Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
"OKC" redirects here. For }, see }.Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city of the
U.S. state of
Oklahoma. It is also the
county seat of . Oklahoma City was founded during the
Land Run of 1889, first of five
land runs in Oklahoma.
The city is known throughout the state as "the city" and throughout the nation as "OKC" after its
airport's
IATA code. Local socialites have affectionately named the city "Action City" and it is also known more recently as the 'Renaissance City' due to its downtown renaissance. The media has recently bestowed the label 'Loud City' to Oklahoma City for its enthusiastic support of the
NBA's
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
Oklahoma City is a large, diverse, and growing metropolitan area; it is the civic, business, entertainment, and commercial center of the state. It is the largest city 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, being one of the very few cities in the country where three interstates "cross":
Interstate 35,
Interstate 40 and
Interstate 44.
Oklahoma City is the 29th largest city in the nation, according to a
2005 report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The city's population on July 1, 2005 totaled 532,517[
1], with 1.3 million residents in its
metropolitan area.
Oklahoma City was the site of the
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.
|
The State Capitol of Oklahoma, From The South |
Oklahoma City was first settled on April 22, 1889, when the area known as the "unassigned lands" was opened for settlement in an event known as "The Oklahoma Land Run". Some 10,000 homesteaders settled the area now known as downtown Oklahoma City, and within 10 years the population had doubled. By the time Oklahoma was admitted to the Union in 1907, Oklahoma City had already supplanted
Guthrie, the territorial capital, as the population center and commercial hub of the new state.
For more complete details about the history of the city, see
Main article: History of Oklahoma City
 |
Location of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
Oklahoma City is located at (35.482309|-97.534994).
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
see
Main article:Cities and Towns of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan 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.
| Northwest: Piedmont, Kingfisher, Okarche | North: Nichols Hills, The Village, Edmond, Guthrie | Northeast: Jones, Chandler
|
| West: Bethany, Warr Acres, Yukon, Mustang, El Reno, Union City, Minco | OKLAHOMA CITY | East: Del City, Midwest City, Choctaw, Harrah, Nicoma Park, Spencer, Meeker
|
| Southwest: Tuttle, Newcastle, Blanchard, Chickasha, Bridge Creek | South: Moore, Norman, Noble, Slaughterville, Lexington, Purcell
Valley Brook, Goldsby, Washington | Southeast: Shawnee, Tecumseh, Bethel Acres, McLoud, Pink
|
see
Main article: Neighborhoods of Oklahoma City
Higher Education
Oklahoma City is home to many colleges and universities, including
Oklahoma City University (formerly called Epworth University) in Midtown.
|
Evans Hall at the University of Oklahoma in Norman |
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 located in the southern suburb of Norman. OU is one of only 4 major universities in the nation to have all 6 medical schools, and the OUMC is the nation's largest independent medical center, and employs over 12,000 people.
The third-largest university in the state, the
University of Central Oklahoma, is located just north of the city in the suburb of Edmond.
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City is located to the side of the Furniture District on the Westside.
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
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 and surrounding suburbs, including
Oklahoma Christian University, Southern Nazarene University [
4],Southwestern Christian University [
5], University of Phoenix - Oklahoma City Campuses[
6], Mid-America Christian University, American Christian College and Seminary, Oklahoma Baptist College, Metropolitan College, DeVry University - Oklahoma City Campus [
7],
Downtown College Consortium, and the
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
Primary and Secondary
Oklahoma City Public Schools is the state's largest district and is 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 in Oklahoma City is home to the state's most gifted math and science pupils.
Classen School of Advanced Studies is located in the Oklahoma City Public School District, a national
Blue Ribbon School. It was recently named the No. 17-school in the nation according to Newsweek [
8]. In addition, Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School in OKCPS was named the top middle school in the state according to the API- Academic Performance Index, and recently received the
Blue Ribbon School Award. The school's band and orchestra teacher was named State Teacher of the year.
There are numerous suburban districts circle the urban OKCPS district, such as
Putnam City Public Schools in suburban northwest Oklahoma City, the largest suburban school district in the state, and Mid-Del Schools [
9] serving the eastern and southeastern parts of the metro. The city also has very well developed private and parochial schools, including
Casady School,
Heritage Hall Schools, and the schools of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City including
Bishop McGuinness High School.
The public school system may be confusing to new residents not only because there are over 23 independent school districts in the OKC metropolitan area but also because they do not follow the incorporated limits of the city they are named for and almost all of the metro school districts lie in some section of Oklahoma City itself (map shown here)[
10].
The OKCPS has long had a stigma for being an undesirable school district. Wealthier families living in such areas like
Nichols Hills and Quail Creek often send their children to private schools or try to enroll them into the city's specialty schools. While the aforementioned areas have top-rate elementary schools in the OKC district, parents often transfer their children out of the district before middle or high school.
To counter this stigma, a civic initiative named "MAPS for Kids" is attempting to remedy the problems of the inner city district. It will provide new schools for the central city and improve their concatchment areas by moving certain schools closer to wealthier neighborhoods. A sort of "reverse white-flight" is the underlying concept of initiative with the old decrepit inner-city schools being renovated or rebuilt and new technology being made available. An example of this includes John Marshall High School in North Oklahoma City, once the worst public school in the state, is being rebuilt on land closer to Lake Hefner. It is hoped that the new school, complete with facilities and attractions familiar in many suburban districts, will attract the higher income families and thus improve the Oklahoma City district.
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 Japanese
Koi. Waterfalls and fountains add life-giving oxygen to the lake as well as an added attraction for visitors.
 |
The Crystal Bridge at the Myriad Gardens |
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 (late April) - ranked the second best arts festival in the nation, 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 Science 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 Oklahoma City Museum of Art |
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, the
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 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 in April of 2006, allowing it showcase world-class musical training facilities and talent. It should be a great addition to Oklahoma City's growing Performing Arts venues.
Oklahoma City has a couple of big name amusement parks, Six Flags Frontier City theme park and White Water Bay water park.
Six Flags Frontier City is a 'Old West' themed amusement park with numerous coasters, rides, and games for all ages. The park also features a recreation of a western gunfight at the 'OK Corral' (where-else??) and many shops that line the "Western" town's main street. Frontier City 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.
For the outdoor minded, Oklahoma City has a number of community attractions to keep you fit and healthy. 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 CityThe Oklahoman is Oklahoma City's major metro newspaper, the most widely circulated in the state. The Oklahoman's Internet edition is a collaboration with local
CBS affiliate
KWTV.
The Oklahoma Gazette is Oklahoma City's 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 and
OKC Business is a bi-monthly business publication.
The MidCity Advocate is Oklahoma City's newest weekly broadsheet, covering ("good news" only) 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 and the OK VIETIMES, located in
Asia District. Gay publications include
Hard News Online and
Standout Magazine. There are also five metro lifestyle magazines produced by local publisher Southwestern Publishing: Nichols Hills News, Edmond Monthly, Norman Living, Northwest 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 [
11]; 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 professional sports teams including the
Oklahoma RedHawks, a AAA affiliate of 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 only the second major league franchise ever to locate in the city (
Oklahoma Wranglers of
AFL being the first, although many locals argue that the
Oklahoma Outlaws of the old
USFL that was "shared" with
Tulsa might actually be the first major sports team).
In any event, the relocated team is now known as the
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and Oklahoma City hosted 35-home games for the 2005-06 NBA season at
Ford Center. The city will also host an additional 35-home games during the 2006-07 season with six being played in
New Orleans,
Louisiana.
The Hornets and NBA have publicly stated that they will return to New Orleans during the 2007-2008 season. The Hornets and NBA Commissioner
David Stern have publicly stated that they expect the team to return to New Orleans for the 2007-2008 season. Owner Shinn indicated his "desire" to return but also his "desire" to apply for permanent relocation and stay in profitable Oklahoma City. When and/or whether the Hornets remain in OKC or return to New Orleans remains to be seen, or as Shinn noted in the OKC press "I work regularly with the NBA. We're working close together to do what's best. But I'm at peace. I want you guys to know I'm at total peace with whatever happens." [
12]
The
University of Oklahoma draws thousands of fans annually for SOONERS-Football home matchups 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. Of special note, OCU has announced its desire to possibly enter the
NCAA during the 2007 athletic season, providing yet another marketing opportunity for Oklahoma City as city named jerseys will hit the NCAA sports circuits.
The
Ford Center also hosts many events each year including touring concerts,
NHL exhibition games, some college basketball games for the
University of Oklahoma,
Oklahoma City University, 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
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 largest military air depot in the nation, a major maintenance and deployment facility for the
Navy and the
Air Force, and the second largest military institution in the state (after
Fort 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, 5th District Congressman and chairman of the congressional
transportation committee, played a major role in killing federal funding for the project).
New Development: A downtown trolley system could be implemented under a future new MAPS III initiative. METRO Transit released a new Mass Transit
plan in January 2006 that details its vision of rapid transit in the coming years. The study results showed light-rail trolley in downtown OKC, commuter rail from downtown to the suburbs of
Edmond and
Norman, and a comprehensive, specialized metropolian bus network that has been long overdue.
Major Companies based out of Oklahoma City
*
Sonic - Fortune 1000
*
OGE Energy - Fortune 500
*
Kerr McGee - Fortune 500
*
Hobby Lobby*
Tronox*
AT&T - Fortune 500 (Regional Headquarters}
*
DEVON - Fortune 500
*
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
*American Fidelity
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)
*
Feed the Children*WW Steel
*Dolese
*Benham Group
*Weldon Parts, Inc.
Others with significant presence:
*
Hertz*
The Hartford*
Hitachi*
Office Max*
Dell*
Cox Communications*
Farmers Insurance*
Cingular Wireless*
AOL*
UPS*
Farmers Insurance*
The Boeing Company*
U.S. Cellular*
Southwest Airlines*
Northrop Grumman*
General Electric*
State Farm*Unit Parts
*Dayton Tire
*
International Environmental*
Seagate Technology*
Goodyear Tire & Rubber*Assurant Solutions
*Bar-S Foods
*
Pratt & WhitneyAs of the
census 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. Financial progress is actually higher than the national average, and on top of that, the metro is a pretty good bargain for the amenities available. 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.
Sister Cities
Oklahoma City has six
sister cities, as designated by
Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
*
Haikou,
China*
Puebla,
Mexico*
Tainan,
Taiwan*
Taipei,
Taiwan*
Yehud,
Israel*
Ulyanovsk,
RussiaFamous persons
*
List of people from OklahomaFamous 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*
Do You Realize?? -
The Flaming LipsTourist 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*
Oklahoma State CapitolBlogosphere
The Oklahoma City
blogosphere is active; many forums and blogs exist where residents and
ex-pats take the issues they care about. The blogs include
Windowphobe,
the Downtown Guy and others. Some forums for OKC are:
*
OKCtalk, a website dedicated to random chat about stuff going on in OKC, complete with lots of off-topic areas.
*
URBANOK, which is a forum that focuses on the stuff mentioned on this site, downtown renaissance, suburban growth, and Oklahoma City photography. Likewise for Tulsa and other urban areas of the state.
*
DemoOkie, a site dedicated to political debate, mostly home to Democrats from Oklahoma.
*
OK GOP Chat, a site dedicated to political debate, mostly home to Republicans from Oklahoma.
*
SkyScraper City Oklahoma City development*
SkyScraperPage Oklahoma City development*
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
