Regardless of where you are from or why you are moving to Broken Arrow, the city welcomes you. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma is the ideal place to become involved with your community, get acquainted with your new neighbors and form new friendships. If you have school-aged children, you will be pleased with the city's dynamic school system.
History:
The city's name comes from an old Creek community in Alabama. When members of that community moved to Oklahoma along the Trail of Tears and founded a new community, they named it after their old settlement in Alabama. The town's Creek name was Rekackv (pronounced thlee-Kawtch-kuh), meaning broken arrow. The new settlement was located several miles south of present-day downtown Broken Arrow. Decades later, the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad built a railroad, which ran through the area. MKT was granted town site privileges along the route. For the first decades of Broken Arrow's history, the town's economy was based mainly on agriculture. The coal industry also played an important role, with several strip coal mines located near the city in the early 20th century. The city's newspaper, the Broken Arrow Ledger, started within a couple of years after the city's founding. Broken Arrow's first school was built in 1904. The city did not grow much during the first half of the 1900s. During this time, Broken Arrow's main commercial center was along Main Street. Most of the city's churches were also located on or near Main Street as well. In the 1960s, Broken Arrow began to grow from a small town into a suburban city. The Broken Arrow Expressway was constructed in the mid-1960s and connected the city with downtown Tulsa, fueling growth in Broken Arrow. The population swelled from a little above 11,000 in 1970 to more than 50,000 in 1990, and then more than 74,000 by the year 2000.
Economy:
Although Broken Arrow continues to grow, sustainable economies are not built solely on residential growth. Now it is time to focus attention on diversifying the community's economic base and developing an economic development strategy that provides a long-term vision for high-impact, high-wage business growth and ensures exceptional employment opportunities for the region's residents. This long-term strategy is not about real estate development, nor is it about the recruitment of one or two businesses to fill empty space. The strategy is about creating a sustainable economy built on a 21st century paradigm. Experts point out that information and knowledge are replacing capital and energy as the primary wealth-creating assets in today's economy. Technology and knowledge are now primary production factors. Technological advances allow information to be instantly transmitted across the world, and the primary competitive advantage a company possesses is its process of innovation and its ability to derive value from information. This requires that employees contribute innovative ideas to increase productivity and quality, reduce costs, and develop solutions rather than merely point to problems. To succeed, workers need more education, advanced skills, and a culture that is adaptable to the rapidly changing world in which their employers operate Broken Arrow is home to a wide range of businesses and industries. Some of the city's employers that are more notable include FlightSaftey International, Blue Bell Creameries, Skycam, Windstream Communications.
Tourism:
Start by visiting the Safari's Interactive Animal Sanctuary, a wildlife rescue and safe haven park for more than 200 animals, from big cats to primates and bears. History buffs should not miss the Broken Arrow Historical Society Museum, a treasure trove that features a genuine Civil War-era log cabin. For the golfer in the group, the Battle Creek Golf Club offers 18 holes with a pro shop, restaurant, driving range, and putting green on site. Located within 15 minutes of downtown Tulsa, this golf club features beautiful, rolling topography with over 100 ft changes in elevations. There are four and five oversized tee boxes at each hole to accommodate or challenge any ability. GPS golf carts are also available. Finally, located in what was once the heart of Indian Territory, the Broken Arrow Historical Society Museum features several themed and interactive exhibits in unique settings. For example, visitors to the museum will enjoy a genuine and complete, hand-hewn Civil War-era log cabin and a 1930s jail cell.