Travel Guide Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is the state capital. It is home to approximately 580,000 people, excluding the urban area. The Chichashaws, Choctaws, Cherokees, Creeks and Seminoles shared the surrounding land before more than 10,000 settlers took possession of it on April 22, 1889, during the first Oklahoma land run. The discovery of oil in the city in December 1928 accelerated its development, just before the Great Depression brought unemployment and misery, which led to violent riots in 1931. The city had to wait until the Second World War to regain its dynamism with the involvement of many local businesses in the war effort. Beginning in the 1960s, Oklahoma City went through several difficult decades, and it wasn't until the early 2000s that the economy really picked up.The area around the Capitol, disfigured by oil development in the early 20th century, is not the most attractive. To go out and have fun, you have to go to the south of the city, to Downtown and Bricktown. In Downtown, among the interesting sites to see are: the OKC National Memorial & Museum, the OKC Museum of Art, the Civic Center Music Hall, the Devon Tower and the Myriad Botanical Gardens.The OKC National Memorial & Museum is a witness to the Oklahoma City car bombing of April 19, 1995, by two anti-government extremists, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. The bombing, which targeted the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, was the most destructive attack on U.S. soil before the 9/11 attacks. The death toll was 168 and nearly 700 were injured. The blast destroyed or damaged more than 300 buildings within a sixteen-block radius.Bricktown, also known as the Bricktown Entertainment District, is a former industrial district that was completely rehabilitated in the 1980s. It is now the liveliest neighborhood in Oklahoma City, with many restaurants, bars, nightclubs, shops, movie theaters and sports facilities. You can also take a boat ride on the Bricktown Canal to the Oklahoma City Boathouse District, south of I-40. Don't miss the Centennial Land Run Monument at the end of the route. An impressive work of art.Families can also choose to visit the theme parks of Frontier City Theme Park or White Water Bay. As for sports enthusiasts, they will undoubtedly be interested in some major sports facilities, such as the Chesapeake Energy Arena, formerly the Ford Center (100 W Reno Ave), with a capacity of 20,000 seats, which is home to the Oklahoma City Thunders NBA team.Oklahoma City also offers activities and shows that are very typical of the West. For example, a visit to the Oklahoma National Stockyard in Stockyards City (1305 S Agnew Ave) offers the opportunity to attend one of the largest livestock fairs in the world every Monday and Tuesday. On the equestrian front, rodeos and other horse events are held year-round at Oklahoma City's State Fair Park complex (3001 General Pershing Blvd). The International Finals Rodeo in January is a major event.