TULSA, Okla. — Happy birthday Oklahoma! Nov. 16 marks 117 years since Oklahoma was granted official statehood.
Oklahoma's history dates back to the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the lands now making up the Sooner State was added as a major addition of territory to the United States.
Throughout the next century, many people migrated to the area, including multiple Indian tribes that were relocated there by the U.S. government. By 1900, over 30 Indian tribes were in Indian Territories and other new residents called the Oklahoma territories home.
In fact, Oklahoma gets its name from combining Choctaw Indian words okla and humma into one, meaning "red people."
On Nov. 16, 1907, after people living in both territories voted in favor of becoming a state, then President Roosevelt issued a Presidential Proclamation admitting Oklahoma as the 46th state in the United States.
After officially becoming a state, Oklahoma then became a center for oil production and much of the Sooner State's early growth comes from that industry,
In fact, Oklahoma's State Capitol building is the only state capitol that has an oil well underneath it. In 1941, the "Petunia Number One" well was slant drilled through a flowerbed to reach an oil pool. Nowadays, Oklahomans and visitors can actually see the well touring Oklahoma's capitol.
Not long after statehood, Oklahoma would experience tough times across the state.
On May 31 and June 1, 1921, tensions in Tulsa exploded. Enraged by rumors a black youth allegedly sexually assaulted a white girl, a mob of several thousand white Tulsans orchestrated a violent attack on the Greenwood District, also known as Black Wall Street. Up to thirty-five square blocks and more than a thousand homes were ruined.
It is still unknown how many people died and were injured during the Tulsa Race Massacre, even a hundred years later.
Oklahoma then suffered from droughts and gusty winds, on top of a struggling economy during the Great Depression in the 1930s. These conditions destroyed many farms and created many dust storms across the state.
The Dust Bowl era would drive Oklahomans from the state to move out west. They became known as Okies, which back then was considered a derogatory term. Today, being an Okie is far from an insult, but rather a badge of honor for many.
World War II would put a rise and demand for oil and gas which would grow Oklahoma's economy and bring people from all around the world to the state for the next several decades.
Tragedy would strike Oklahoma once again on April 19, 1995, when a truck bomb exploded and destroyed parts of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The act of terrorism killed more than 169 people and injured more than 500. Every year, people come together to remember those lost and those who acted in the recovery efforts at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
Oklahoma is known for many other things, including the celebrities born here and brought the Sooner State into the spotlight. Some famous Oklahomans include:
- Woody Guthrie
- Blake Shelton
- Toby Keith
- Brad Pitt
- Reba McEntire
- Kristin Chenoweth
- Leon Russell
- Mickey Mantle
- Shannon Miller
- Brian Bosworth
Oklahoma is also a growing hotspot for tourists due to its bordering 6 states. The Sooner State offers many museums, up to four mountain ranges to visit, annual festivals and events, plus so much more all across the state for visitors to enjoy.
While it hasn't been without its challenges, Oklahoma's history is still going strong. Here's to another 117 years!
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