| Welcome to the Barred Owl's Oklahoma infromation site |
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| Oklahoma was once home to the Clovis Culture until around 500-1300 CE when the Spiro Mound Builders made their presence known in what is now the eastern part of the state. Much later the explorer Coronado traveled through Oklahoma in 1541CE where he came across what we know today as the Osage, Quapaw, Kiowa, Apache, and the Comanche Nations. 262 years later, after Oklahoma was sold to the United States as a part of the Louisiana Purchase, there was great change to the culture and population. In 1820 the lands south and west including the pan handle, of what would later become Indian Territory due to the Indian Removal Act of 1830, were opened up for Settlement. Due to the lack of established law in the unassigned lands Outlaws reigned supreme. Examples of the famous outlaws of the unassigned lands of Oklahoma during the 1880s are Belle Starr and Bill Doolin, leader of the Doolin Gang that included three other outlaw women. (Cattle Anne, Little Britches, and Rose E. Dunn "Rose of the Cimarron") Pressure to establish law and to open up the vacant lands in the assigned areas lead the Congress of 1885 to give permission for people now known as the "Boomers" to settle in what is now Oklahoma City. These people included Polish, German, Irish, and many Slavic immigrants as well as many other peoples adding a total of 10,000 more people. In the early 1890s pressure was put on Congress to open the lands already assigned to the Indian Nations. The greatest land run was held on April, 19th of 1892 and the last land run was held on May 23rd of 1895. By November 16th 1907 Oklahoma Territory and the Indian Territory were joined to become the 46th state in the Union. Currently Oklahoma is made up of 69,919 square miles with about 24% being forest. There is also more shore line in Oklahoma than the Atlantic and Gulf coast put together. Oklahoma has four moutian ranges called the Ouachitas, Arbuckles, Wichitas, and Kiainchis with the highest peek being the Black Mesa of 4,973ft. According to a 2004 survery our population is an estimated 3.54 million with the meadian age of 36. The largest populations reside in Oklahoma, Tulsa, Cleveland, Comanche, and Canadian counties. The ethnic demographics of Oklahoma are: 72.9% White (non-Hispanic), 8.1% American Indian, 7.7% Black, 6.3% Hispanic, 1.5% Asian, and 3.5% Other. Oklahoma State Matto: Labor Omnia Vincit (Labor Conqures All Things) State Tree: Redbud Cercis canadensis State Flower: Indian Blanket Gaillardia pulchella State Rock: Rose Rock Barite rose State Bird: Scissor-Tailed flycatcher Muscivora forficate State Insect: Honeybee Apis mellifera ~*~I bet you already know the Oklahoma State Song!~ *~ |
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