Moving to Frontier Country? You are if you're moving to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is the state capitol and largest city in the state, and is located in the central part of Oklahoma. The city is known for the large amount of oil and livestock in the area, and with the former Seattle Super Sonics professional basketball team being one of the most recent Oklahoma City movers, it might just become a sports mecca as well.
Economy:
Oklahoma City is a center of livestock, manufacturing, distribution, and finance. A major product of the city is oil, with numerous oil fields scattered throughout the city. The city is also home to a variety of diversified industrial fields. Tinker Air Force Base is one of the largest air bases in the world and is a major source of employment for the city. Major companies that are headquartered in the city include Sonic, OGE Energy, and Chesapeake Energy.
Tourism:
Oklahoma City is serviced by Will Rogers World Airport, which is nine miles from the city. No major professional sports teams are in the city, but several smaller professional and collegiate teams exist. The city has an extensive parks system that can be visited. Popular state buildings include the capitol building, the state historical museum, and the state library. Other destinations include the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Western Heritage Center, the Crystal Bridge, the Oklahoma City Zoological Park, and the Omniplex Museum.
History:
Oklahoma City was first settled in 1889 when the area was opened for development. The city grew quickly, becoming the largest city in Oklahoma by 1907. Oil was discovered in the city in 1928. This created a quick influx of wealth and growth in the city, although the depression hit shortly thereafter. The city recovered after World War II and it became a major transportation center. During the Civil Rights period, the first sit in took place in 1958 in Oklahoma City. During the mid-to-late 1900's, much of the money in Oklahoma City moved to the suburbs and the city experienced a gradual decline. This continued until the 1990's, when a large "urban renewal" project was put into place to help restore the city. Also during the decade, Timothy McVeigh detonated a truck of explosives in front of a federal building, killing 168 people. At the time, it was the largest terrorist attack in U.S. history.