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Oklahoma City, California
Oklahoma City is the capital
and biggest city in the state of Oklahoma, and sadly the site of a
horrendous event that took place on April 19, 1995. The terrorist act of
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, cost the lives of 168 American heroes and
wounded 680. It was the worst such act in the history of this country,
until 9/11, but this was committed by a deranged American; not Islamic
jihadists. The city was settled in 1889, when a land run was allowed. Over
10,000 people erected a tent city in a single day, in downtown Oklahoma City
and within 10 years, the population had doubled. The state was admitted to
the union in 1907 and the capital was moved from Guthrie to Oklahoma City.
It was a big stopover on route 66 and made famous by the hit song "Get your
kicks on route 66". Large stockyards were built before the second World
War, but the discovery of oil in the city limits in 1928, also under the
state capitol building, the city was elevated into a big oil producing hub.
After the war, the interstate highway system helped the city grow, as well
as the building of Tinker Air Force base. During the 70s and 80s, the inner
city lost many people moving into the newer suburbs as did the rest of the
country.
The city
passed a huge development project for the downtown area in 1993 which became
known as MAPS, the Metropolitan Area Projects. Adding a new baseball park,
library system, fairgrounds, canal into the Bricktown entertainment district
and convention center, with a cost of over $3 billion, the city had
successfully created one of the best private and public partnership in this
country. I-40 was moved a mile to the south, so the city could build a
boulevard entering the city and allowing the center to be connected to the
Oklahoma River and many opportunities available there. The attack by
McVeigh seemed to bring the citizens together and a new revival has begun.
The site is now the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum with over 3
million people having visited.
With many
large companies doing business in the city, the economy continues to grow.
Devon and Chesapeake Energy companies, Xerox, Dell, AT&T, Sonic Drive-in,
Tinker Air Force base, the Federal Government, Boeing, Cox and United Parcel
Service are some of the more well known, with many others located there
also. Numerous colleges and universities are located here, including the
University of Oklahoma; with its medical center being the biggest
independent in the nation and employing over 12,000 people. Oklahoma City
University is in the uptown area, with the University of Central Oklahoma in
the northern suburb of Edmond, as well as Oklahoma Christian University.
The FAA's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center is at the airport and Southern
Nazarene University in nearby Bethany.
The city
has an opera, ballet, museums, theaters, Broadway shows, concerts, the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the National Memorial Institute
for the Prevention of Terrorism, parks. gardens, waterfalls, fountains and a
beautiful zoological park. With walking, jogging, and biking trails all over
the city, it is a marvelous place to live, visit and enjoy. It has a
Frontier City theme park and a White Water Bay park, with numerous lakes and
the river itself to enjoy many venues available to everyone. With three
professional sports teams staying here; the old Seattle supersonics became
the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Oklahoma Wranglers and the temporary New
Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and many semi pro teams, the city is well
represented and attended in the sports world. The city is host to the Big
12 Baseball Tournament, World Cup of Softball, NCAA Women's College World
Series, the 2005 NCAA Men's Basketball First and Second Rounds and the Big
12 Men's and Women's Basketball tournaments. It has wonderful transportation
abilities with major interstates running through, as well as the Will Rogers
World Airport and Wiley Post Airport, Amtrak and Greyhound.
On your next visit to
Oklahoma City, you can save money and time by renting a car. By
renting a car, you will add flexibility to your vacation or visit
and have less worries about getting around. Many people will pick
up their rental car at or near the Oklahoma City International Airport where
they have a larger selection. The rental car company can pick you
up at or near the Oklahoma City International Airport making it that much
easier for you. They will help you choose the best vehicle for your
needs whether it be a compact, mid-size, full-size, luxury car, SUV
or minivan. So, the next time you come to Oklahoma City, contact your
favorite rental car company and start your visit off right.
Dollar Rental Car Specials
Dollar Rental Car - Oklahoma City International
Airport
Dollar Rental Car - Oklahoma City Meridian
One of the city's most remarkable families, the
Overholser mansion is a pristine example of life at the turn of the century,
complete with all original fixtures and furnishings. Henry Overholser came
to Oklahoma City in 1889 and became involved in all of the major building
projects; including; 2 opera houses, the US courthouse, state fairgrounds
and over 35 other buildings. He was the first president of the Board of
Trade, or known today as the chamber of commerce, and involved in the
country commission, the first water works system and the first trolley car
system. At 11,000 square feet, with hand painted canvas walls and Antwerp
oak, exquisite furnishings and beautiful stained glass and 4000 square foot
carriage house, it was a prominent sign of prosperity and growth.
Thrifty Rental
Car Specials
Thrifty Rental Car - Oklahoma City Airport
Thrifty Car Rental - Oklahoma City La Quinta Inn
Atop Persimmon Hill in Oklahoma City the museum is a
grand place with authentic western memorabilia, art and archival items. For
fifty years it was the cowboy hall of fame and then blossomed into a museum
collecting all things relating to the west and the courageous people that
settled it. One section called William S. and Ann Atherton art of the
American West Gallery contains over 2000 splendid examples of art and
memorabilia; with an 18 foot tall marble Canyon Princess sculpture by Gerald
Balcair, a painting by Albert Bierstadt called the Emigrants Crossing the
Plains and William Lee's The Leader's Downfall. The museum contains the
American Cowboy gallery, Eldridge gallery, Art of the American West gallery,
Museum of the Frontier West, Children's Cowboy Corral, Siblerman gallery,
Prosperity Junction, Native American gallery, Monumental sculptures,
American Rodeo gallery, Fine Arms gallery and the Western Performers
gallery. |