Oklahoma
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| Abbreviation | OK Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Oklahoma City |
| Population | 3,751,351 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Mary Fallin (Republican, to January 2015) |
| Entered the Union | November 16, 1907 as the 46th state |
| Motto | Labor omnia vincit (Labor conquers all things) |
| Nickname | The Sooner State |
| Flower | Oklahoma Rose is the state flower. Mistletoe was the original state flower, but it is now the state floral emblem. Indian Blanket is the state wild flower. Source: Oklahoma Historical Society: Oklahoma State Symbols |
| Bird | Scissor-tailed flycatcher |
| Song | Oklahoma |
| Professional Sports Teams (sports listing policy) | Oklahoma City Thunder (Men’s Basketball); Tulsa (Women’s Basketball) |
| Origin of Name | From two Choctaw Indian words meaning red people |
| Historical Sites | The Cherokee Cultural Center with a restored Cherokee village and the restored Fort Gibson Stockade near Muskogee |
| Points of Interest | The National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City and the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore |
| Bordering States | Oklahoma borders Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Oklahoma from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Your Oklahoma: the Official State Web Site
http://www.youroklahoma.com/
This is the official website for the State of Oklahoma. - Oklahoma Department of Libraries Online
http://www.odl.state.ok.us/
Here is the homepage for the Oklahoma State Library Agency. - Oklahoma Historical Society
http://www.ok-history.mus.ok.us/
Here is the homepage for the Oklahoma State Historical Society. - Oklahoma Museum of History
http://www.okhistorycenter.org/
Here is the homepage for the Oklahoma State Historical Society Museum. - Oklahoma State Archives and Record Management
http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/
Here is the homepage for the Oklahoma State Archives. - Oklahoma Parks, Resorts, & Golf
http://www.oklahomaparks.com/
Here is the homepage for Oklahoma State Parks. - TravelOK.com: Oklahoma
http://www.travelok.com/
Here is the official state tourism website for Oklahoma.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Oklahoma
http://www.50states.com/oklahoma.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Oklahoma. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Oklahoma
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/OK/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Oklahoma’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Oklahoma Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/ok.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Oklahoma. - Welcome to NewsOK.com
http://www.newsok.com/
This online news site is the result of a partnership between The Oklahoman and KWTV News 9. - Cherokee Heritage Center
http://www.cherokeeheritage.org/
This website of the Cherokee National Historical Society offers information about Cherokee genealogy, heritage pottery, heritage arts, the Cherokee Heritage Museum, featured artists and cultural events. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Oklahoma
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/40000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Oklahoma.
- Set aside as Indian Territory in 1834, the region was divided into Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory on May 2, 1890. The two were combined to make a new state, Oklahoma, on Nov. 16, 1907.
- On April 22, 1889, the first day homesteading was permitted, 50,000 people swarmed into the area. Those who tried to beat the noon starting gun were called Sooners. Hence the state’s nickname.
- U.S. Highway 69 follows Texas Road, one of the earliest routes through Indian territory to Texas. This is the same route that Southern (Butterfield) Overland Mail used from 1858 to the Civil War.
- There is an operating oil well on state capital grounds called capital Site No. 1.
- Found only in a streak of rock that runs north and south through the middle of OK, the Barite Rose Rock is a reddish-brown stone that resembles a rose in full bloom. An old Cherokee legend says the rocks represent the blood of the braves and the tears of the maidens who made the devastating “Trail of Tears” journey in the 1800s to OK.
- Zack Mulhall had a wild west show starring his daughter Lucille, the world’s first cowgirl, who became a favorite of President Theodore Roosevelt. The show toured from 1900-1915.
- OK has a state wildflower, the Indian Blanket, which is red with yellow tips. It symbolizes the state’s scenic beauty as well as the its Indian heritage. It blooms in June and July.
Some Famous People from this State
- Woody Guthrie (1912-1967), folk singer, guitarist, and composer. He published over 1,000 songs of social commentary.
- Alice Mary Robertson (1854-1931), educator and social worker. She was the first woman from Oklahoma to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (1921-1923).
- Mickey Mantle (1931- ), baseball player. He was the star player of the New York Yankees.
- Maria Tallchief (1925- ), ballerina. Classical dancer and prima ballerina for the New York City Ballet.