Oklahoma is OK

Oklahoma was the 46th state to join the union on November 16, 1907. Formerly designated as Indian Territory, it has one of the largest Native American populations of any state.

Oklahoma's nickname, The Sooner State, dates back to April 22, 1889, the first day for homesteading. An eager crowd of 50,000 people entered the desirable territory ‘sooner’ than they were supposed to.

The name Oklahoma traces back to the states rich Indian heritage. It was derived from the Choctaw Indian words "okla" meaning people and "humma" meaning red.

People
The approximately 3,700,000 residents, known as Oklahomans; occupy the 69,903 square miles that make Oklahoma the 20th largest state. Oklahoma City, home to a third of the state’s population, is both the largest city and the state capital.

Christianity is the most prevalent religion. Oklahoma is a politically conservative state, yet it has a substantial number of voters registered with the Democratic Party.

Oklahomans are hard workers, as evidenced by the state motto “Labor omnia vincit," which means Labor Conquers All Things.

Industry
Farming is big business in Oklahoma. Its bountiful plains rank it 4th in the nation for wheat and cattle production. Oklahoma is also a major producer of natural gas and oil, pecans, peanuts and peaches.

Places of Interest
Oklahomans are avid sports fan and highly loyal to their teams – the Oklahoma Redhawks (baseball) and the Oklahoma Blazers (hockey).

The National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Zoo and the Oklahoma State Fair are popular places to visit. Oklahoma City has been busy renovating its downtown area “Bricktown” with a number of trendy restaurants and nightclubs. The Ford Convention Center hosts many large-seating events.

The annual cow chip throwing contest, held every April in Beaver, Oklahoma may be one of the most unusual Oklahoma attractions.

State Icons
Oklahoma’s current flag is an Indian war shield with seven eagle feathers, situated on a sky-blue background. It has been proudly displayed since 1925.

In keeping with Oklahoma’s wholesome image, milk is the state beverage, the buffalo is the state animal and the wild turkey is the state game bird.

And, as you might have guessed, the state song is “Oklahoma!" by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Other Fun Facts
The sky’s the limit in Oklahoma, home for more astronauts than any other state.

Inventions including the parking meter, shopping cart and aerosol can trace their roots to Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state.

Many devastating tornados have gone through the state. It was aptly the setting for the move “Tornado.”

Brad Pitt, Mary Hart, Garth Brooks and Will Rogers are all from Oklahoma.