Outline of Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a major fuel and food producing state in the southwestern part of the United States. Thousands of oil and natural gas wells dot the Oklahoma landscape. Oil pumps operate even on the front lawn of the state Capitol. Millions of white-faced beef cattle graze on Oklahoma's flat plains and low hills. Fertile fields produce vast crops of wheat.
Service industries and manufacturing are also important in Oklahoma. The state's location midway between the East and West coasts makes it an important transportation, communication, and distribution center. Oklahoma's manufacturing plants turn out large amounts of aerospace equipment, automobiles, electronic products, machinery, and tires.
The development of Oklahoma's vast natural resources began with the Indians. In the 1800's, the United States government made most of the region a huge Indian reservation. The Indians established separate nations, with their own governments and their own schools.
During the early 1900's, the farms and ranches of Oklahoma were fertile and productive. In the 1930's, however, a long dry period and low farm prices brought disaster to the farmers. Large numbers of farmers and other workers left the state, and the population of Oklahoma dropped. The story of the state's farmers and cattlemen in territorial days is told in the musical play Oklahoma! The title song from the play became Oklahoma's state song. John Steinbeck's famous novel The Grapes of Wrath included a fictional, but widely accepted, description of the drought of the 1930's.
Today, farmers protect their land from drought with modern soil and water conservation methods. The state's oil and gas wells continue to yield their valuable products, and the state is working to attract new industries. Oklahoma City, the state capital and largest city in population, is one of the largest cities in area in the United States. It covers about 647 square miles (1,676 square kilometers).
Oklahoma has about 20 cities with populations of over 20,000 people. The majority of these cities are near Oklahoma City or Tulsa. Oklahoma City is a rapidly expanding center of industry and trade. Tulsa started as a Creek Indian village in the early 1800's. The city boomed after oil was discovered in nearby Red Fork in the early 1900's. Norman, the state's third-largest city, is the home of the University of Oklahoma. Lawton serves Fort Sill, a neighboring military center.
Will Rogers, the famous Oklahoma cowboy humorist, once said: ''There ought to be a law against anybody going to Europe until they have seen the things we have in this country.'' Rogers may have been thinking of some of the scenic spots in his home state. Oklahoma's attractions include beautiful natural settings, Indian villages, and striking modern buildings. Many Oklahoma towns and cities hold annual celebrations to honor Indian and pioneer days. One of the most popular annual events in Oklahoma is the ''Trail of Tears'' outdoor drama. This play takes place in an 1,800-seat amphitheater in Tahlequah. ''Trail of Tears'' is performed every night, except Sunday, from early June through Labor Day.
The name Oklahoma is a combination of two Choctaw Indian words-okla, meaning people, and homma, meaning red. The government first opened Oklahoma to white settlement during the late 1880's. Oklahoma became known as the Sooner State because some settlers were there ''sooner'' than the land was opened. It is also called the Boomer State, after the promoters who ''boomed'' white settlement. The land was settled rapidly, and whites soon far outnumbered the Indians.
