Oklahoma: Photos, Posters, and Prints

Oklahoma is neatly divided into four regions by Interstates 35 and 40. Oklahoma City lies at the center of the state, where the above mentioned highways intersect. It is the capital of the state and the largest city. Northeastern Oklahoma contains Tulsa, the second largest city in the state. Geography in the region consists of green rolling hills and tallgrass prairie. The Cimarron and Arkansas Rivers join west of Tulsa to form a large, man-made lake. There are several other large lakes in the region most of which support state parks along their shorelines. Southeast Oklahoma contains the highest mountains in the state, although the general elevation of the region is the lowest in the state. Southwestern Oklahoma contains the Red River and several small lakes. The Northwestern region of the state is characterized by high elevations and red soil that pervades the region.

Recreation opportunities in Oklahoma focus upon facilities provided by a varied state parks system. Many man-made lakes support facilities for boating, swimming, fishing, camping and picnicking. Rafting, kayaking, hiking, backpacking and mountain biking are popular activities enjoyed on the rivers and in the natural areas of the state.

Oklahoma is home to more Native American tribes than any other State except California, with 39 tribal headquarters and members of at least 67 tribes. While Native Americans have lived in Oklahoma for thousands of years, many tribes were forcibly relocated to this land when it was established as Indian Territory in the early 19th century. Today, visitors will find Native American art galleries, museums, historic sites, pow wows, dances and festivals. The Cherokee Heritage Center (outside Tahlequah), the Cheyenne Cultural Center (in Clinton), the Five Civilized Tribes Museum (in Muskogee), and numerous other sites all provide insight into Native American culture. Oklahoma is home to the longest driveable stretch of Route 66, with nearly 643km (400 miles) of ‘America’s Main Street’. Along an older route, the State saw cowboys and cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail. Oklahoma City is home to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, showcasing Western and Native American art and artefacts, the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, and the Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. Fortunes made in oilfields left a legacy in northeastern Oklahoma that includes mansions, museums, art galleries and Art Deco architecture. The Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa contains the world’s most comprehensive collection of art of the American West. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma! is still running at Discoveryland, in Sand Springs (outside Tulsa). Some 50 State parks and many other natural havens showcase Oklahoma’s 11 distinct ecoregions and plentiful unspoilt beauty, including Robbers Cave State Park, Greenleaf State Park, Beavers Bend State Resort Park, Roman Nose State Park, the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Alabaster Caverns State Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and the Talimena Scenic Drive through the Ouachita National Forest.