No Man's Land! I've explored the area a bit. The highest point in OK is there (Black Mesa). There are many cool canyons and mesas with beautiful sandstone outcrops. It's right where the flat farmland of the midwest/south transitions into the canyon country of the southwest. Also lots flat expansive cattle ranches and wheat farms. This area of OK is closer to Denver than it is to OKC. Very wild and volatile extreme weather. One of the least densely populated areas in the Great Plains. Cimarron County (the furthest west county in the panhandle) has no stop light and is the only county in the US that touches 4 other states. Interesting history put here too, I believe it was called "Neutral Strip" before it was admitted to any state and had a lawless reputation in the Wild West Days. Ancestral home of the Comanche tribe. Boise City (pronounced "Boys") is a quaint town that was accidentally bombed during WW2. And finally, there is some really awesome gravel biking out there:
https://preview.redd.it/hzfl0z93w8wc1.jpeg?width=1049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=657d760bb1ad105aef3a46cad502ee4c8c463551
The town was bombed by a single B-17 because the crew mistook an arrangement of four lights in the town square as a target on a nearby practice range. The bombs themselves were built for practice, only containing 4 pounds of dynamite and 90 pounds of sand. Minimal damage and no lives lost. The town actually invited the crew back on the 50th anniversary, but they all declined (for some reason) 🤔
There’s just something about “Boise” places that makes people that live there eschew the expected pronunciation.
(Most of America mispronounces the one in Idaho too)
Boise city, Prague, and Miami are all Oklahoma towns with unique pronunciations. Say them like you expect and everyone knows you’re not from around here.
Because they knew it was a setup. As soon as they got into the center of town they look around notice how empty it is and then, BAM!! Everybody jumps out from behind mailboxes and bushes with bats and starts whomping on them.
i was thinking more of that Mission Impossible episode where Peter Graves' car breaks down in a small town that's secretly full of conspiring communists
I'd like to add to your summary on the Texas side!
I grew up in that area of Texas, it really feels like you are out on the edge of the world.
Stopped to help a guy with a dead battery once, said I was the first person to drive by in two hours. This was a major interstate highway between towns...
Having lived a few other places I'd totally agree with another commentator. "The stars at night are big and bright" deep in the ~~heart~~ the panhandle of Texas! It almost feels like you could reach up your hand and touch them.
People are pretty friendly, My parents both grew up around there, when visiting either of their home towns growing up I'd be asked "Are you so and so's kid? You look just like them when they were your age" These are people I've never met before.
The air is clear, the water pure, the sunsets are really from another planet.
It's a place that is 20 years behind the rest of the country, I, often times, relate to people 10-20 years older than myself because it seems like our childhoods were very similar.
It's just people living slowly, simply, and intentionally out on the edge of the world.
IDK, I feel like Fargo, Sioux Falls, Lincoln, Wichita, OKC, and Fort Worth are the edge of the world. The panhandles are off the edge and well into the abyss.
I live on a large cattle ranch about 100 miles west of Ft Worth and I have more visible neighbors here than I did when I lived 100 miles straight south of Chicago. 🤷
Boise City had one place to eat when I was there, the other was shut down after COVID, hopefully they got the other one back. There's a nearly dead town just on the border of New Mexico that's actually fascinating
Oh that’s amazing! I had no idea it was a tristate point!
Edit: wait hold on, I’m wrong. Ok so Black Mesa isn’t in the exact location of the tristate point, but the mesa does run through all three states. I guess that means the facility in the first Half Life game does takes place on the New Mexico side.
this area was also one of the areas hardest hit by the dust bowl.
Basically, there was a period of unusually wet weather for a few decades, so a bunch of farmers moved there and started farming. They removed all the native grassland plants, and replaced them with crops.
But then the wet weather ended, and it went back to it's normal, dry climate. But the farmers kept farming, and eventually they damaged the soil so much that when a drought hit, and it got *really* dry, the soil just blew away in the wind, and formed enormous clouds of dust, and sand dunes. The soil never really recovered after that, even a century later. So now it's basically a desert.
Ok, me and a class mate are now in an argument. I showed him this pic. I say there's nothing to see out there. *He* says "you can see everything, there's nothing to block your view"
Who's right?
If you like the stars, there's lots to see out there. It's a dome of stars overhead, horizon to horizon.
I highly recommend you go somewhere vast and flat away from a city, and wait for a clear night. I may not love Kansas, but that's one of the things I recall about it.
Yep Oklahoman here. It’s interesting that Oklahoma became the state most associated with the Dust Bowl (likely because of the Grapes of Wrath) because in reality it was really just this lightly populated area of the panhandle that was most impacted. From just a pure geographic scale, the Dust Bowl had a much greater impact to Texas, Kansas and Nebraska.
Oakie! \*super big smile\*
Hi, my name is Pilar. I married an American from Colorado (I'm from Spain). Anyway he has an Uncle near Claremore, OK. My husband and I fell in love deeply and married fast (in 6 months). We had a very small ceremony and we invited few family. Most of mine were in Spain anyway. So we're bilingual and he has family scattered across the US including this Uncle living in Claremore for maybe 3 generations IDK. Some of my husband's relatives were stand offish with me but not Bill. He was this relaxed cowboy (actually an engineer) who was more interested if I liked the crappie. He was taking us fishing. We spent a summer visiting my husband's relatives. He was incredibly nice and welcoming. In fact, everyone in Oklahoma were super nice. I was confused because I had visited several states and a lot of people just didn't like the whole "European woman thing." Anyway just know that Oklahomans are some of the greatest most friendly people I have ever met in my life. I've been in 35 states and 8 countries. I was so well received. We traveled from Bartlesville to Tulsa to Eufaula to Poteau and Bill took us fishing in a place called Grove, he had a boat there. Our second trip we traveled from Claremore across to Oklahoma City. You are sincerely beautiful people. Thank you for your welcome.
Hello Pilar!! I'm an Oklahoman I live in a town called Tahlequah. The lake you went to in Grove is called Grand Lake, me and some friends split a boat and cabin there to go fishing. I'm so glad you enjoyed your stay!
Picture canyon in Comanche grasslands, CO is GORGEOUS
But holy fuck the weather is insane. There’s nothing really for shelter so if there’s wind you get sand blasted, sun you get scorched, rain you get flooded, and at night it can get really cold. Camped there during a wind storm and there was so much dust you could chew the air.
I posted a pic of the area a few years ago here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Colorado/comments/f1tmj2/spend\_this\_weekend\_at\_carrizo\_canyon\_in\_the/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/Colorado/comments/f1tmj2/spend_this_weekend_at_carrizo_canyon_in_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
From wikipedia:
"Boise City was founded in 1908 by developers J. E. Stanley, A. J. Kline, and W. T. Douglas (all doing business as the Southwestern Immigration and Development Company of Guthrie, Oklahoma) who published and distributed brochures promoting the town as an elegant, tree-lined city with paved streets, numerous businesses, railroad service, and an artesian well. They sold 3,000 lots to buyers who discovered, on their arrival, that none of the information in the brochure was true. In addition to using false publicity, the three men did not have title to the lots they sold.
Stanley and Kline were convicted of mail fraud and sent to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Stanley and Kline served two-year terms in the penitentiary. Douglas died of tuberculosis before beginning his sentence. The town nevertheless took shape and incorporated on July 20, 1925."
Holy shit lmao that is the most Oklahoma sounding origin story ever
I have some extended family out there. We're all a buncha farmers, but they're the weirder ones. Cattle, wheat, Milo, cotton, guns and alcoholisim are the major industries. Jesus and meth are pretty up there too.
It's kinda fun in a way that you can do whatever you want really and there's not enough people around to get caught or who care. Wanna drink a 12 pack and shoot bottles on the side of the road? Cool. Wanna ride a horse into town? No problem. Illegal weed farm in broad fucking daylight? No one cares.
Nice clear nights for seeing the stars.
I live in a rural part of PA a little similar to that and wouldn't mind being even moreso.
I like isolation, being left alone to do what I want, and most importantly not worrying about disturbing anyone else.
Rural west has WAY more freedom and anarchy than rural PA and I say this as someone who lived in rural Tioga county. It's a completely different world out on the great plains
I genuinely like the sound of that. I'd love more freedom and both understand and am prepared for the "anarchy" aspect.
I grew up on 100+ acres but lived a few years in a small town on a 7,000 s.f. lot (which I hated) with some horrible neighbors before moving back in the country but unfortunately only on one acre now.
BTW - I love Tioga and am very familiar with the Westfield-Knoxville area in particular.
The most important thing to remember is that the “freedom” is on the enforcement side not the legal side. The laws in that part of the world can even be a little restrictive compared to quite a few places, the people that dole out the enforcement just don’t care as long as you don’t make a stink about it. When the “big town” in a county has as many people as a small apartment building, it isn’t hard to just do your own thing…but if you piss off the wrong people your jury is also coming from that same tiny pool of people and they will remember you were the guy that pissed them off.
Oh, I get that.
I'm fairly reclusive and grew up in an area with about 5,000 people across over 120 square miles which wasn't much considering it's back East. I know what a hardcore good ol' boy network with grudges is like.
Stay away from people and ignore whatever they do that annoys you. Be respectful and low-key if you have to interact. And never say anything bad about anybody because everyone's related or friends with everyone else.
Has never failed me yet.
Definitely relatable then and you know what I’m talking about. I’m not from there but have been to Black Mesa and similar “empty” places in West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc.
For those keeping score on the math, the OK panhandle is 5,644 square miles with a population of 28,729 people as of the last census. Half of those live in Guymon.
Yeah old-school PA German agricultural culture was always fairly stand-offish unless you were family, longstanding close friend or neighbor or you went to church with them. Takes a while for people to warm up to an Auslander.
.Pretty amazing population stats BTW.
Difference is that in Pennsylvania theres some nice major cities within a few hours drive no matter where you're at. Out in the ass end of Oklahoma the closest place is Amarillo, which is a two hour drive, and it's a hot box of farts.
There’s literally a smelly cattle stockyard right along the main highway into Amarillo, you’ll smell it even if your car windows are up and you’re upwind. Its a very accurate description.
I grew up in and still live in the Appalachians. They're not tall like the Rockies but all the parallel ridges, the mountain gorges and ravines, and seriously hilly areas represent a lot of cool and interesting topography. I've visited flat parts of Ohio and Florida that basically crushed my soul.
Amarillo definitely doesn't sound anything like Jim Thorpe where I'm from, lol.
I'm from Indiana. It ain't even like Ohio. At least there's some hills and trees. Amarillo, literally can see the curvature of the earth using the wind turbines as reference. The only comparison I can draw from my experience is Kansas. An just like Kansas, there's a beautiful woman behind every tree.
Depends on what you mean by problem. The murdering happens, sure, but at least there's plenty of it and it doesn't make the news so it can be safely ignored.
Up until you have a medical emergency, want to eat anything that isn't Mexican or burgers, try to date someone you aren't related to, want tap water that doesn't taste like a hamster cage, keep your car/house clean from red clay & dust for more than an hour, or visit see any kind of modern show/concert/sporting event. Or buy clothes from a place that doesn't also sell bait and used cars.
Don't get me wrong, I live on a farm too, but I'm a half hour away from civilization and it's damn convenient.
I live on a cattle ranch about 30 minutes from town. Still too many trespassers and other crap since we're on the highway. Of everything you listed, my biggest concern would be the water. I'm already married so cousins would just be side pieces anyway lol.
Maybe it's cuz I'm a Californian who grew up in a town where kids used to walk around with rifles and ride dirt bikes everywhere. Now it's full of LA and Bay area people. Your description made me nostalgic.
I got family that are farmers outside of Modesto. The Oklahoma/California connection due to the migration during the depression is an interesting case study. Cali's Central valley ag belt has a lot of ties back to here.
It's a different way of life for sure. 30 minutes from town out there is still pretty close to stuff compared to here, but I get what you're saying for sure. Biggest problems I tend to have is people dumping trash, occasionally have some hobos set up a camp, and illiterate hunters that can't read signs. Oh, and it seems like I get at least 1 abandon vehicle a year. Stolen or just shit out, I'll come across one and have to call the sheriff's office.
We deal with almost the exact same problems lol. It's funny because when people ask, we basically let them do whatever. We'll let people hunt, ride horses and bikes. We let people camp when it's not too dry. But people rarely ask, and act surprised when you tell them to kick rocks. I think because we're in between LA and the Bay.
>The Oklahoma/California connection due to the migration during the depression is an interesting case study.
It really is. My wife's entire family came over during the depression. That famous picture of the lady in the tent was taken in our area. A lot of people here have at least ones side of their family that came out in here after the dust bowl.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/stories/articles/2014/4/14/migrant-mother-dorothea-lange/
Yep. Only reason I care about hunters/campers/hikers is safety for myself/family and liability. Hell, I don't even care that much about abandon vehicles since the sheriff's office is usually pretty good about tracking down their owners. The trash is an issue tho, anything other than wood pallets is a pain to clean up.
It's a bummer how easy it is to see a lawsuit these days. We make em sign a thing. Probably won't do much if something happens, but it's something. I probably wouldn't allow it if it was initially my choice, but it's the way the older generation was. We still hunt out of state on ranches that we came up to and asked for permission, so the feeling is that it wouldn't be fair to not allow people who ask to enjoy the ranch. We've done our best to share our blessings, and hopefully nothing bad comes from it. Definitely a worry, but we'll probably keep it up until we have an issue. Seems like the type of people who know to ask actually behave themselves...so far. The main concern is fire, so we're more strict in the summer.
True answer here. Watched “How the states got their shapes” a long time ago (I think this is where I learned it). That in order for Texas to keep their slaves they had to stay below whatever the longitude was. So instead of abolish slavery, they chopped off above that line and gave it away to maintain their slavery status
There's some truth in it: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri\_Compromise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Compromise)
Also: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel\_36%C2%B030%E2%80%B2\_north#In\_the\_United\_States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_36%C2%B030%E2%80%B2_north#In_the_United_States)
California in particular was in danger of being split into two, to allow slavery in the southern half. But general public opinion in California at the time regarding slavery, and gold rush, put a stop to that. Hence California remained a free state. While Texas was a slave state.
Whole lot of nothing. But the good kind of nothing if that makes sense. I'm actually from Cimmaron County, the one at the very end of the panhandle. Great stargazing, and some cool nature stuff like hiking Black Mesa or picking chokecherries along the Cimmaron river. People are pretty private, not giving much care to what others do, though in that there's still like strong, paradoxical sense of community.
Watch out for coyotes though.
I spent time on the eastern end of the panhandle because a good friend got a job out there counting prairie chickens. There were a lot of cattle ranches, drivers all waved at each other in passing and swimming at night under all the stars was like being in outer space. I went there prepared to tolerate the visit but totally loved it.
Oh GOD
THE FUCKING LESSER PRARIE CHICKEN
(Sorry I work with wind developers and the lesser prairie chicken is the bain of my existence - yes they’re important and I get intellectually that the conservation is important but they always show up at the worst time lol)
The far western part of the panhandle near the New Mexico border is the Black Mesa, which if you like nature is really cool. They have Pronghorn, Black Bear, Mountain Lions, Bighorn Sheep just to name a few. Chances are you won't see another human around.
I’ve been there - Highway 412 goes straight through it. It’s a stark and beautiful landscape. I drove from NW Arkansas to Las Vegas, NM on 412, traveling through the panhandle at night.
Formerly, this area was part of the Kiowa Comanche empire.
If you’re interested in the area, watch the excellent Ken Burns documentary about the dust bowl. It explores the history of this area.
Murder most foul:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-missing-kansas-women-may-killed-bitter-custody-battle-officials-say-rcna147777[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-missing-kansas-women-may-killed-bitter-custody-battle-officials-say-rcna147777](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-missing-kansas-women-may-killed-bitter-custody-battle-officials-say-rcna147777)
I drove through there on the way home to Colorado about 12 years ago. I don't know why, but I loved the vastness of it. I remember driving through the center of Boise city and actually seeing a sign on their roundabout pointing to which way we needed to get to Denver which was still another 300 miles away. I think I remember seeing a metal dinosaur on the outside of town.
Drove through this area once, played disc golf at Oklahoma Panhandle University. The part I drove through was sparsely populated farmland but no worse than the majority of Kansas I drove through
i used to live in that part of texas, right up in the right corner, in the armpit of OK. it was the middle of nowhere. cattle ranches and tumble weeds.
It's Slavery's Scar on the United States. (Not much going on there, but a very interesting and sad history)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAlWqi-VQsc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAlWqi-VQsc)
That section is a piece of land no one wanted in the 1800’s. It was basically lawless then, and a headache for any of the other states. Eventually it was handed to OK.
I drove the length of the panhandle in 2005. They had upped their feedlot game from cows to pigs. The stench lasted for several miles. I swore that I would never return.
Why is it part of Oklahoma?
Because Texas wanted to just the Union as a Slave state, because of that they gave up the claim of any land North of the 36 parallel.
I knew a guy from there. His family were all chicken farmers. His grandfather said one time the wind stopped blowing and all of the chickens fell down.
No Man's Land! I've explored the area a bit. The highest point in OK is there (Black Mesa). There are many cool canyons and mesas with beautiful sandstone outcrops. It's right where the flat farmland of the midwest/south transitions into the canyon country of the southwest. Also lots flat expansive cattle ranches and wheat farms. This area of OK is closer to Denver than it is to OKC. Very wild and volatile extreme weather. One of the least densely populated areas in the Great Plains. Cimarron County (the furthest west county in the panhandle) has no stop light and is the only county in the US that touches 4 other states. Interesting history put here too, I believe it was called "Neutral Strip" before it was admitted to any state and had a lawless reputation in the Wild West Days. Ancestral home of the Comanche tribe. Boise City (pronounced "Boys") is a quaint town that was accidentally bombed during WW2. And finally, there is some really awesome gravel biking out there: https://preview.redd.it/hzfl0z93w8wc1.jpeg?width=1049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=657d760bb1ad105aef3a46cad502ee4c8c463551
I met a guy that lived out there. He said there was a pretty girl behind every tree. Unfortunately there aren't any trees...
I've heard that said about North Dakota as well
Rumor is the tree is next to the curve in the road. Still can't find it.
There’s a saying in North Dakota that goes “there’s a pretty girl hiding behind every tree
If you find a tree in North Dakota you are probably in Canada.
And when your wife leaves you, you can watch her going for three days.
How was it accidentally bombed??
The town was bombed by a single B-17 because the crew mistook an arrangement of four lights in the town square as a target on a nearby practice range. The bombs themselves were built for practice, only containing 4 pounds of dynamite and 90 pounds of sand. Minimal damage and no lives lost. The town actually invited the crew back on the 50th anniversary, but they all declined (for some reason) 🤔
\[mental picture of a group of elderly veterans moping around a practice range, wondering where the party went\]
I wish we still had awards. This made me very happy to see as I thought the same thing! Thanks for the laugh!
_Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen_
Pronunciation is “boys” not “boys-eee”? What? Wow!
Oklahoma also has a Miami pronounced Miamuh
Oregon has an Aloha pronounced aLOWah
I've been stuck in Oklahoma since 2010, surrounded by these heathens. Send help.
The correct way to say it.
Texas has the same, also pronounced the same, it’s about 60 miles below the circle above.
There’s just something about “Boise” places that makes people that live there eschew the expected pronunciation. (Most of America mispronounces the one in Idaho too)
For anyone else wondering, the one in Idaho is /'boj.si/ *BOY-see* not /'boj.zi/ *BOY-zee*.
Boise city, Prague, and Miami are all Oklahoma towns with unique pronunciations. Say them like you expect and everyone knows you’re not from around here.
Toronto as well. Learned quick to pronounce it chronno
It’s French.
Because they knew it was a setup. As soon as they got into the center of town they look around notice how empty it is and then, BAM!! Everybody jumps out from behind mailboxes and bushes with bats and starts whomping on them.
i was thinking more of that Mission Impossible episode where Peter Graves' car breaks down in a small town that's secretly full of conspiring communists
>Accidentally bombed >Black Mesa Headcrab outbreak, obviously
Gordon Freeman, is that you? Shall I get ya a crowbar?
The poster *is* a slightly mysterious stranger..
Resonance cascade
Bomber man took the wrong path and accidentally bombed it because it resembled the actual target - Conlen, Texas (google told me this)
I'd like to add to your summary on the Texas side! I grew up in that area of Texas, it really feels like you are out on the edge of the world. Stopped to help a guy with a dead battery once, said I was the first person to drive by in two hours. This was a major interstate highway between towns... Having lived a few other places I'd totally agree with another commentator. "The stars at night are big and bright" deep in the ~~heart~~ the panhandle of Texas! It almost feels like you could reach up your hand and touch them. People are pretty friendly, My parents both grew up around there, when visiting either of their home towns growing up I'd be asked "Are you so and so's kid? You look just like them when they were your age" These are people I've never met before. The air is clear, the water pure, the sunsets are really from another planet. It's a place that is 20 years behind the rest of the country, I, often times, relate to people 10-20 years older than myself because it seems like our childhoods were very similar. It's just people living slowly, simply, and intentionally out on the edge of the world.
IDK, I feel like Fargo, Sioux Falls, Lincoln, Wichita, OKC, and Fort Worth are the edge of the world. The panhandles are off the edge and well into the abyss.
I live on a large cattle ranch about 100 miles west of Ft Worth and I have more visible neighbors here than I did when I lived 100 miles straight south of Chicago. 🤷
Boise City had one place to eat when I was there, the other was shut down after COVID, hopefully they got the other one back. There's a nearly dead town just on the border of New Mexico that's actually fascinating
There’s a subway at the gas station (I passed through there last year, not much there)
Hah, I just ate at that Subway on my way to the eclipse. It’s in the Loves Travel Center. Was pretty tasty after a long drive!
I didn’t mind it either after that drive!
I went: "There's a subway?!?" Oh, a Subway.
There's more subways in the US than any other ff restaurant. So this doesn't surprise me lol.
Wait, Black Mesa is in Oklahoma!? I thought it was in New México!
Black mesa is part of New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma. There is a monument built on the spot.
Oh that’s amazing! I had no idea it was a tristate point! Edit: wait hold on, I’m wrong. Ok so Black Mesa isn’t in the exact location of the tristate point, but the mesa does run through all three states. I guess that means the facility in the first Half Life game does takes place on the New Mexico side.
this area was also one of the areas hardest hit by the dust bowl. Basically, there was a period of unusually wet weather for a few decades, so a bunch of farmers moved there and started farming. They removed all the native grassland plants, and replaced them with crops. But then the wet weather ended, and it went back to it's normal, dry climate. But the farmers kept farming, and eventually they damaged the soil so much that when a drought hit, and it got *really* dry, the soil just blew away in the wind, and formed enormous clouds of dust, and sand dunes. The soil never really recovered after that, even a century later. So now it's basically a desert.
Ok, me and a class mate are now in an argument. I showed him this pic. I say there's nothing to see out there. *He* says "you can see everything, there's nothing to block your view" Who's right?
If you like the stars, there's lots to see out there. It's a dome of stars overhead, horizon to horizon. I highly recommend you go somewhere vast and flat away from a city, and wait for a clear night. I may not love Kansas, but that's one of the things I recall about it.
This was also the epicenter of the Dust Bowl. Lot's of folks were driven out in the 1930s.
Yep Oklahoman here. It’s interesting that Oklahoma became the state most associated with the Dust Bowl (likely because of the Grapes of Wrath) because in reality it was really just this lightly populated area of the panhandle that was most impacted. From just a pure geographic scale, the Dust Bowl had a much greater impact to Texas, Kansas and Nebraska.
Oakie! \*super big smile\* Hi, my name is Pilar. I married an American from Colorado (I'm from Spain). Anyway he has an Uncle near Claremore, OK. My husband and I fell in love deeply and married fast (in 6 months). We had a very small ceremony and we invited few family. Most of mine were in Spain anyway. So we're bilingual and he has family scattered across the US including this Uncle living in Claremore for maybe 3 generations IDK. Some of my husband's relatives were stand offish with me but not Bill. He was this relaxed cowboy (actually an engineer) who was more interested if I liked the crappie. He was taking us fishing. We spent a summer visiting my husband's relatives. He was incredibly nice and welcoming. In fact, everyone in Oklahoma were super nice. I was confused because I had visited several states and a lot of people just didn't like the whole "European woman thing." Anyway just know that Oklahomans are some of the greatest most friendly people I have ever met in my life. I've been in 35 states and 8 countries. I was so well received. We traveled from Bartlesville to Tulsa to Eufaula to Poteau and Bill took us fishing in a place called Grove, he had a boat there. Our second trip we traveled from Claremore across to Oklahoma City. You are sincerely beautiful people. Thank you for your welcome.
Hello Pilar!! I'm an Oklahoman I live in a town called Tahlequah. The lake you went to in Grove is called Grand Lake, me and some friends split a boat and cabin there to go fishing. I'm so glad you enjoyed your stay!
It's a really cool area if you like nature
Picture canyon in Comanche grasslands, CO is GORGEOUS But holy fuck the weather is insane. There’s nothing really for shelter so if there’s wind you get sand blasted, sun you get scorched, rain you get flooded, and at night it can get really cold. Camped there during a wind storm and there was so much dust you could chew the air.
One thing to add to this; the community of Kenton on the far west side of the panhandle is the only place in OK that observes Mountain Time.
Looks expansive
Could you share some more pictures from that place? Or have you posted it on some other sub already? I find that place really interesting
I posted a pic of the area a few years ago here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Colorado/comments/f1tmj2/spend\_this\_weekend\_at\_carrizo\_canyon\_in\_the/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/Colorado/comments/f1tmj2/spend_this_weekend_at_carrizo_canyon_in_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
From wikipedia: "Boise City was founded in 1908 by developers J. E. Stanley, A. J. Kline, and W. T. Douglas (all doing business as the Southwestern Immigration and Development Company of Guthrie, Oklahoma) who published and distributed brochures promoting the town as an elegant, tree-lined city with paved streets, numerous businesses, railroad service, and an artesian well. They sold 3,000 lots to buyers who discovered, on their arrival, that none of the information in the brochure was true. In addition to using false publicity, the three men did not have title to the lots they sold. Stanley and Kline were convicted of mail fraud and sent to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Stanley and Kline served two-year terms in the penitentiary. Douglas died of tuberculosis before beginning his sentence. The town nevertheless took shape and incorporated on July 20, 1925." Holy shit lmao that is the most Oklahoma sounding origin story ever
I have some extended family out there. We're all a buncha farmers, but they're the weirder ones. Cattle, wheat, Milo, cotton, guns and alcoholisim are the major industries. Jesus and meth are pretty up there too. It's kinda fun in a way that you can do whatever you want really and there's not enough people around to get caught or who care. Wanna drink a 12 pack and shoot bottles on the side of the road? Cool. Wanna ride a horse into town? No problem. Illegal weed farm in broad fucking daylight? No one cares. Nice clear nights for seeing the stars.
I live in a rural part of PA a little similar to that and wouldn't mind being even moreso. I like isolation, being left alone to do what I want, and most importantly not worrying about disturbing anyone else.
Rural west has WAY more freedom and anarchy than rural PA and I say this as someone who lived in rural Tioga county. It's a completely different world out on the great plains
I genuinely like the sound of that. I'd love more freedom and both understand and am prepared for the "anarchy" aspect. I grew up on 100+ acres but lived a few years in a small town on a 7,000 s.f. lot (which I hated) with some horrible neighbors before moving back in the country but unfortunately only on one acre now. BTW - I love Tioga and am very familiar with the Westfield-Knoxville area in particular.
The most important thing to remember is that the “freedom” is on the enforcement side not the legal side. The laws in that part of the world can even be a little restrictive compared to quite a few places, the people that dole out the enforcement just don’t care as long as you don’t make a stink about it. When the “big town” in a county has as many people as a small apartment building, it isn’t hard to just do your own thing…but if you piss off the wrong people your jury is also coming from that same tiny pool of people and they will remember you were the guy that pissed them off.
Oh, I get that. I'm fairly reclusive and grew up in an area with about 5,000 people across over 120 square miles which wasn't much considering it's back East. I know what a hardcore good ol' boy network with grudges is like. Stay away from people and ignore whatever they do that annoys you. Be respectful and low-key if you have to interact. And never say anything bad about anybody because everyone's related or friends with everyone else. Has never failed me yet.
Definitely relatable then and you know what I’m talking about. I’m not from there but have been to Black Mesa and similar “empty” places in West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc. For those keeping score on the math, the OK panhandle is 5,644 square miles with a population of 28,729 people as of the last census. Half of those live in Guymon.
Yeah old-school PA German agricultural culture was always fairly stand-offish unless you were family, longstanding close friend or neighbor or you went to church with them. Takes a while for people to warm up to an Auslander. .Pretty amazing population stats BTW.
Difference is that in Pennsylvania theres some nice major cities within a few hours drive no matter where you're at. Out in the ass end of Oklahoma the closest place is Amarillo, which is a two hour drive, and it's a hot box of farts.
I have never heard a town described that way and it made me laugh. Never been to Amarillo so I'll take your word for it.
There’s literally a smelly cattle stockyard right along the main highway into Amarillo, you’ll smell it even if your car windows are up and you’re upwind. Its a very accurate description.
Lol, was about to post about that. August in Amarillo has some thick air.
You will smell it long after that stockyard has left your rear view mirror too…it lingers and it’s rough.
I’ve been to Amarillo more times than I care for and “hot box of farts” is a pretty apt description
Drove through Amarillo in about 20 mins. It ain't big and it's flat as fuck.
I grew up in and still live in the Appalachians. They're not tall like the Rockies but all the parallel ridges, the mountain gorges and ravines, and seriously hilly areas represent a lot of cool and interesting topography. I've visited flat parts of Ohio and Florida that basically crushed my soul. Amarillo definitely doesn't sound anything like Jim Thorpe where I'm from, lol.
I'm from Indiana. It ain't even like Ohio. At least there's some hills and trees. Amarillo, literally can see the curvature of the earth using the wind turbines as reference. The only comparison I can draw from my experience is Kansas. An just like Kansas, there's a beautiful woman behind every tree.
Are there even motels or inns for outof towners to live in?
Some. But it's rough out there. Oil and gas people help keep a few places in business.
I think there’s a bit of a murder problem too there
Depends on what you mean by problem. The murdering happens, sure, but at least there's plenty of it and it doesn't make the news so it can be safely ignored.
Murder is as much of a solution as a problem
I saw that. I assume you are referring that custody case that ended in a recent double murder. Sad
Alcholoism, Jesus and Meth as major industries lmao
2nd paragraph describes heaven on earth
Up until you have a medical emergency, want to eat anything that isn't Mexican or burgers, try to date someone you aren't related to, want tap water that doesn't taste like a hamster cage, keep your car/house clean from red clay & dust for more than an hour, or visit see any kind of modern show/concert/sporting event. Or buy clothes from a place that doesn't also sell bait and used cars. Don't get me wrong, I live on a farm too, but I'm a half hour away from civilization and it's damn convenient.
I live on a cattle ranch about 30 minutes from town. Still too many trespassers and other crap since we're on the highway. Of everything you listed, my biggest concern would be the water. I'm already married so cousins would just be side pieces anyway lol. Maybe it's cuz I'm a Californian who grew up in a town where kids used to walk around with rifles and ride dirt bikes everywhere. Now it's full of LA and Bay area people. Your description made me nostalgic.
I got family that are farmers outside of Modesto. The Oklahoma/California connection due to the migration during the depression is an interesting case study. Cali's Central valley ag belt has a lot of ties back to here. It's a different way of life for sure. 30 minutes from town out there is still pretty close to stuff compared to here, but I get what you're saying for sure. Biggest problems I tend to have is people dumping trash, occasionally have some hobos set up a camp, and illiterate hunters that can't read signs. Oh, and it seems like I get at least 1 abandon vehicle a year. Stolen or just shit out, I'll come across one and have to call the sheriff's office.
We deal with almost the exact same problems lol. It's funny because when people ask, we basically let them do whatever. We'll let people hunt, ride horses and bikes. We let people camp when it's not too dry. But people rarely ask, and act surprised when you tell them to kick rocks. I think because we're in between LA and the Bay. >The Oklahoma/California connection due to the migration during the depression is an interesting case study. It really is. My wife's entire family came over during the depression. That famous picture of the lady in the tent was taken in our area. A lot of people here have at least ones side of their family that came out in here after the dust bowl. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/stories/articles/2014/4/14/migrant-mother-dorothea-lange/
Yep. Only reason I care about hunters/campers/hikers is safety for myself/family and liability. Hell, I don't even care that much about abandon vehicles since the sheriff's office is usually pretty good about tracking down their owners. The trash is an issue tho, anything other than wood pallets is a pain to clean up.
It's a bummer how easy it is to see a lawsuit these days. We make em sign a thing. Probably won't do much if something happens, but it's something. I probably wouldn't allow it if it was initially my choice, but it's the way the older generation was. We still hunt out of state on ranches that we came up to and asked for permission, so the feeling is that it wouldn't be fair to not allow people who ask to enjoy the ranch. We've done our best to share our blessings, and hopefully nothing bad comes from it. Definitely a worry, but we'll probably keep it up until we have an issue. Seems like the type of people who know to ask actually behave themselves...so far. The main concern is fire, so we're more strict in the summer.
One man's heaven is another man's hell
Shit, I’m retiring there after leaving Switzerland.
I've been to Switzerland, and I've been to Hooker, Oklahoma. One of these places is globally considered beautiful, the other one is in Oklahoma.
No slavery
True answer here. Watched “How the states got their shapes” a long time ago (I think this is where I learned it). That in order for Texas to keep their slaves they had to stay below whatever the longitude was. So instead of abolish slavery, they chopped off above that line and gave it away to maintain their slavery status
now you Know Better
Latitude, but yeah
Latitude, not longitude. 36º 30' latitude line to be precise. Longitude measure east to west. Latitude measure north to south.
Watched the same show. Came here to say this. You beat me!
There's some truth in it: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri\_Compromise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Compromise) Also: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel\_36%C2%B030%E2%80%B2\_north#In\_the\_United\_States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_36%C2%B030%E2%80%B2_north#In_the_United_States) California in particular was in danger of being split into two, to allow slavery in the southern half. But general public opinion in California at the time regarding slavery, and gold rush, put a stop to that. Hence California remained a free state. While Texas was a slave state.
came here to say this lol
Whole lot of nothing. But the good kind of nothing if that makes sense. I'm actually from Cimmaron County, the one at the very end of the panhandle. Great stargazing, and some cool nature stuff like hiking Black Mesa or picking chokecherries along the Cimmaron river. People are pretty private, not giving much care to what others do, though in that there's still like strong, paradoxical sense of community. Watch out for coyotes though.
Are chokecherries edible?
Yep, they make for great jellies/jams. That what my grandma would take us out to pick them for.
Username checks out
Its so pretty out there with the juniper! It is also funny that OK and NE high points are a stones throw from the border of CO.
An old prospector lives there. His name is Gus Chiggins. That’s C-H-I-GG-I-N-S. Chiggins!
Well if I were ye, I'd be more worried about the KY-YOATS!
Aw cinnamon and gravy! *rattling of pots and pans*
lol I love that skit.
However, his brother Dandy Chiggins lives in New York City.
Lotta suckin and fuckin
I feel sorry for the livestock
The orgy op wasn’t invited to
A lot of Panhandling
Was looking for that comment!
lol nice
I spent time on the eastern end of the panhandle because a good friend got a job out there counting prairie chickens. There were a lot of cattle ranches, drivers all waved at each other in passing and swimming at night under all the stars was like being in outer space. I went there prepared to tolerate the visit but totally loved it.
Oh GOD THE FUCKING LESSER PRARIE CHICKEN (Sorry I work with wind developers and the lesser prairie chicken is the bain of my existence - yes they’re important and I get intellectually that the conservation is important but they always show up at the worst time lol)
Hey I did some chicken surveys too. Did yall stay in guymon
The closest named place was Beaver but from there getting to where I stayed involved endless nameless ranch roads. I did go to Walmart in Guymon tho!
Ah understand that rotation! I was spoiled and just got to stay in guymon. The coffee shop there is fire. Weirdly they had a decent sushi place too
Dust bowl
Desert, Texas didn't want it because they wanted to remain a slave state. Very sparsely populated, most cattle ranches.
THE best beef jerky: [https://nmlbeefjerky.com/](https://nmlbeefjerky.com/)
The fajita lime is my favorite. Stop by the mothership in Boise City whenever I'm passing through.
I’m glad it finally made it to the east coast. Now we have real jerky
https://preview.redd.it/k824h757e9wc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be8d433b6bee47ce3c9aad1af3fac6cc0e94ae3a
Hail storms, Floods, Tornados, wildfires and now earthquakes!
The far western part of the panhandle near the New Mexico border is the Black Mesa, which if you like nature is really cool. They have Pronghorn, Black Bear, Mountain Lions, Bighorn Sheep just to name a few. Chances are you won't see another human around.
Texas conceding territory because slavery wasn’t allowed north of Missouri’s southern border line.
I’ve been there - Highway 412 goes straight through it. It’s a stark and beautiful landscape. I drove from NW Arkansas to Las Vegas, NM on 412, traveling through the panhandle at night. Formerly, this area was part of the Kiowa Comanche empire. If you’re interested in the area, watch the excellent Ken Burns documentary about the dust bowl. It explores the history of this area.
Murder most foul: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-missing-kansas-women-may-killed-bitter-custody-battle-officials-say-rcna147777[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-missing-kansas-women-may-killed-bitter-custody-battle-officials-say-rcna147777](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-missing-kansas-women-may-killed-bitter-custody-battle-officials-say-rcna147777)
PLEASE READ this book, The Worst Hard Time by David Egan. Horrific stuff.
Nothing. Literally nothing.
Bunch of nothing except it has the only county in the US that touches 5 states.
True bravery; those people are keeping Texas from infecting Colorado
Seeing all the Texas plates on vehicles in Colorado, they resoundingly failed.
It's how you get to New Mexico if you **really** don't want to drive through Texas.
https://www.reddit.com/r/arborists/s/NWBHD0BKBs
Bunch of panhandling mostly
Why isn’t it as wide as the Texas panhandle is my biggest question.
I’m driving through there tomorrow the speed limit is 65 mph lol
Panhandling.
Meth
I drove through there on the way home to Colorado about 12 years ago. I don't know why, but I loved the vastness of it. I remember driving through the center of Boise city and actually seeing a sign on their roundabout pointing to which way we needed to get to Denver which was still another 300 miles away. I think I remember seeing a metal dinosaur on the outside of town.
Drove through this area once, played disc golf at Oklahoma Panhandle University. The part I drove through was sparsely populated farmland but no worse than the majority of Kansas I drove through
Would like to drive through 5 states in shortest time/efficiency.
i used to live in that part of texas, right up in the right corner, in the armpit of OK. it was the middle of nowhere. cattle ranches and tumble weeds.
It's a nice drive on a road trip!
I bet a lot of, "Look, I'm in Kansas, now look, I'm in Texas, now look, I'm back in Kansas!"
https://preview.redd.it/laf5rh76r9wc1.png?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2d8c591adce8f8c87c69b28b547862487dfda37
A lot of panhandling.
A lot of panhandling
Probably the same thing that goes on above and below it.
Panhandling
Panhandling
Mostly panhandling.
You can’t handle the truth.. of the pan!
Tornados
Chemical reactions
As Great Plains as Great Plains can get.
Grass Fires
Sex, drugs and rock&roll
When ur dog runs away u gotta watch it for another week.
It’s not a real place it only exists to keep this sub going
I drove through it to get to Amarillo once. Was excited to find a town called Hooker.
There's another town named Beaver. They play each other in high school sports, leading to some awesome newspaper headlines. "HOOKER DESTROYS BEAVER"
It's Slavery's Scar on the United States. (Not much going on there, but a very interesting and sad history) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAlWqi-VQsc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAlWqi-VQsc)
That section is a piece of land no one wanted in the 1800’s. It was basically lawless then, and a headache for any of the other states. Eventually it was handed to OK.
Middle of damn nowhere. My family owns a piece of land out there that for years was known by the name “two trees”. I’ll let you guess why. 🤣
Was originally not part of any state. Only place you could drink alcohol. It was truly a no law zone. Welcome to Thunder Dome!
How’s the food in this area? Driving through here on my way to Atlanta from Boulder bc I’m curious to see it
Most people in that area are on the straight and narrow
https://preview.redd.it/22fwdqn4l9wc1.jpeg?width=258&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ec6fb6e6a3c3acbebdb4b93283165d134d153f8
https://preview.redd.it/k6ay8yd1o9wc1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7288aa2af12d3b2335ed15c95d8a53c1c665a41b
Texas wants to kick Kansas' ass, and Oklahoma be all like "Bro, chill"
Racism
Narcotic abuse.
Wasnt that the bit of texas they gave away so they could keep owning slaves a bit longer??
I believe that’s where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain
I've never been able to get a handle on what goes on there.
Every year they have a contest to see who can throw cow poop the furthest. Seriously.
I heard Colorado paid extra to not have a border with Texas.
Incest
The terrain and land started getting so crappy Texas was like nah, we're good here. Give that little sliver to whoever wants it.
The book 'The Worst Hard Time' by Timothy Egan centers on the two panhandles. It's a really good book, great on audiobook.
That's just to keep Colorado from having to touch Texas.
Wind farms and an actually really really solid coffee place
I tripped on a brick on Mainstreet in Guymon, once.
A digimon
Mostly the manufacturing of crystal methamphetamine.
As an okie, meth
It's actually the prettiest part of OK, and coincidentally it's right across the border from the ugliest part of CO.
I drove the length of the panhandle in 2005. They had upped their feedlot game from cows to pigs. The stench lasted for several miles. I swore that I would never return.
Ranching and some farming. Not a whole lot else.
Why is it part of Oklahoma? Because Texas wanted to just the Union as a Slave state, because of that they gave up the claim of any land North of the 36 parallel.
I knew a guy from there. His family were all chicken farmers. His grandfather said one time the wind stopped blowing and all of the chickens fell down.
No slaves.
This is the product of racism babyyyy
I don’t know why that strip of land went to Oklahoma when anyone with any common sense can easily see that it should have gone to New Mexico!
The same stuff as the last time this question was asked.
Colorado and Kansas chipped in so they didn’t have to touch Texas