ABOUT THE CITY
Oklahoma City is the most populous city, and the capital, of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. This is an active, activity-filled city. One that enables its residents to enjoy an exceptional quality of life. The mild climate offers year-round sunshine. There’s low traffic congestion and low pollution. The city’s western, pioneer spirit can most easily be seen in some of Oklahoma City’s top attractions, like the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Remington Park Race Track, Stockyards City, Frontier City Theme Park, and the Red Earth Indian Center. Each reflects the strong ties this area has with its western heritage. A billion-dollar renaissance has seen sweeping changes and improvements across nearly every sector. Nowhere will you find a greater concentration of Oklahoma City’s modern-day urban vitality than in Bricktown, an early-day warehouse district transformed in the last decade to become the fastest growing entertainment district in the Southwest. In addition, one of the more prominent landmarks downtown is the Crystal Bridge at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, a large downtown urban park.
About Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is also the county seat of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. Oklahoma City, or OKC, as it is known in the local verbal shorthand, is a rapidly growing city that has cultivated big-city diversity and modern sensibilities without losing its southern frontier charm.
Many are often surprised upon arriving in this little metropolis. No longer is it the harsh, parched land imagined by those who still associate the city with memories of the 1930s “Dust Bowl” Oklahoma. No, this is a land of lakes, forests, rolling green hills, red rock canyons, big sky and beautiful sunsets.
History
Just over 150 years ago, Oklahoma City was little more than a wild plain and its history begins with the painful end of the way of life of America’s native people. Beginning in the 1830s, Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes were forcibly removed from their own lands in the southeastern part of the country by the United States government and sent to a land that would one day become Oklahoma. There were few horses or wagons to accommodate the travelers, so this journey of many hundreds of miles was often made on foot and in all extremes of weather. Torn from the home they loved and saddled with a long, demanding move, people died in great numbers due to exhaustion and sickness.
Fast Facts
Population
City: 532,517
Metro: 1,156,812
Median Age: 34.1
Male: 48.99%
Female: 51.01%
Ethnic Make-up:
White: 75.70%
Black: 10.60%
Native American: 4.20%
Asian: 2.50%
Hispanic: 6.70%
Area: 621.2 mi²
Median Household Income: $54,254
Neighborhoods
Automobile Alley
Asian District
Capitol Hill and Riverside
Deep Deuce
Downtown Bricktown
Eastside
Mayfair and Belle Isle
Nichols Hills and The Village
Southeast Oklahoma City
Stockyard City
Southside
Historic Route 66 Towns
Where To Stay
Downtown Bricktown
Northwest, Nichols Hills and The Village
Northeast
Southside
Edmond and Guthrie
Climate
| Month | Avg Hi | Avg Lo | Avg Precip | |||
| Jan | 50°F | 26°F | 1.30 in. | |||
| Feb | 56°F | 30°F | 1.70 in. | |||
| Mar | 66°F | 39°F | 2.90 in. | |||
| Apr | 75°F | 50°F | 3.20 in. | |||
| May | 82°F | 58°F | 5.20 in. | |||
| Jun | 89°F | 66°F | 4.10 in. | |||
| Jul | 95°F | 70°F | 2.80 in. | |||
| Aug | 94°F | 68°F | 2.90 in. | |||
| Sep | 86°F | 62°F | 4.10 in. | |||
| Oct | 76°F | 50°F | 3.20 in. | |||
| Nov | 63°F | 39°F | 2.50 in. | |||
| Dec | 53°F | 29°F | 1.60 in. |
By Car
Oklahoma City is an easy place to drive around, and a car is more convenient that public transportation. The roadways are rarely congested, even the freeways, except during rush hour. The city is laid out in a grid. It is divided into quadrants, NE, NW, SW, and SE. Main Street divides north from south, and Broadway divides east from west. Keep that in mind, and you’ll be okay. Numbered streets run east-west, counting up the further from Main St they are. Named streets run north-south. Remember, because of the quadrants, 100 25th St SE is very far from 100 25th Street NW.
Oklahoma City is right at the intersection of I-35, I-40, and I-44. 40 and 44 run east west, and 35 runs north south. The John Kilpatrick Turnpike loops around the city in the northwest, 35 and 40 do in the southeast.
License & Registration InformationPublic Transportation
Oklahoma City Metro Transit
www.okc.gov/transit
www.gometro.org
Metro Transit provides decent bus service throughout the city. There are 25 routes in the Oklahoma City area covering about 450 miles. Transfers between buses are free. Check the website for more detailed fare and route information, also, know that buses don’t run on major holidays.
Air Transportation
Will Rogers World Airport (OKC)
7100 Terminal Drive
P.O. Box 937
Oklahoma City, OK 73159-0937
(405) 680-3200
www.flyokc.com
Sits on just over 8,000 acres of land and serves seven major airlines, two regional airlines and a growing number of charter services. This figure alone makes Will Rogers World Airport one of the ten largest airports in the country in land area. It has non-stop service to 30 major cities, mainly within the United States.
The airport is located in southwest Oklahoma City. To get here, you take either I-44 or I-40. If you’re on I-40, exit 145 for Meridian Avenue south, and drive for about 5 miles. From I-44, exit 116B for Airport Road, then get on Meridian Ave south, and drive for about a mile.
Taxis
Taxis are located at the Transportation Plaza accessed from the baggage claim (lower) level. Rates are posted in the cabs or passengers can obtain rate information from the cab driver. Average fare from the airport to downtown is $20.00.
Metro Transit
Oklahoma City Metro Transit
www.okc.gov/transit
The bus stop is at the Transportation Plaza, accessed from the baggage claim level of the terminal. Daily service to the airport with a route that services the Meridian Ave. corridor and connects to downtown Oklahoma City.
Local Phone Numbers
| Emergency | 911 |
| Area Code | 405 |
| Accident Reports | 297-1480 |
| Ambulance Service Office (EMSA) | 297-7100 |
| Animal Shelter | 297-3100 |
| Animal Control (pickup) | 297-2255 |
| Child Abuse Hotline (State) | 800-522-3511 |
| Crisis Counseling | 848-2273 |
| FBI | 290-7770 |
| Fire Non-emergency | 297-3314 |
| Police Non emergency | 297-1000 |
| Government | |
| Activity Permits | 297-2531 |
| Adopt-A-City-Street | 297-2581 |
| Assessment – Street & Sewer Assessment Districts | 297-2391 |
| Association of Central Oklahoma Govt (ACOG) | 848-8961 |
| Automobile Tag Information | 521-3221 |
| Better Business Bureau | 239-6081 |
| Birth Certificates (State) | 271-4040 |
| Board of Education, OKC Public Schools | 297-6522 |
| Building Permits | 297-2547 |
| Business Licenses | 297-2606 |
| Chamber of Commerce | 297-8900 |
| City Council Information | 297-3884 |
| City County Health Department (info) | 427-8651 |
| City County Health Department (complaints) | 425-4347 |
| City Elections | 297-2391 |
| City Hall | 297-2011 |
| City Licenses | 297-2606 |
| Consumer Credit (State) | 552-5780 |
| Department of Environmental Quality | 702-6222 |
| Driver’s License | 425-2424 |
| Fire Inspections | 297-3584 |
| Animal Welfare | 297-3104 |
| Organizations | |
| Action Center | 297-2535 |
| Child Care Connection | 525-3111 |
| Community Action Agency (CAA) | 232-0199 |
| Neighborhood Services | 297-2972 |
| First Aid Training (Red Cross) | 948-2627 |
| Utilities | |
| Gas & Electric | (405) 272-9741 |
| Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company | |
| 321 N Harvey Ave | |
| Oklahoma City, OK 73102 | |
| Oklahoma Natural Gas Co. | (405) 551-4000 |
| 401 N Harvey Ave | |
| Oklahoma City, OK 73102 | |
| Telephone, Internet and Cable | |
| Cox Communications | (405) 600-7140 |
| 6301 Waterford Blvd | |
| Oklahoma City, OK 73118 | |
| www.cox.com | |
| Water | |
| Oklahoma City Water Dept | (405) 297-2422 |
| 420 W Main St # 500 | |
| Oklahoma City, OK 73102 |
Television
| 4 | KFOR | NBC |
| 5 | KOCO | ABC |
| 7 | KOCO-DT | ABC |
| 9 | KWTV | CBS |
| 13 | KETA | PBS |
| 14 | KTBO | TBN |
| 15 | KTBO-DT | TBN |
| 17 | KLHO-LP | FTN (Sp.) |
| 19 | KKCC-LP | MTV2 |
| 21 | KTOU-LP | HSN |
| 24 | KOKH-DT | FOX |
| 25 | KOKH | FOX |
| 27 | KFOR-DT | NBC |
| 32 | KETA-DT | PBS |
| 33 | KOCB-DT | CW |
| 34 | KOCB | CW |
| 38 | KOHC-LP | Azteca America |
| 40 | KAUT-DT | MyTV |
| 43 | KAUT | MyTV |
| 50 | KOPX-DT | “i” |
| 51 | KSBI-DT | ind. |
| 52 | KSBI | ind. |
| 62 | KOPX | “i” |
Radio
| AM Stations | ||
| 640 | WWLS | sports |
| 800 | KQCV | talk/news-religious |
| 890 | KTLR | religious |
| 930 | WKY | regional Mexican |
| 1000 | KTOK | news/talk |
| 1140 | KRMP | urban oldies |
| 1220 | KTLV | black gospel/religious |
| 1260 | KWSH | classic country |
| 1340 | KEBC | talk/urban(nights) |
| 1400 | KREF | sports |
| 1450 | KGFF | standards |
| 1460 | KZUE | regional Mexican |
| 1490 | KMFS | religious |
| 1520 | KOKC | news/talk |
| 1560 | KOCY | children’s |
| FM Stations | ||
| 88.1 | KMSI | religious |
| 88.9 | KYLV | contemporary Christian |
| 89.1 | KXTH | contemporary Christian |
| 89.5 | CSN | religious |
| 90.1 | KCSC | classical |
| 90.9 | KOKF | Christian rock |
| 91.7 | KOSU | NPR public/classical |
| 92.5 | KOMA | oldies |
| 94.7 | KHBZ | modern rock |
| 96.1 | KXXY | country |
| 96.9 | KQOB | adult hits |
| 98.9 | KYIS | hot ac |
| 100.5 | KATT | active rock |
| 101.9 | KTST | country |
| 102.7 | KJYO | CHR-pop |
| 103.5 | KVSP | urban |
| 104.1 | KMGL | ac |
| 104.7 | KSLE | oldies |
| 104.9 | KKWD | CHR-rhythmic |
| 105.3 | KINB | regional Mexican |
| 107.7 | KRXO | classic rock |
Newspapers
The Oklahoman
P.O. Box 25125
Oklahoma City, OK 73125
(405) 475-4000
www.newsok.com
The major metro newspaper and most widely circulated in the state.
The Oklahoma Gazette
(405) 528-6000
www.okgazette.com
Oklahoma City’s independent newsweekly, featuring such staples as local commentary, feature stories, classifieds, restaurant reviews and movie listings.
The Journal Record
101 N. Robinson Ave., Ste. 101
Oklahoma City, OK, 73102
(405) 235-3100
www.journalrecord.com
Oklahoma City’s daily business newspaper
The MidCity Advocate
P.O. Box 60876
Oklahoma City, OK 73146
(405) 605-6062
Oklahoma City’s newest weekly broadsheet, covering (“good news” only) downtown, the State Capitol district, and the neighborhoods in Oklahoma City’s historic core.
Dining & Nightlife
Oklahoma City is known for being frontier country, and nowhere is that more evident than in the cuisine. This theme is interpreted in two ways: literally and metaphorically. The city is booming with steakhouses and eateries that specialize in hearty American staples—quite literally those bounties that are cultivated on the plains. But there is also a pioneer spirit found here. Food is seen as an exploration, an adventure. A hunger for any taste can be sated, every culinary niche is represented and even trendy fusion joints are making an appearance. Don’t overlook the famous breweries and wine bars, as Oklahoma City takes its beverages very seriously. Get ready to feast your senses on tasty meals served up with a generous dash of local hospitality!
The Arts
Culture in OKC is not limited to boot-scooting and college football, although you really can’t criticize those perfect pleasures! For a classical experience of the highest caliber, reserve a seat at Ballet Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra or Canterbury Choral Society. And while residents love such timeless masterpieces, country-western is still very much a music of choice, performed at the Oklahoma Opry. Film buffs will want to catch the latest flick at the city’s new Tinseltown USA big-screen theater with stadium seating, but if you’d rather have more organic entertainment, look no further. Oklahoma City has a wealth of professional and community theater groups, as well as Shakespeare in the Park, where the Bard’s plays are performed in the beautiful Oklahoma outdoors.
Museums
Oklahomans feel very connected to their state and national history. This respect for the past is reflected in museums that help educate society, like the 45th Infantry Division Museum, National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center and Oklahoma Heritage Center. For a state-of-the-art learning experience, visit the new Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, with its redesigned exhibits and modern facilities. City residents also have an insatiable passion for sports, whether local, national or international, so sport-themed museums are a big draw. The recently-opened Oklahoma Sports Museum touts beloved figures like Jim Thorpe, Shannon Miller and the Oklahoma University Sooners. On a wider scale, the National Softball Hall of Fame and International Gymnastics Hall of Fame celebrate talented performers from across the country and globe. Other acclaimed city museums include the Oklahoma City Art Museum and Oklahoma Firefighters Museum.
The Outdoors
Thanks to a comfortable climate (except for a few summer dog days) and great stretches of unspoiled nature, the city is a utopia for outdoor recreational activities. Large, open parks, like Earlywine and Martin Nature Center, can be found in every area of the city. Most hold baseball and soccer fields, golf courses, jogging trails and lots of picturesque foliage. For an aquatic adventure, check out Lake Hefner or Lake Arcadia. Oklahoma City has also gotten into the extreme sports craze, with several paintball fields available on which to play and an indoor climbing facility at OKC Rocks.
Earlywine Park
3101 Southwest 119th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73170-4528
(405) 691-5430
Martin Park Nature Center
5000 W Memorial Rd
Oklahoma City, OK 73142-2011
(405) 755-0676
http://www.okc.gov/Parks/martin_park/index.html
OKC Rocks Climbing Center
south end of the Bricktown Canal
Oklahoma City
(405) 319-1400
www.okcrocks.com
Sports
The Blazers are the city’s successful and beloved CHL team. Baseball is a classic choice for the sports fan, so take in a game with the RedHawks in their new stadium, the Bricktown Ballpark. Oklahoma City now has NBA Basketball! See the Oklahoma City Thunder this season at the Ford Center.
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz lead the entire af2 league in attendance with an average of 9,400 fans per game and made it into the play-offs. The season runs from April thru July with play-offs in August. Oklahoma City also offers rough-riding action that has grown out of the state\’s frontier history. Two state-of-the-art complexes, the Lazy E Arena and Remington Park, welcome guests to experience a rodeo and other equestrian contests, or high-stakes horse racing, respectively.
Oklahoma City Blazers
119 North Robinson
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-4613
(405) 297-2000
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz
The Ford Center
(405) 228-3294
Oklahoma RedHawks
Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark
2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive
(405) 218-1000.
www.oklahomaredhawks.com
Remington Park
One Remington Place
www.remingtonpark.com
Attractions
The standards—arts, museums and sports—have been covered, but a few things just don\’t fit into those neat little categories. The city is home to some of the most delightfully quirky attractions that are often overlooked for this reason. The Lucky Star Casino offers guests Las Vegas gaming excitement 24 hours a day. For a completely different nightlife experience, stop by the Samurai Saki House, a combination Japanese restaurant and hard-rocking live music club. Expanding the traditional borders of artistic dance is the mission of Aalim Bellydance Academy, a professional performance and instructional group. In OKC, you’ll also find that museums no longer have to strike fear in the hearts of kids and adults alike. A fun outing to the Oklahoma Lighter Museum, Oklahoma Museum of Telephone History, World of Wings Pigeon Center or World Organization of China Painters Museum will leave the whole family happy.
Aalim Bellydance Academy
P O Box 271757
Oklahoma City, OK 73137
(405) 844-0304
Lucky Star Casino
7777 N. Highway 81
Oklahoma City, OK 73022
(405) 262-7612
Samurai Sakihouse and Club
7500 N May Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
(405) 842-9281
World of Wings Pigeon Center
2300 Northeast 63rd Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73111-8208
(866) 570-2473
www.pigeoncenter.org
Shopping
Shopping Districts
Bricktown
Sheridan & Broadway
Paseo Arts District
NW 30th & Dewey
(405) 525-2688
Stockyards City
Agnew Exit South of I-40 to Exchange Ave
(405) 235-7267
Western Avenue
NW 36th and Western and north through NW 63rd St.
(405) 412-5990
www.westernavenue.com
Lorec Ranch Rustic Home Furnishings
11702 North I-35 Service Rd.
(405) 478-2023
www.lorecranch.com
Shopping Malls
Crossroads Mall
7000 S. Crossroads Blvd.
I-35 & I-240
(405) 631-4421
50 Penn Place
NW Expressway & Penn
(405) 848-7588
www.50pennplace.info
Heritage Park Mall
6801 E. Reno
(405) 737-1472
Northpark Mall
NW 122 & N. May
(405)755-3565
www.northparkmallokc.com
Penn Square Mall
1901 NW Expressway
(405) 841-2695
www.pennsquaremall.com
Quail Springs Mall
Memorial Road & N. May
(405) 755-6530
www.quailspringsmall.com
Recommended Tours
Touring Oklahoma City can be a challenge because it covers a vast land area disproportionate to its population. It is difficult to walk the streets, as one would in a typically compact city, when OKC’s metropolitan area stretches across the horizon for more than 600 square miles! That said, the best of this city can be seen by every visitor, regardless of their available time.
Bricktown by Foot
Downtown OKC, where each street is chock-full of attractions, restaurants and shops, is perfect for walking. With the warm Oklahoma sun on your shoulders, begin at 5th Street and Robinson Avenue, the site of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, which honors the 168 Murrah Building bombing victims. Three blocks down, you will find Park Avenue and the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Walk two blocks further south to Sheridan, the street that holds the best of Bricktown. On the west side of Robinson Avenue is the Myriad Botanical Gardens and Tropical Conservatory, a horticultural haven tucked away among the tall metal and glass buildings. Just across the street is the Myriad Convention Center where most major sporting events, musical concerts and business conventions are held. Moving east from the Convention Center, visitors will enter the Bricktown entertainment district. Home to a variety of eateries and drinking establishments, this area is sure to have something to tempt and delight your taste buds. Your stroll downtown ends at the new Bricktown Ballpark, located at Sheridan and Mickey Mantle Drive, a state-of-the-art stadium built for the Oklahoma RedHawks baseball team. Even if the home team isn’t playing, baseball fans will want to stop by just for a glimpse of the statue that immortalizes the legendary Mantle in full-swing.
Bricktown Canal
For a different approach to touring this popular district, look to the water. Unveiled in the summer of 1999, the Bricktown Canal is a man-made oasis running through the heart of downtown. Board one of six water taxis for a one-mile ride that begins at Main Street and Sheridan Avenue, the epicenter of Bricktown where the city’s best dining and drinking establishments are located, and ends south of the Bricktown Ballpark.
Education
Community Colleges
Community colleges exist for two major purposes. The first is to serve as a bridge from high school to college by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. Four out of 10 collegebound high-school graduates start their college education this way.
The second function of community colleges is to prepare students for the job market by offering entry-level career training as well as courses for adult students who want to upgrade their skills for the workplace. They often offer programs that are not available at four-year schools, like fashion design.
Liberal Arts Colleges
Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.
Online Learning
Recent years have witnessed the rise of online degree programs, to allow the busy professional a chance to work at their own pace from the comfort of their home on the path to getting a degree. The costs to students are typically the same as for traditional classes— and financial aid is equally available—while the cost to the institution can be much less.
There are online universities ranging from legitimate distance learning systems to fly-by-night degree-mills. It’s important to research a particular institution before deciding to enroll in their system. Generally, brick-and-mortar schools that also offer online classes are the safest, though there are plenty of fully accredited online universities out there.
Nearly 3 million students are believed to be taking online classes at institutions of higher education in the United States this year. That number has been growing about 25% a year recently. Now, virtually all public higher education institutions, as well as a vast majority of private, for-profit institutions, now offer online classes. By contrast, only about half of private, nonprofit schools offer them. Online schools offer everything from Associate’s degrees to Doctoral programs with available emphases in everything from Business Administration to Criminal Justice to Nursing. Some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, but many are delivered completely online. Online courses generally require a computer with a broadband connection, but are now a serious option for the busy professional.
Public vs. Private
Public colleges are usually less expensive, particularly for in-state residents. They get most of their money from the state or local government. Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, endowments, and other private sources. Private colleges are usually smaller and can offer more personalized attention and often more prestige.
Universities
Generally, a university is bigger than a college and offers more majors and research facilities. Class size often reflects institutional size and some classes may taught by graduate students.
Upper Division
Upper-division schools offer the last two years of undergraduate study, usually in specialized programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Students then generally transfer to an upper-division college after completing an associate degree or after finishing a second year of study at a four-year college.
Local Schools
Oklahoma City Community College
7777 S May Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73159-998
(405) 682-1611
Full Time Enrollment: 7,275
Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City
900 N Portland
Oklahoma City, OK 73107-619
(405) 947-4421
www.osuokc.edu
Community College
Full Time Enrollment: 3,178
Oklahoma City University
2501 N Blackwelder
Oklahoma City, OK 73106-140
(405) 208-5000
www.okcu.edu
Full Time Enrollment: 3,225
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
1100 N Lindsay
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-549
(405) 271-2311
www.ouhsc.edu
Full Time Enrollment: 2,615
Oklahoma City Public Schools
900 N Klein
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
(405) 587-0000
www.okcps.org
There are over 37,000 students served by 82 schools. The teacher-student ratio is less than 20 to 1.
Voter Registration
Oklahoma State Election Board
PO Box 53156
Oklahoma City, OK 73152
(405) 521-2391
www.ok.gov
You must fill out a voter registration application form. Voter registration applications are available at your County Election Board, post offices, tag agencies, libraries and many other public locations. You will be offered a voter registration application when you get your driver\’s license and when you apply for assistance at some government agencies. You also may download an application form or send a request to receive a form by U.S. Mail.
The application form asks for:
your name and address
your political affiliation
your birth date
your driver’s license number
the last four digits of your Social Security number (required if no driver\’s license)
You must sign and date the oath printed on the form. When you sign the voter registration application form, you swear that you are eligible to register to vote.
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