OKC: Did You Know

Although Oklahoma City is little more than a century old, OKC has a diverse history full of quirky characters and happenings. Here are some facts you might not know about this crazy cool place you call home. They might even help you win a trivia game or two:

• The Oklahoma capitol building (located in OKC) is the only capitol in the U.S. with an oil well under it.
• The shopping cart was invented here and the first parking meter was installed here.
• Three Miss America winners attended school at Oklahoma City University.
• Oklahoma City has not always been the capitol of Oklahoma. It was moved from Guthrie in 1910 following a vote by the people (and maybe a few late night shenanigans).
• The city was founded on a single day with the Land Run of 1889. The city grew to a population of more than 10,000 within an hour of its founding. (Even back then people knew this was the place to be.)
• Patience Latting became Oklahoma City’s first female mayor in 1971. She was the first woman to serve as mayor in a U.S. city with more than 350,000 residents.
• Oklahoma City was originally plotted as two different cities divided by the Oklahoma River, but the cities soon grew together.
• The American Banjo Museum, located in Oklahoma City, has a banjo collection valued at more than $3.5 million.
• Famous actor Lon Chaney, Jr., who played the Wolfman, Frankenstein’s Monster and many more favorites was born in Oklahoma City.