Related Sponsors

History

Home » Oklahoma » Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Overview and History » History

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was first established in 1889, during an event known as “The Land Run,” during which all lands unassigned to a particular tribe were made available. About 10,000 inhabitants took up residence there that year, and within ten years the population had grown to 20,000. Oklahoma City became the capital of Oklahoma in 1907. Interestingly, when the Capitol Building was constructed, there was not enough money to add a dome. The dome wasn’t added to the building until 2002.

Oklahoma City is located in the central part of the state and is the county seat of Oklahoma County. With a population in Oklahoma City proper of around 528,000, Oklahoma City is the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The population of the entire metropolitan area is about 1,100,000.

Oklahoma City is the 29th largest city in the United States. During the 1960s and 1970s, the city suffered a period of decline due to several factors, not the least of which was the poor decision-making of the city’s leaders. In an effort to renew life in the city, those leaders destroyed much of the theater district, including massive damages to the world famous Biltmore Hotel, in favor of building a huge, centrally-located mall. The mall never came to be, as funds ran out after the parking garage was constructed.

More recently, Oklahoma City is remembered for one of the saddest events in United States history, the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. In the largest act of domestic terrorism in American history, Timothy McVeigh drove a truck loaded with explosives into the building, killing 168 and injuring thousands more. The bombing was devastating to the city, but today it is difficult to find signs of the bombing, as they city has worked hard to rebuild.

Oklahoma City is in prime location as far as travel, being located ideally for travel by car for a large portion of the nation. The Will Rogers World Airport serves the city’s air travelers. Since Oklahoma City is near the geographical center of the entire nation, it is an essential location on the Interstate network. Interstates 35, 40 and 44 all run through town, and Interstate 240 is another main road. Many state routes also service the area, and Oklahoma City has one of the world’s most famous roads: Route 66.

Greyhound and Amtrak also provide extensive service to the city.

Next Page: Culture

Related Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Overview and History Articles