U.S.A. - Oklahoma - Tribes and Nations of Oklahoma & Indian Territories

OKLAHOMA
Tribes and Nations of Oklahoma & Indian Territories

Sent by Lisa from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

U.S.A. - Oklahoma - State Capitol Building

OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL
OKLAHOMA CITY
Situated among working oil wells on old Route 66, the Oklahoma State Capitol building is now complete with a concrete dome 87 years after the building's construction in 1915.

Sent by Lisa from Oklahoma City, USA.

The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature and executive branch offices. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. The present structure includes a dome that was completed in 2002. The building is a National Historic Landmark.

Oklahoma's first state capital was Guthrie, Oklahoma, but was moved to Oklahoma City in 1910. Construction began on the Oklahoma State Capitol in 1914 and was completed in 1917. Originally, it housed the judicial branch of Oklahoma, but the state's high courts moved to the Oklahoma Judicial Center in 2011.

The state capitol complex is the only state capitol grounds in the United States with active oil rigs.(read further)

USA - Oklahoma - Redbud Tree

REDBUD TREE
Oklahoma State Tree

Sent by Kimberley, a postcrosser from Oklahoma, USA.

"Eastern redbud is a small short-lived tree in the bean family.  It is common through most of the eastern and plains states, though it does not enter the far north.  Redbud is of little use as a timber species, but it is very important as an ornamental tree.  Many cultivars have been developed.  Redbud is cultivated for its bright pink flowers, which open in spring before the tree canopy leafs out.  Redbud is entirely leafless when it blooms, and its branches, covered with tiny pink flowers, stand out in the bare forest.  A white-flowered form occurs naturally, and is also of horticultural interest.  A variety of Eastern redbud, called Texas redbud, or Cercis canadensis var. texana ( = Cercis reniformis) is found in the United States only in Texas and Oklahoma.  However, Oklahoma’s designation of the redbud as state tree is not specific to any variety, and many botanists do not recognized the distinction of these western variants.  A cultivar Cercis ‘Oklahoma’ is called the “Oklahoma Redbud.”  It was developed from plants discovered in the Arbuckle Mountians of Oklahoma.  It is distinctive for its glossy and thick leathery leaves.  This cultivar is ideal for planting in sunny dry sites.

Look for: small tree, mature at 15 feet high, reaching 40 feet at most; broad heart-shaped leaves, typically green, but may be dark reddish or highly glossy in some forms or cultivars; flowers usually bright pink or sometimes deeper rose colored or white, small and numerous, shaped like a pea flower, and emerging directly from the twigs, branches and trunk of trees prior to the leaves in spring; fruit like a thin bean pod, turning brown in the fall."(Source)

USA - Oklahoma - Native American

 

OKLAHOMA
Each year many of the Native American tribes in Oklahoma host Pow Wow's featuring traditional dress, dances, customs and food.

Sent by Michael, a postcrosser from Tennessee, USA.

 

USA - Oklahoma - Mapcard

OKLAHOMA
The redbuds and flycatchers are popular signs in Oklahoma, as is the state flag which features an Osage Indian shield with seven eagle feathers. A peace pipe and an olive branch - symbols of peace - cross in front of the shield.

Sent by Dana, a postcrosser from Oklahoma, USA.

USA - Oklahoma - Pow Wow

Each year many of the Native American tribes in Oklahoma host Pow Wow featuring traditional dress, customs and food.

Sent by KC, a postcrosser from Texas, USA.

This is from Wikipedia : pow-wow (also powwow or pow wow or pau wau) is a gathering of North America's Native people. The word derives from the Narragansett word powwaw, meaning "spiritual leader". A modern pow-wow is a specific type of event where both Native American and non-Native American people meet to dance, sing, socialize, and honor American Indian culture. There is generally a dancing competition, often with significant prize money awarded. Pow-wows vary in length from one day session of 5 to 6 hours to three days. Major pow-wows or pow-wows called for a special occasion can be up to one week long.

The term also has been used to describe any gathering of Native Americans of any tribe, and as such is occasionally heard in older Western movies. The word has also been used to refer to a meeting, especially a meeting of powerful people such as officers in the military. However, such use can also be viewed as disrespectful to Native culture.

USA - Oklahoma - State Wildflower

Indian Blanket
Oklahoma's wildflowers create a colorful border along thousands of miles of Oklahoma highways. The Indian Blanket is one of the most vivid and spectacular of this naturally beautiful species and is Oklahoma's official state wildflower.

Sent by Amelia, a postcrosser from Tulsa in Oklahoma.

This is from Wikipedia : Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel, Indian blanket, Indian Blanketflower, or Sundance), is a short-lived annual flowering plant native to the central United States.

The branching stem of this plant is hairy and upright, growing to 60 cm (2 ft) tall. The leaves are alternate, mostly basal, 4–8 cm long, with edges smooth to coarsely toothed or lobed. The pinwheel, daisy-like inflorescences are 4–6 cm diameter, vividly colored with red, orange and yellow. The central disc florets of the flower head tend to be more red-violet, with the outer ray florets being yellow. In one variety, almost the entire flower is red, with only the barest tips of the pedals touched with yellow. It blooms practically year-round in some areas, but more typically in summer to early fall. The seed is an achene.

USA - Oklahoma - Golden Driller in Tulsa

TULSA, OKLAHOMA
The International Petroleum Exhibition Building on the Tulsa Fairgrounds is home to the giant "Golden Driller" of Tulsa. Constructed in 1966, he symbolizes Oklahoma's strong oil-based economy.

Sent by Keli, a Swap-Bot partner from USA.

This is from Wikipedia : The Golden Driller is a 76-foot-tall (23 m), 43,500-pound (19,700 kg) statue of an oil worker, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Although it is claimed to be the largest free-standing statue in the world, there are many taller statues. It is currently the third tallest statue in the United States.

It was originally built in 1953 by the Mid-Continent Supply Company of Fort Worth for the International Petroleum Exposition. Six years later, it was temporarily erected again for the 1959 show. Due to the positive attention it attracted, the company donated the statue to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds Trust Authority which had it permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center for the 1966 International Petroleum Exposition. The statue's right hand rests on an oil derrick which had been moved from a depleted oil field in Seminole, Oklahoma.

An inscription at the base of the statue reads: "The Golden Driller, a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind."

In 1979, the Golden Driller was adopted by the Oklahoma Legislature as the state monument.

As part of an online promotional contest sponsored by Kimberly-Clark in October 2006, the Golden Driller was named the grand prize as a top ten "quirkiest destination" in the United States, winning its nominator a $90,000 international vacation for two.

USA - Oklahoma - Oklahoma City Zoo - California Sea Lion

Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden
California Sea Lion - Sea lions are intelligent, playful and known for their distinctive barking. Meet our sea lions during the Fins and Feathers Show at the Noble Aquatic Center.

Sent by rakko, who is a sea lion trainer at the zoo.

This is from Wikipedia : The California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) is a coastal sea lion of western North America. Their numbers are abundant (188,000 U.S. stock 1995 est.), and the population continues to expand at a rate of approximately 5.0% annually. They are quite intelligent, can adapt to man-made environments, and even adult males can be easily trained. Because of this, California sea lions are commonly found in public display in zoos and marine parks, used for entertainment in circuses, and trained by the US Navy for certain military operations. This is the classic circus "seal", despite that it is not a true seal.

USA - Oklahoma - What Is a Sooner?

During the late 1800's, land runs were held in what is now Oklahoma. The name "Sooner" was used for those landrunners who snuck past the territory markers prior to the actual shotgun start in search of the best land areas.

Sent by Angelia, a Swap-Bot partner from Oklahoma.

USA - Oklahoma

Oklahoma is as exciting as it is diverse. The city is alive with civic and cultural attractions, and its beautiful scenery makes it an exciting city to work and play. Picture Top Left: Oklahoma City, Top Right: Beaver Creek, Bottom Left: Tulsa, Bottom Right: Lake Altus.

Received from Sherry (WishUponAHero.com)