Posted in Oklahoma State Pride January 31, 2023 by

These 3 Small Towns Were Once Home To Oklahomans That Changed The World

Oklahoma has a long and storied history, especially with regard to the early pioneer days and the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. These three small towns in Oklahoma have brought the world several truly extraordinary people whose lives have had quite an impact. We love sharing wonderful places with you, especially when they are the roots from which some amazing people have sprung.

1. Oologah is a tiny town northeast of Tulsa where you might stop for gas on a road trip, and seems unremarkable, save for it being the birthplace of Will Rogers, who was one of the most famous people of his time.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Considered "Oklahoma's Favorite Son", he was a humorist, actor, radio personality, traveler, and writer known for his charm and sharp wit.
William Lord Wright/Wikimedia Commons
Will was famously known for his quote, "I never met a man I didn't like". He traveled the world three times over, made 71 films, was the highest-paid actor of his time, and wrote over 4000 nationally syndicated newspaper columns, often lampooning political figures and other influential people with a folksy, good-natured sense of humor.
Oologah, OK 74053, USA
2. Nofire Hollow is barely a town. A few scattered buildings and a lot of wild nature near the eastern edge of Oklahoma.
Google Maps
This land birthed someone you might recognize from films like "Last of the Mohicans" and "Dances With Wolves". Wes Studi was born into the Cherokee Nation, he was the first Native American in the United States to win an Oscar.
Wes Studi/Facebook
His intense eyes and warrior's countenance give him a sense of ferocity and power on the screen and he has been instrumental in bringing awareness to Native American culture. He taught the Cherokee language and was essential in establishing a Cherokee-language newspaper.
Nofire Hollow, Welling, OK 74471, USA
3. Claremore is the largest of our three small towns and while it was Will Rogers' adopted hometown with his face being shown everywhere, it owes recognition to one of the most famous and influential singers of the 20th Century, Patti Page.
Trent Pollard/Google Maps
She deserves to have at least as many memorials, having sold over 100 million records in her 60-year career.
Popsie/Wikimedia Commons
Patti was born Clara Ann Fowler and was the most famous female country and pop artist during the 1950s and 1960s with songs like "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming", "Tennessee Waltz", and "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window". She was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and was honored after her passing with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2013.
Claremore, OK, USA

If you’d like to see more of Oklahoma’s history, take a look at these 15 historical landmarks as well as these 11 historic hidden gems. What are your favorite places in Oklahoma? Let us know in the comments!

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