6 Best Downtowns In Oklahoma
Oklahoma packs a lot into one state, with oil boom history, Territorial-era main streets, Native nations and museums, and honky-tonk energy that lives on in its diners, theaters, and music venues. In downtowns like those of Guthrie and El Reno, that mix is easy to feel, whether you are wandering past blocks of Victorian-era storefronts or sitting down for a famously messy fried onion burger in the heart of town. Beyond the main streets, the scenery shifts fast from Great Plains horizons to forested corners near the Ouachitas, with big spring skies that can turn dramatic in a hurry. Soak in what makes these six best downtowns in Oklahoma truly iconic.
Bartlesville
Bartlesville has a unique historical achievement that sets it apart from other nearby towns, as it embraces its history. The original home of the Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville is considered a historic oil city. Although the Phillips 66 Museum recently closed, visitors can still tour the founder's original dwelling, the Frank Phillips Historic Home. Choose either the Guided Tour or Director’s Tour and learn about the Phillips family, the home’s architecture, town history, and more. The more extensive Director’s tour offers viewers a chance to see the rarely visited basement as well. Another of Frank Phillips’s monumental endeavors was the creation of the Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve. Established in 1925, the preserve features 3,700 acres of wildlife, a world-class museum, a historic lodge, an animal barn, a café, hiking, and so much more. The name Woolaroc came from a conglomeration of three words highlighted in the preserve: woods, lakes, and rocks.
In a town dominated almost exclusively by one family, Phillips made sure to give back to the community. The Bartlesville Area History Museum is housed in a building purchased by the Phillips Petroleum Company in 1970, which became home to the museum in the 1990s. Photographs, artifacts, and documents from Bartlesville, the Cooweescoowee District, Indian Territory, the Nellie Johnstone No. 1, and other significant figures who shaped the settlement of Bartlesville are on display.
Guthrie
Architectural and history buffs will not want to miss a chance to visit the original capital of Oklahoma. Guthrie was forced to withdraw its claim to be the state capital in 1913, but the Victorian buildings, over 2,000 of them, still stand strong and welcome visitors. The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and the Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum are just a couple of the historical buildings still open to the public. The Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum is a unique establishment featuring a wide collection of artifacts and memorabilia from frontier pharmacies, old-time drugstores, and medical media. One of the most enticing attractions of the museum is the leech jar, which contains leeches that were used to heal the body. The State Capitol Publishing Museum is another sought-after destination, due to its learning opportunities and significant building structure. In the very building the museum is housed in, President Theodore Roosevelt sent a teletyped message in 1907 congratulating Oklahoma on becoming the 46th state in the U.S. Within the museum visitors will find original furnishings and printing equipment from 1889 to 1916 as well as exhibits on the history of the State Capital Company, printing technology and other milestones of life from the region and early statehood era.
Enjoy an evening of architecture and entertainment at The Pollard Theater. The brick-and-native-stone establishment was built in 1901 and had been a furniture store and a funeral parlor before becoming a revue theater in 1919. What started as silent films and live acts has blossomed into a thriving entertainment hub, renowned for not only its acts but also its restored Victorian architecture.
El Reno
El Reno has a very particular and unusual element that it is notorious for. The fried onion burger, or the Oklahoma onion burger, gained notoriety in the 1920s when restaurant owners wanted a way to cheaply feed railroad workers on strike by using inexpensive ingredients. Try one of the fried onion burgers at Johnnie's Hamburgers & Coneys. Authentic Oklahoma flavors and old-school charm come together to create a menu sure to dazzle anyone’s taste buds. The renowned onion burger and the coney with chili are just a few menu staples. Nostalgia, superior ingredients, and passionate cooks provide the joy of American classic comfort food at Johnnie’s. El Reno is so proud of its onion burger that every year they host the Burger Day on Route 66 festival in historic downtown. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the festival is the cooking and eating of the World’s Largest Fried Onion Burger. Over 8 feet in diameter and more than 850 pounds, the record-setting burger is cooked in front of festival goers before being shared with them. Take part in this annual community tradition, the first Saturday in May at El Reno’s famous fest.
If you're not a fan of onions and prefer to stick to more common activities, Historic Fort Reno, just off Route 66, is one of the oldest historical sites in western Oklahoma. What began as a military camp in 1874 has become a national landmark with the significant events that have taken place there. Amelia Earhart flew her at the Fort Reno airstrip in 1931. Artist Frederic Remington spent months at the Fort creating drawings of Cavalry, Buffalo Soldiers, Cheyennes & Arapahos, and Scouts. Will Rogers frequented the Fort to spectate polo matches and horse races, and so much more history was witnessed at Fort Reno.
Perry
Perry has a local, unique passion for wrestling that they put on display for visitors and residents alike. The town of Perry has such a deep respect for the sport that in 2016, it opened the Perry Wrestling Monument Park with a statue in the center. The structure of two wrestlers under an arch is also adorned with plaques that highlight the Perry Wrestling Program, and all the sport has brought to the town. Wrestling is one thing that helped shape the town; another is the prevalent Cherokee history. Learn about their significance in Perry at the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School. The school, built in 1895, moved to the Cherokee Strip grounds in 1971 and retains most of its original furnishings.
For outdoor adventure, Perry Lake offers plenty of recreation for visitors to dabble in a little bit of everything. A reservoir of Black Bear Creek, the lake was once used by the city to draw water from in case of emergencies. Today, guests use it for primitive camping, fishing, swimming, and boating.
Medicine Park
One of Medicine Park’s hidden gems is Bath Lake. Formed in the 1920s, the town’s swimming hole has remained popular for its beauty, waterfalls, stairs that provide entry at different points, and the activity of swimming or floating. Explore more aqua-based activities at the Medicine Park Aquarium and Natural Sciences Center. This diverse eco-tourism attraction has over 90 native and non-native fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammal species on exhibit. The science center also has a six-acre botanical garden with native plants. Animals include alligator gar, bobcats, piranha, boa constrictor, snapping turtle, coyote, and more.
Treat yourself to a night of fine cuisine and local history at The Old Plantation Restaurant. Constructed in 1910, the 3-story building is adorned with rooms and cubbyholes as it was created to be an open-air pavilion. With an increase in tourism, the pavilion was converted to a hotel that has seen the likes of Bonnie and Clyde, Machine Gun Kelly, and Al Capone. Today, in restaurant form, the restaurant provides a colorful history, a unique cobblestone exterior, and a pleasant selection of locally inspired cuisine.
Broken Bow
One of Broken Bow’s most sought-after attractions is Beavers Bend State Park. Traverse windy roads through forests to the park found in the mountainous region of southeast Oklahoma, to enjoy picturesque scenery, looming trees, blue waters, and rugged terrain. Guests are invited to hike, bike, boat, fish, water ski, participate in nature center activities, go on river float trips, canoe, go horseback riding, and more. Enjoy the park from the water with a trip on the Broken Tiki Boat Tours. Learn the park's history while taking in the music and scenery, and grab a drink from the on-board tiki bar.
Kick back, relax, and enjoy live entertainment and old western dining at Hochatown Saloon. Make sure to check the events board for rock and roll or country music and scarf down some John Wayne Nachos, Po Boy sandwiches, fried green beans, and so much more.
From the tranquil and calm to the unique and rare, Oklahoma has enough attractions for everyone to enjoy diverse activities. Learn about the state's role in the oil market and in frontier pharmaceuticals through museums and exhibits dedicated to those historical events. Try a local delicacy in the form of a fried onion burger, learn the significance of wrestling, and dine in a celebrity-frequented restaurant in these six best downtowns in Oklahoma.
