When you hear the term Oklahoma, what amusing and intriguing facts spring to mind? Do you consider the local tornadoes that regularly occur? What about “Oklahoma,” the musical? This US state has a plethora of facts that can surprise you.
From amusing trivia to historical facts, some will make the hairs on your arms stand up. The Sooner State has a lot to teach us!
- Black Mesa is the highest peak
Did you know that Oklahoma has a height of 4973 feet to begin this list of interesting facts about Oklahoma? Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico are all covered by Black Mesa. The exception is Black Mesa, which is rather level with a few small hills.
- Pecan pie is not a dish of Oklahoma
The pecan pie was not created in Oklahoma. The earliest versions of this dish may be found in late 1800s Texas and Missouri cookbooks.
Unfortunately, this particular pie took a long time to become well-known across the country.
After World War I, the Oklahoman Fields family started making pecan pies for their restaurant. They started making money off of them since they were so well-liked!
- Its moniker is “Sooner State”
Each state has a designation used on license plates and in marketing for travel. The “Sooner State” is the moniker given to Oklahoma. While it may sound strange, that name has a long history.
People were eager to be the first to colonize the new region after the USA gained Oklahoma during the American Revolutionary War.
Yet settlers were not meant to begin on their journey until April 1889. The early travelers to Oklahoma who chose to defy this prohibition were known as “Sooners.”
- “Labor omnia vincit” is the state motto
The official motto of Oklahoma is “labor omnia vincit,” which is likely to be seen on the state seal if you come across one. It is a Roman proverb that translates to “effort overcomes all.” The motto is a poem’s adaptation.
The phrase “Steady effort conquered all things” was the basis for the original English statement, which Virgil penned.
- The initial parking meter was offered to the public
Parking meters may be found in towns and cities all around the world. They all work the same way, regardless of where you are: you pay the price to park in a place for a specific period of time.
The first parking meter was designed and implemented in Oklahoma City in 1935, yet it may now be commonplace. Its designation was Park-O-Meter No. 1.
- The Oklahoma state bird isn’t exclusively endemic to the state
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher enjoys open areas and is widespread over the Great Plains. Yet this bird has always held a special place in Oklahoma’s heart. It’s been a state symbol since 1951.
In 2008, it appeared on the state’s registration plates and collectible quarter. A white, black, and orange feathered bird perched on a wire, looking up at a clear sky.
- It has the greatest Native American population among the lower 48 states
The state’s Native American past is covered in many Oklahoma historical facts. Although there are Native American communities and reserves spread around the country, Oklahoma has the highest density in the lower 48 states.
With approximately 20% of its indigenous population, Alaska is the US state with the highest percentage. At 13.39%, Oklahoma comes in second.
- Robert Pitt is from the state of Oklahoma
One of the most well-known actors in the world is Brad Pitt. He is one of the most sought-after superstars in Hollywood and is renowned for his charisma and beautiful looks on television.
Pitt was an ordinary young man from Shawnee, Oklahoma, before he rose to fame as an actor. He went as William Bradley Pitt at the time, which was his given name.
- There are several artificial lakes
Several lakes in Oklahoma are used for both recreational and commercial purposes. You probably wouldn’t believe that many of these lakes are artificial because they appear so natural.
The state features more than 200 lakes that were induced by dams. In the state, a natural lake may be distinguished from an artificial one by form. All of Oklahoma’s natural lakes are playas or oxbows (dried).
- Much of Little River is in the mountains
Although Oklahoma has several artificial lakes, its rivers are generally natural. Little River best shows the water movements of the state. The Mississippi finally crosses the Little River’s route.
Yet in Oklahoma and Arkansas, most of the territory it runs through is covered in mountains and woods.
- Grazing buffalo with trees in the background on grassland
Due to its long history in Oklahoma, the buffalo has served as the state mammal since 1972. Native Indians relied on the buffalo population for food and fur while they resided in the state. These big beasts allowed even the earliest settlers to survive.
The largest city in Oklahoma State is also its capital. It served as the state’s administrative center from 1910 until Guthrie was dethroned as the capital.
- There is a formal state dinner.
There is an official state lunch, a truth about Oklahoma that hardly everyone knows. In 1988, the meal—which includes all of the state’s favorite foods—became an official emblem.
There are several courses served during the state dinner. Fried okra, cornbread, barbecue pork, squash, biscuits, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas are all included in the order.
- The Wichita Mountains halted the gold rush
No urban development has occurred on the 60,000 acres of land comprising the Wichita Mountains.
Thousands of eager miners aspired to profit from the gold rush in the highlands in the late 1800s. The prospectors in the Wichita mountains were among the last since Oklahoma had one of the country’s final gold rushes.
- Large is the state fossil
The existence of an official state fossil is among the most entertaining facts about Oklahoma. Since the year 2000, Saurophaganax Maximus has been a state emblem. John Willis Stovall discovered the skeleton in the 1930s.
The whole skeleton depicts a carnivorous dinosaur that is larger than any T-rex skeleton ever discovered.
- The Red River is distinctive.
The name of the Oklahoma Red River is pretty literal. As the river runs into the Gulf of Mexico, the water has a crimson tint because of mineral and clay deposits in the river’s soil. It is one of the few rivers in the nation with this quality.
This one is sometimes known as the Red River of the South to distinguish it from the Red River of the North.
- The nation’s natural gas output is substantial
One of the nation’s top producers of natural gas in Oklahoma. This state supplies 8.4% of the nation’s gas production.
Moreover, it is one of the few states with natural gas reserves mostly derived from coal mined nearby. The state may be moving away from this kind of authority, but it still depends on it for the time being.
- The state made significant contributions to both World Wars
Two of the most famous infantry divisions to fight in World War II were created by the Oklahoma National Guard. Oklahoma soldiers made up the 45th Infantry Division and the 90th Infantry Division.
Because of the numerous medals of honor that have been given to its troops, the 45th Infantry Division is the more well-known of the two. The 90th Infantry Division has more experience, having fought in both World Wars.
- Items of heritage are kept at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
One of the most well-known eras in American history is the “Wild West.” Several books, films, and television programs that try to capture the allure and beauty of living the cowboy lifestyle have been inspired by it.
You may go to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. This museum is well-known worldwide for its huge collection of 28,000 items from the American West.
- The oldest national forest in the South is that of Ouachita
Roosevelt designated the Ouachita Forest as a national area in 1907. It was known as the Arkansas National Forest at the time and was the first national forest in the southern region of the United States.
Its name was changed in 1926 to reflect the fact that it is located mostly in west Arkansas and not only in the state of Arkansas.
- The region is enclosed by land
Oklahoma is entirely a landlocked state since it lacks any coastline borders. With New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas, the state is separated by a state border.
The state may border so many different US territories because of its distinctive form. Because of its state borders, it has been called the “panhandle state.”
- There was a mistake done during WWII
One of Oklahoma’s most intriguing historical tidbits concerns World War 2. For a while, the people of Boise City believed they were attacked by hostile troops.
In July 1943, a pilot practiced his target drill when he grew disoriented and unintentionally attacked the city. During World War II, that incident marked the sole bombing of American territory.
In this article, we have read about various facts about Oklahoma. To know more about such facts, keep following.
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