Oklahoma City, OK Condos For Sale

The largest municipality in the state, Oklahoma City is the state capital with over one million residents in the metro area.  As the downtown area continues to undergo a renaissance in both housing and retail, the city is expanding in many other aspects as well.  More attractions for tourism are opening and a variety of job opportunities are becoming available as more industry moves into the area.  Oklahoma City offers many amenities, job possibilities, and low living costs to both new and current residents.

Oklahoma City is a Sports City

The Oklahoma City Thunder professional basketball was acquired from Seattle in 2008. The Thunder has seen recent success, winning the Western Conference Finals and finishing second to the Miami Heat in 2012. In addition to the professional basketball team, the Oklahoma City RedHawks Triple-A baseball team plays in affiliation with the Houston Astros. The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University, and Oklahoma State University all play in the area and occasionally schedule special events at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Big 12 Baseball Tournament, as well as the NCAA Women’s College World Series, is hosted in Oklahoma City on an annual basis. Horse racing enthusiasts can take in the races at Remington Park, and there are other equine events yearly at the state fair. Additionally, Oklahoma boasts several golf courses and country clubs that include tennis courts.

Museums and Theaters

Many activities are available in Oklahoma City for art- and theater-lovers. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art, featuring the most extensive collection of Chihuly glass in the world, is housed at the Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center downtown. The Oklahoma City Ballet, traveling Broadway shows, and other concerts perform at the Civic Center Music Hall, while many theater companies can be seen at the Stage Center for the Performing Arts. Other smaller theaters abound in the city, each offering a variety of art and theater performances on an almost nightly basis. Scholars and scientists may be more interested in the exhibits and IMAX theater at the Science Museum Oklahoma or in the displays of the Museum of Osteology, home of more than 300 preserved animal skeletons. Sociology buffs can visit the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, or the American Banjo Museum for a day of national treasures. The Oklahoma History Center displays the history of Oklahoma from prehistoric times until today. Commemorating the Oklahoma City bombing and honoring the victims and survivors is the Oklahoma City National Memorial in the northern end of the city.

OKC Parks and Recreation

Entertainment and beauty flourish in the parks of Oklahoma City. The Myriad Botanical Gardens feature the prominent Crystal Bridge that can be seen from around downtown, as well as the Water Stage amphitheater, the home of Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park productions. The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden also displays the flora and fauna of the city for a small admission fee. The city’s two amusement parks, Frontier City and White Water Bay, offer very different experiences: Frontier City’s “old west” theme includes an authentic western main street and OK Corral gunfight, while White Water Bay has water park fun for the whole family. Trails line the Oklahoma River, downtown canal, and Lakes Hefner and Overholser, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and those looking to relax along the city’s inland shores. A public park is located in each quadrant of Oklahoma City, as planned by the city’s architects. Conservatories and gardens are built into these parks and are available for patrons to visit. Renamed the Mat Hoffman Action Sports Park in 2005 to recognize native resident and BMX champion Mat Hoffman, the Oklahoma Skate Park is rated one of the ten best by the National Geographic Society.

History of Oklahoma City

When the United States government relocated Native American tribes around the country in the 1800s, most of them were pushed into parcels of land in the Oklahoma Territory. However, there was on area that was never designated for any particular tribe, and that area became known as the Unassigned Lands. Because the Unassigned Lands were open and no one was living there, many citizens began moving onto the area without permission in the 1880s. These unauthorized squatters were known as the “Boomers,” and their mission was to coerce the country’s government into allowing homesteaders to live on the land. Finally, on March 2, 1889, legislation that opened the Unassigned Lands to settlers was signed by President Benjamin Harrison.

Citizens who were interested in living on the unclaimed land gathered at the boundaries of the Unassigned Lands on April 22, 1889, waiting for the sound of cannon fire to signal a free-for-all race to the available grounds. A few anxious settlers crept into the Unassigned Lands under cover of nightfall to stake a claim to the lands before everyone else; these people became known as the “Sooners,” which would later become the mascot of Oklahoma University. When the cannon fired on that April day, almost 10,000 people clamored into the Unassigned Lands to stake their claims; this sprint for claims became known as the Land Run. Chaos ensued as people fought and bled over boundary disputes. Leaders and a provisional government were established to restore order to the new group of citizens, and a rudimentary Chamber of Commerce and basic railroad lines were soon created.

By the time that Oklahoma was officially made a state in 1907, the population in Oklahoma City had doubled, and the city had become a center of commerce. With a growing population and increasing industry, a petition was circulated in 1910 to move the state capital to Oklahoma City; the city soon won the honor, and the capitol building was erected and dedicated in 1917. The Oklahoma City Field, perhaps the city’s most significant financial resource, was discovered in 1928. More than 110,000 barrels of oil gushed from the original discovery before it was capped and the city could begin taking advantage of its natural resource.

Oklahoma City became a major stop on the historic Route 66, the highway that runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California. Emigrants traveling west during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression often traveled along Route 66, leading to more residents who just never left the city. After World War II, the Interstate Highway System began to be constructed, and Oklahoma City became a major interchange between several interstate highways. This expanded the city’s Route 66 travel center status, and it encouraged the development of Tinker Air Force Base in the city.

Although the Pei Plan of the 1970s demolished many historical, architecturally-rich buildings in downtown Oklahoma City, more recent projects such as the Metropolitan Area Projects have worked to rebuild the city center. Focusing on activities and civic projects, Oklahoma City has constructed a new baseball park, a new central library, made renovations to the civic theater and convention center, and dug a water canal. The water taxis of the downtown water canal have significantly added activity in the entertainment district of the city. Because of these construction projects, housing downtown has also seen an increase in popularity.