The WPA Guide to Oklahoma: The Sooner StateDuring the 1930s in the United States, the Works Progress Administration developed the Federal Writers’ Project to support writers and artists while making a national effort to document the country’s shared history and culture. The American Guide series consists of individual guides to each of the states. Little-known authors—many of whom would later become celebrated literary figures—were commissioned to write these important books. John Steinbeck, Saul Bellow, Zora Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison are among the more than 6,000 writers, editors, historians, and researchers who documented this celebration of local histories. Photographs, drawings, driving tours, detailed descriptions of towns, and rich cultural details exhibit each state’s unique flavor. The WPA Guide to Oklahoma is filled with descriptions of Native American life in the region, accompanied by many photographs. From Black Mesa to Cavanal Hill, this guide to the Sooner State takes the reader on a journey across the state’s vast and varied landscape. Also, notable in this guide is an essay by prominent historian Edward Everett Dale entitled “The Spirit of Oklahoma.” |
Contents
| 3 | |
| 14 | |
| 20 | |
| 37 | |
TRANSPORTATION | 50 |
SPORTS AND RECREATION | 61 |
NEWSPAPERS | 74 |
LITERATURE by Kenneth C Kaufman | 83 |
TULSA | 204 |
TOUR 1 | 219 |
AlvaGuymonKentonRaton N M US | 233 |
Junction US 62Medicine ParkWichita Mountains | 279 |
Seneca Mo BartlesvillePonca City | 285 |
Junction US 271McAlesterOklahoma CityWatonga | 298 |
De Queen Ark HugoDurant | 314 |
Fort Smith Ark PoteauTalihinaAntlersHugo | 323 |
ARCHITECTURE AND ART | 94 |
MUSIC | 104 |
FOLKLORE AND FOLKWAYS | 114 |
ARDMORE | 125 |
BARTLESVILLE | 131 |
LAWTON | 142 |
MUSKOGEE | 148 |
NORMAN | 156 |
OKLAHOMA CITY | 164 |
OKMULGEE | 181 |
PONCA CITY | 187 |
STILLWATER | 198 |
Columbus Kans VinitaMuskogeeMcAlesterAtoka | 330 |
Independence Kans BartlesvilleTulsaOkmulgee | 344 |
A Coffeyville Kans CollinsvilleTulsa US 169 | 350 |
A DavisSulphurPiatt National ParkJunction US 70 | 365 |
Ashland Kans WoodwardSellingFrederick | 376 |
Englewood Kans ArnettSayreAltus | 383 |
Junction US 60FairlandJayWestvilleSallisaw | 397 |
A Junction US 59Big CedarBethelBroken Bow | 404 |
CHRONOLOGY | 415 |
| 422 | |
| 429 | |
| 435 | |
Common terms and phrases
acres agricultural Arapaho Arkansas River Bartlesville became brick building built cabins camp Canadian River cattle Cherokee Outlet Cheyenne Chickasaw chief Choctaw com Comanches con cotton County Creek crosses east erected established farm farmers Federal feet fishing Five Civilized Tribes Fork Fort Gibson Fort Sill Fort Smith graveled road highway hills homa houses hundred improved dirt road Indian Territory junction Kansas Line Kiamichi Mountains Kiowa lake land miles mission Mountains municipal Muskogee named near-by Negroes oil field Okla Oklahoma City Okmulgee Osage park pioneer plant Ponca Ponca City pool prairie railroad ranch Red River region route Santa Fe Seminole settlement Shawnee Sill South Canadian River southern spring Stand Watie station stone streets Tahlequah Texas Line thousand Tour town townsite trading post Trail trees tribal Tulsa United University of Oklahoma valley western Wichita