Oklahoma was purchased from France in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase and was originally called the Indian Territories.
The name of the state comes from the Choctaw words okla and humma. It means "Red People".
On April 22, 1889, the western part of the state was opened to almost 50,000 settlers for the Oklahoma Land Run. At high noon on April 22, thousands rushed to claim a piece of the available two million acres (8,000 km2) in the Unassigned Lands. Within hours the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie were formed with populations of at least 10,000.
During this land run Oklahoma got its nickname, "The Sooner State". The moniker came from the settlers who crossed the territory's borders before the land was opened by the government.
Deliberations to make the territory into a state began near the end of the 19th century, when the Curtis Act continued the allotment of Indian tribal land. On November 16, 1907, the western and eastern territories joined together and Oklahoma was established as the 46th state in the Union.
The new state became a focal point for the emerging oil industry, as discoveries of oil pools prompted towns to grow rapidly in population and wealth. Tulsa became known as the "Oil Capital of the World" for most of the 20th century.
During the 1930s, northwestern Oklahoma began suffering the consequences of poor farming practices, extended drought and high winds known as the Dust Bowl. This caused thousands of farmers to go into poverty and forced them to move to other parts of the United States.
The world’s first parking meter, Park-O-Meter No. 1, was installed in Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935.
Sylvan N. Goldman of Humpty Dumpty Stores and Standard Food Markets developed the folding shopping cart so that people could buy more in a single visit to the grocery store. He unveiled his invention in Oklahoma City on June 4, 1937.
In 1948 meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City issued the world's first tornado forecast after noticing conditions similar to another tornado that had struck five days earlier.
Oklahoma was the first US state to name an official state reptile, the collared lizard, in 1969.
Oklahoma has an average of 54 tornadoes each year. This is one of the highest rates in the world
In 1948 meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City issued the world's first tornado forecast after noticing conditions similar to another tornado that had struck five days earlier.
The southwestern portion of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was devastated by an F5 tornado in 1999, killing forty-five people, injuring 665, and causing $1 billion in damage. This tornado also produced the highest wind speed ever recorded anywhere on our planet, measured at 301 +/- 20 mph (484 +/- 32 km/h).
Oklahoma experiences more earthquakes than anywhere else in the world.
Oklahoma City and Tulsa are the main economic areas of Oklahoma. 58 percent of Oklahomans live in these two metropolitan statistical areas.
In 2007, Oklahoma’s House of Representatives declared the watermelon to be the state vegetable despite the fact that most people see it as a fruit.
In Oklahoma, it's actually illegal to take a bite out of another person's hamburger.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, it is against the law to open a soda bottle without the supervision of a licensed engineer.
Oklahoma is the only state to have an official state meal (not just a state food). It consists of BBQ pork, grits, biscuits, sausage and gravy, corn, chicken-fried steak, squash, cornbread, fried okra, black-eyed peas, strawberries, and pecan pie.
Oklahoma buys more fast food than any other state.
Oklahoma’s capitol building is the only one in the world that sits on an active oil well—there’s even an oil rig out front.
Oklahoma is known for having more man-made lakes than any other state in the USA. All of Oklahoma’s 200 lakes are man made by making dams. These lakes cover more than 1,000,000 acres (404,686 ha) with water.
Collectively, the population of Oklahoma spends about 3.5 million days hunting each year.
The name of the state comes from the Choctaw words okla and humma. It means "Red People".
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| Map of Indian Territory (Oklahoma) 1889. Britannica 9th ed. By DigbyDalton - Wikipedia |
On April 22, 1889, the western part of the state was opened to almost 50,000 settlers for the Oklahoma Land Run. At high noon on April 22, thousands rushed to claim a piece of the available two million acres (8,000 km2) in the Unassigned Lands. Within hours the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie were formed with populations of at least 10,000.
During this land run Oklahoma got its nickname, "The Sooner State". The moniker came from the settlers who crossed the territory's borders before the land was opened by the government.
Deliberations to make the territory into a state began near the end of the 19th century, when the Curtis Act continued the allotment of Indian tribal land. On November 16, 1907, the western and eastern territories joined together and Oklahoma was established as the 46th state in the Union.
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| Flag of Oklahoma |
The new state became a focal point for the emerging oil industry, as discoveries of oil pools prompted towns to grow rapidly in population and wealth. Tulsa became known as the "Oil Capital of the World" for most of the 20th century.
During the 1930s, northwestern Oklahoma began suffering the consequences of poor farming practices, extended drought and high winds known as the Dust Bowl. This caused thousands of farmers to go into poverty and forced them to move to other parts of the United States.
 |
| The Dust Bowl sent thousands of farmers into poverty during the 1930s. |
The world’s first parking meter, Park-O-Meter No. 1, was installed in Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935.
Sylvan N. Goldman of Humpty Dumpty Stores and Standard Food Markets developed the folding shopping cart so that people could buy more in a single visit to the grocery store. He unveiled his invention in Oklahoma City on June 4, 1937.
In 1948 meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City issued the world's first tornado forecast after noticing conditions similar to another tornado that had struck five days earlier.
Oklahoma was the first US state to name an official state reptile, the collared lizard, in 1969.
Oklahoma has an average of 54 tornadoes each year. This is one of the highest rates in the world
In 1948 meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City issued the world's first tornado forecast after noticing conditions similar to another tornado that had struck five days earlier.
The southwestern portion of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was devastated by an F5 tornado in 1999, killing forty-five people, injuring 665, and causing $1 billion in damage. This tornado also produced the highest wind speed ever recorded anywhere on our planet, measured at 301 +/- 20 mph (484 +/- 32 km/h).
Oklahoma experiences more earthquakes than anywhere else in the world.
Oklahoma City and Tulsa are the main economic areas of Oklahoma. 58 percent of Oklahomans live in these two metropolitan statistical areas.
 |
| Oklahoma City is the state's capital and largest city. By Urbanative - Wikipedia |
In 2007, Oklahoma’s House of Representatives declared the watermelon to be the state vegetable despite the fact that most people see it as a fruit.
In Oklahoma, it's actually illegal to take a bite out of another person's hamburger.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, it is against the law to open a soda bottle without the supervision of a licensed engineer.
Oklahoma is the only state to have an official state meal (not just a state food). It consists of BBQ pork, grits, biscuits, sausage and gravy, corn, chicken-fried steak, squash, cornbread, fried okra, black-eyed peas, strawberries, and pecan pie.
Oklahoma buys more fast food than any other state.
Oklahoma’s capitol building is the only one in the world that sits on an active oil well—there’s even an oil rig out front.
 |
| The Oklahoma State Capitol located in Oklahoma City. |
Oklahoma is known for having more man-made lakes than any other state in the USA. All of Oklahoma’s 200 lakes are man made by making dams. These lakes cover more than 1,000,000 acres (404,686 ha) with water.
Collectively, the population of Oklahoma spends about 3.5 million days hunting each year.
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