
- OGE Energy - Fortune 500
- Hobby Lobby
- Kerr McGee - Fortune 500
- Tronox
- AT&T - Fortune 500 (Regional Headquarters}
- DEVON - Fortune 500 (largest public company in Oklahoma)
- Dobson Communications
- Chesapeake Energy - Fortune 500
- Express Personnel Services
- COX - Fortune 500 (Regional Headquarters}
- Express Sports
- Oklahoma Publishing Company - Fortune 1000
- Gaylord Entertainment
- Globe Life and Accident Insurance
- BancFirst
Smaller Companies based out of Oklahoma City
- Braum's
- Carlisle (maker of dishes and utensils found in most restaurants worldwide)
- Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
- Lopez Foods (the largest Latin owned business in the nation and a major supplier to McDonalds)
- York North America
- AAR corporation (unit of Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul business)[8]
- Feed the Children
- WW Steel
- Dolese
- Benham Group
- Kansas City Blues BBQ
Other significant presence:
- Hertz
- The Hartford
- Dell
- General Motors (Assembly plant is closed in February 2006)
- Cox Communications
- Farmers Insurance
- Cingular Wireless
- AOL
- UPS
- Farmers Insurance
- The Boeing Company
- U.S. Cellular
- Southwest Airlines
- Northrop Grumman
- General Electric
- State Farm
- Dayton Tire
- International Environmental
- Seagate Technology
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber
- Assurant Solutions
- Bar-S Foods
- Pratt N Whitney
- Univeristy Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
- Tinker Air Force Base
Additional information
Famous persons
Famous inventions
- Shopping cart - Sylvan N. Goldman, of Oklahoma City, invented the shopping cart in 1937 for use in his Standard Food Markets and Humpty Dumpty Supermarkets (the Omniplex Science Museum even features a statue of its creator, depicted pushing a shopping cart).
- Parking meter - Carl C. Magee, of Oklahoma City, patented the parking meter (filed May 13, 1935, patent no. 2,118,318 issued May 24, 1938 and the first meter was installed in Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935).
Famous songs
- Oklahoma - From the play, Oklahoma
- (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 - Bobby Troup
- Heart of Rock 'N Roll - Huey Lewis and the News
- A Little Too Loose - Mr. Big
- Christmas at the Zoo - the Flaming Lips
- Oklahoma Borderline - Vince Gill
- This Land is Your Land - Woody Guthrie
- I've Never Been to Spain - Hoyt Axton, performed by Three Dog Night
- Oklahoma City Times - Hamilton Camp, WB Records, 1969
- You're The Reason God Made Oklahoma - David Frizzell
- Oklahoma U.S.A. - The Kinks
Top Tourist Attractions
- Bricktown Canal
- Oklahoma City National Memorial
- Myriad Botanical Gardens
- Oklahoma City Museum of Art
- Ford Center
- Omniplex Science Museum
- International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
- Oklahoma City Zoological Park
- Remington Park
- National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
- National Softball Hall of Fame
- Oklahoma State Fair
- University of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City University
- Will Rogers Horticultural Gardens
External links
Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from Commons
News from Wikinews
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Resources from Wikiversity
- Official City Website
- Visitors' Center
- Chamber of Commerce
- Urban OK Forums -- OKC Civic & Development Discussion
- About Oklahoma City
- Frontier Country
- Arts Council of Oklahoma City
- Oklahoma City Bars & Night Clubs
