We are always discussing about the progress of OKC & Tulsa, what about the progress of rural mid-sized cities like Muskogee, Enid, Ada, McAlester, Ardmore, Duncan, Bartlesville, etc...passed through Ardmore a few weeks back and they have an impressive convention center and hotel going up next to I-35.

Ardmore Convention Center

http://www.ardmoredevelopment.com/images/uploads/_eemiddledistance.gif

Historic Aldridge Hotel in McAlester, renovated into housing about 10 years ago:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/5616244465_14d6f22ae1.jpg

Bartlesville is by far and away the best. It has world a class skyscraper and downtown. With COP moving out of Ponca, B-Ville has thrived.

It is definitely Bartlesville. I would say that Muskogee is also very surprising for these things.

In Ada, there is alot of construction going on, like there will be a new bigger movie theater, they just open a new bigger Dollar Tree, and a Rue 21 is coming in, I keep hearing rumors of other stores like Ross and Gamestop that wants to come in.

Ada has also created an Arts District and is incorporating the synergy from the new Multi-million dollar ECU performance hall.

Yeah, I saw an article about that. It was pretty intriguing.

Ada is also getting a Goodwill store opening March 2, can't wait till it opens.

I think Hobart should be included in this one. It is definitely one of the smaller towns doing its job to create a downtown with life. It has a lot of stuff happening in the downtown and is a great place to visit!

Anybody else know of any other small towns that are doing great. I know some stuff about Pawhuska and its resurgent downtown, but it hasn't been made public yet. All I have to say is Pioneer Woman is going to have a huge impact on that town! It will be the small town to visit in 3-5 years with shops, b&bs, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

I have been meaning to drive up to Bartlesville some time and check out the Frank Lloyd Wright tower (Price Tower) up there. Has anyone ever been? I was looking over the website recently and unless I'm mistaken it looks to me like in addition to being a museum they also have hotel rooms in the tower that can be stayed in. That would be really cool to do.

Anybody else know of any other small towns that are doing great. I know some stuff about Pawhuska and its resurgent downtown, but it hasn't been made public yet. All I have to say is Pioneer Woman is going to have a huge impact on that town! It will be the small town to visit in 3-5 years with shops, b&bs, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

I wouldn't be too sure since Pawhuska has been losing population and is not close to an interstate highway. But perhaps its downtown has become a Business Improvement District(BID). Downtown Stillwater is this way and has definitely helped it live with the competition presented from two super Wal-Marts and strip malls.

I think Hobart should be included in this one. It is definitely one of the smaller towns doing its job to create a downtown with life. It has a lot of stuff happening in the downtown and is a great place to visit!


Hobart, like much of southwestern Oklahoma, has been losing population, too, so what's stimulating its downtown? By having life, does it even mean something is open after 5pm? Maybe it's an interesting place to visit, like Altus, but I couldn't imagine living in such a remote part of Oklahoma.

I have been meaning to drive up to Bartlesville some time and check out the Frank Lloyd Wright tower (Price Tower) up there. Has anyone ever been? I was looking over the website recently and unless I'm mistaken it looks to me like in addition to being a museum they also have hotel rooms in the tower that can be stayed in. That would be really cool to do.

Yes it operates as a hotel, they have a website.

I think Hobart should be included in this one. It is definitely one of the smaller towns doing its job to create a downtown with life. It has a lot of stuff happening in the downtown and is a great place to visit!

Anybody else know of any other small towns that are doing great. I know some stuff about Pawhuska and its resurgent downtown, but it hasn't been made public yet. All I have to say is Pioneer Woman is going to have a huge impact on that town! It will be the small town to visit in 3-5 years with shops, b&bs, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

These are pretty vague statements. Care to elaborate on what all these small towns are doing? It's not like most people know what small town Oklahoma is up to.

In Stillwater, its rumored that the Quad Graphics building where Rolling Stone and ESPN magazines were once printed is going to be bought out by a company that wants to start making its own components related to energy, rather than having it outsourced.

It's also rumored that another firm related to energy wants to buy Mercury Marine. It may employ up to 1500 people, probably more than Mercury ever had employed. If any party is interesting in buying the Mercury Marine plant, then it's priced at 8.5 million dollars and has 715,000 sq. ft.

These are pretty vague statements. Care to elaborate on what all these small towns are doing? It's not like most people know what small town Oklahoma is up to.

They did shoot a movie in Pawhuska and the surrounding area that should come out soon. It stars Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Jessica Chastain, Amanda Peet, Javier Bardem, and a bunch of other up and coming stars.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1595656/

There might also be another movie shooting there soon based on the play Osage County written by a lady in Tulsa. They have casted Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts so far.

Anyways the Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond lives nearby and has a tv show on the Food Network and is a famous blogger. They film some of her show in Pawhuska but most is on her ranch.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-pioneer-woman/index.html
http://thepioneerwoman.com/

I can't say much more about Pawhusks because things haven't been announced, but it is about to be a little tourist destination! They are working on hotels, b&bs and new restaurants as well as more museums and tourist destinations. They already have the Tallgrass Prairie Reserve, Osage County, and Osage Nation museums as well as Woolarac Museum, ranch, and wildlife preserve nearby.

Here is Hobart.

http://www.hobartok.com/

I have been meaning to drive up to Bartlesville some time and check out the Frank Lloyd Wright tower (Price Tower) up there. Has anyone ever been? I was looking over the website recently and unless I'm mistaken it looks to me like in addition to being a museum they also have hotel rooms in the tower that can be stayed in. That would be really cool to do.

Yes, it is an awesome tower and pretty cool museum. Bartlesville is really doing great in the last 4 years due to ConocoPhillips investing a lot of jobs in the town.

I wouldn't be too sure since Pawhuska has been losing population and is not close to an interstate highway. But perhaps its downtown has become a Business Improvement District(BID). Downtown Stillwater is this way and has definitely helped it live with the competition presented from two super Wal-Marts and strip malls.

There are local investors spending a lot of money to fix up the old five story buildings in town. They have one of the largest historic districts in the state. They had a building boom in the 1900-1920s due to oil money. It is in the middle of nowhere, but because of this has kept its charm and does not have a Wal-Mart.

Since nobody has said anything on this thread in a while, i got an update on whats going on in Ada, Hampton inn is buliding a new motel west of Santa fe steakhouse, Gamestop bought the old Blockbuster video store and they are taking over one side of the building and the other half is a rumored Shoe Dept., A new movie theater is being build, and it was just annouced that a bioenergy plant is being bulit here.

Durant has added many businesses within the past several years. A La Quinta is almost complete. Hampton Inn, Best Express Inn, Microtel Inn (now Choctaw Lodge), and Holiday Inn Express were recently finished. Whataburger, Lowe's, Wendy's, Chicken Express, a new Braum's, a second Sonic, Sports City Cafe, Billy Sim's, Walgreens, Blockbuster, Taco Mayo, Arby's, Hibbett Sports, Rue 21, Game Stop, Cato, the Shoe Dept., Pizza Inn, Rib Crib, Chili's, several more banks, Big Lots, a Big Lots distribution center, a glass manufacturer (Cardinal Glass), the Texoma Regional Eye Center, a new building for the Bryan County Health Dept. in the medical district, new buildings each for the police department and Oklahoma Hwy Patrol, 2 new fire department buildings, a new library and community center, at least 5 shopping centers and among others have also recently been added. New exit ramps have been built from Hwy 69/75 onto University Blvd which is prospected to spur even more development. Several years ago, downtown Durant's sidewalks were redone and landscaped, along with new downtown businesses and restaurants. A new high school was finished about 2 years ago with a student capacity of 1,200, it is beautiful! Also can't forget the Choctaw Casino Resort which added major additions several years ago, including a 12 story hotel, a small waterpark, an event center, a huge RV park, additional gambling floor (total of 220,000 sq. ft. of gambling floor), and employing around 3,000! The terminal at Durant Regional Airport was recently renovated, along with new taxiways. A new basketball arena, academic building, dormitories, and a new student union were added to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Durant Multi-Sports Complex was complete a few years ago with plans to still expand, right now it has around 7 soccer fields, 8 baseball/softball fields, and a football field. A Discount Tire and CVS are currently under construction. Also under construction is the Hwy 70 bypass to the south of Durant. I'm sure I've forgotten more, but I never realized how much has been going on in Durant!

I confess to not reading this entire thread, but as far as progressive small towns are considered, Tahlequah should be one of the first mentions. Wonderful downtown, nice music scene, great bars and restaurants, nice arts and cultural scene (with genuine hipsters and bohemians), a beautiful university, and many wonderful outdoor recreational amenities. If I were an old person looking to retire, it would be at the top of the list.

Durant has added many businesses within the past several years. A La Quinta is almost complete. Hampton Inn, Best Express Inn, Microtel Inn (now Choctaw Lodge), and Holiday Inn Express were recently finished. Whataburger, Lowe's, Wendy's, Chicken Express, a new Braum's, a second Sonic, Sports City Cafe, Billy Sim's, Walgreens, Blockbuster, Taco Mayo, Arby's, Hibbett Sports, Rue 21, Game Stop, Cato, the Shoe Dept., Pizza Inn, Rib Crib, Chili's, several more banks, Big Lots, a Big Lots distribution center, a glass manufacturer (Cardinal Glass), the Texoma Regional Eye Center, a new building for the Bryan County Health Dept. in the medical district, new buildings each for the police department and Oklahoma Hwy Patrol, 2 new fire department buildings, a new library and community center, at least 5 shopping centers and among others have also recently been added. New exit ramps have been built from Hwy 69/75 onto University Blvd which is prospected to spur even more development. Several years ago, downtown Durant's sidewalks were redone and landscaped, along with new downtown businesses and restaurants. A new high school was finished about 2 years ago with a student capacity of 1,200, it is beautiful! Also can't forget the Choctaw Casino Resort which added major additions several years ago, including a 12 story hotel, a small waterpark, an event center, a huge RV park, additional gambling floor (total of 220,000 sq. ft. of gambling floor), and employing around 3,000! The terminal at Durant Regional Airport was recently renovated, along with new taxiways. A new basketball arena, academic building, dormitories, and a new student union were added to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Durant Multi-Sports Complex was complete a few years ago with plans to still expand, right now it has around 7 soccer fields, 8 baseball/softball fields, and a football field. A Discount Tire and CVS are currently under construction. Also under construction is the Hwy 70 bypass to the south of Durant. I'm sure I've forgotten more, but I never realized how much has been going on in Durant!

I don't think Durant's growth is authentic, raw growth. I think most of this development is from the DFW Metroplex bleed over as Durant is now included in the DFW Metroplex combined statistical area.

I've never been there but downtown Miami looks pretty good.

Do a search on The Coleman Theater.

Durant has added many businesses within the past several years. A La Quinta is almost complete. Hampton Inn, Best Express Inn, Microtel Inn (now Choctaw Lodge), and Holiday Inn Express were recently finished. Whataburger, Lowe's, Wendy's, Chicken Express, a new Braum's, a second Sonic, Sports City Cafe, Billy Sim's, Walgreens, Blockbuster, Taco Mayo, Arby's, Hibbett Sports, Rue 21, Game Stop, Cato, the Shoe Dept., Pizza Inn, Rib Crib, Chili's, several more banks, Big Lots, a Big Lots distribution center, a glass manufacturer (Cardinal Glass), the Texoma Regional Eye Center, a new building for the Bryan County Health Dept. in the medical district, new buildings each for the police department and Oklahoma Hwy Patrol, 2 new fire department buildings, a new library and community center, at least 5 shopping centers and among others have also recently been added. New exit ramps have been built from Hwy 69/75 onto University Blvd which is prospected to spur even more development. Several years ago, downtown Durant's sidewalks were redone and landscaped, along with new downtown businesses and restaurants. A new high school was finished about 2 years ago with a student capacity of 1,200, it is beautiful! Also can't forget the Choctaw Casino Resort which added major additions several years ago, including a 12 story hotel, a small waterpark, an event center, a huge RV park, additional gambling floor (total of 220,000 sq. ft. of gambling floor), and employing around 3,000! The terminal at Durant Regional Airport was recently renovated, along with new taxiways. A new basketball arena, academic building, dormitories, and a new student union were added to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The Durant Multi-Sports Complex was complete a few years ago with plans to still expand, right now it has around 7 soccer fields, 8 baseball/softball fields, and a football field. A Discount Tire and CVS are currently under construction. Also under construction is the Hwy 70 bypass to the south of Durant. I'm sure I've forgotten more, but I never realized how much has been going on in Durant!
Wow, how impressive! It looks like Durant has been in a big, big hurry to catch up to Stillwater. What next to catch up? Wal-Mart #2? It's taken Stillwater for the last 15 years to get most of those stores and hotels mentioned. The very low income of college students and overall lack of industrial development, leading to slow income growth, has kept a damper on rapid business development in Stillwater over the years.

I don't think Durant's growth is authentic, raw growth. I think most of this development is from the DFW Metroplex bleed over as Durant is now included in the DFW Metroplex combined statistical area.

Where do you see Durant lumped in with DFW Metroplex combined statistical area? Does it also include Gainesville?

Where do you see Durant lumped in with DFW Metroplex combined statistical area? Does it also include Gainesville?

Dallas?Fort Worth metroplex - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas-Fort_Worth,_TX-OK_Combined_Statistical_Area#Combined_Statistical_ Area)

Durant, Ok is included as well as Gainesville, Tx

I believe a shopping center, a golf course, and a bigger waterpark are in the plans to be built adjacent to Choctaw Casino Resort as well. The Choctaw Nation has well overgrown their current office complex in Durant and have plans to eventually build a new headquarters. A Choctaw cultural center is also in the works.

I'm surprised that Durant was never lumped with the Sherman-Denison metropolitan area, but yes, Durant (Bryan County) was added to the DFW CSA back in February or March of this year, the only Oklahoma county to be a part of the DFW CSA. There are, indeed, many DFW transplants living in Durant now.

I'm surprised that Durant was never lumped with the Sherman-Denison metropolitan area, but yes, Durant (Bryan County) was added to the DFW CSA back in February or March of this year, the only Oklahoma county to be a part of the DFW CSA. There are, indeed, many DFW transplants living in Durant now.

You mean retired people? Because the drive to work to Dallas is an hour and a half. Who wants to be on the highway for 3 hours a day?

You mean retired people? Because the drive to work to Dallas is an hour and a half. Who wants to be on the highway for 3 hours a day?

I meant people who have relocated from DFW to Durant. But I do know a few people who commute from Durant to DFW, and vice-versa.

The Hampton Inn has open up in Ada, we are also getting an Aldi store, some exciting things going on in Ada.

The Hampton Inn has open up in Ada, we are also getting an Aldi store, some exciting things going on in Ada.

The Chickasaw Nation is apparently a very big player down there. They employ a lot of people and they've poured a lot of money into that economy. They even have their own police force. Still not sure how that works with the Ada PD. Anyone know?

You mean retired people? Because the drive to work to Dallas is an hour and a half. Who wants to be on the highway for 3 hours a day?

You talk to builders in North Texas and they'll tell you that highway 75 all the way from downtown Dallas to Durant will one day be one big huge development. Through Plano, East Frisco, Allen, McKinney on up to Sherman-Denison and Durant.
And they're dead serious. Try buying land on Highway 75 to Durant. If you find it, expect to shell out enormous sums of money.

You talk to builders in North Texas and they'll tell you that highway 75 all the way from downtown Dallas to Durant will one day be one big huge development. Through Plano, East Frisco, Allen, McKinney on up to Sherman-Denison and Durant.
And they're dead serious. Try buying land on Highway 75 to Durant. If you find it, expect to shell out enormous sums of money.

I've lived no further than 10 or 15 minutes from work all my life, so I'll never be able to relate to these folks who think they're getting a pretty damned good deal in life from a drive to work every day, which takes over an hour to get there.

Rural areas for the most part don't seem to be faring too well in this day and age. I know western Kansas has towns that are slowly but surely dying and becoming ghost towns as the older population dies off and the younger generation moves to larger cities. It's the same story almost everywhere you go. My guess is in Oklahoma, the most thriving rural areas are either small towns within the economic market over a major city, such as Shawnee or Guthrie, or towns that have some sort of major college or military presence pumping up their economy. Places like Enid, Lawton, and Stillwater come to mind.

Rural areas for the most part don't seem to be faring too well in this day and age. I know western Kansas has towns that are slowly but surely dying and becoming ghost towns as the older population dies off and the younger generation moves to larger cities. It's the same story almost everywhere you go. My guess is in Oklahoma, the most thriving rural areas are either small towns within the economic market over a major city, such as Shawnee or Guthrie, or towns that have some sort of major college or military presence pumping up their economy. Places like Enid, Lawton, and Stillwater come to mind.

Ardmore is booming. I-35 halfway between OKC and Dallas. That city has changed so much over the last 15 years.

Since the last update I posted, La Quinta, IHOP, Discount Tire, CVS, two car dealerships, a tile manufacturing and distribution center, an asphalt blending plant, a metal fabrication and welding business, and a Choctaw Nation food distribution center have opened. Another car dealership is about to break ground and three shopping centers, an apartment complex, a huge church, and a heart medical center are under construction. A new one million gallon water tower will soon be erected in northern Durant. Our local McDonald's was demolished and completely rebuilt, and the Pizza Hut was renovated. Blockbuster has closed but a Movie House and AT&T have taken it's place in the building. There are rumors that a Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Golden Corral (all part of a new development called Durant Town Center), and an Aldi are in the works. The western half of the Highway 70 bypass has opened as well, and State Highway 78 is currently being expanded to four lanes in northern Durant. A cultural center for the Choctaw Nation is closer to fruition, and a stickball field was recently built! Also, the expansion to the casino resort is underway including a 22-story hotel, a bowling alley, a movie theater, and more restaurants and shops. According to City-Data, 86 new single-family house building permits were issued in 2012 (no data for 2013), the highest amount since 1997. Durant's population has grown 24.7% from 2000 to 2013, and 6.5% from 2010 to 2013 to an estimate of 16,891 (according to the Census).

Ardmore is booming. I-35 halfway between OKC and Dallas. That city has changed so much over the last 15 years.

Yep... We have owned land in Ardmore for about 10 years now and spend most weekends, and plan to retire, there. It is amazing how much things have changed.... Downtown Ardmore has really gone through a renaissance of sorts and is always packed on Friday and Saturday nights. They have a vibrant performing arts culture going on there too.

And while I'm no fan of chain restaurants..... They are building a Chick-fil-a at Rockford and 12th.

If you are in the area be sure and go downtown and check out the antique shops and boutiques that have popped up and also try places like Ten Star Pizza, Red Dirt Brewery, Cafe Alley, and Edamame.... All are kicking out top notch food.

The Chickasaw Nation is apparently a very big player down there. They employ a lot of people and they've poured a lot of money into that economy. They even have their own police force. Still not sure how that works with the Ada PD. Anyone know?

The Ada PD works with the Chickasaw police on different things, so its good that they work together, speaking of the the Ada PD, there getting a new police station, the fire department is getting a new station, Ada is also building a new sports complex and downtown is getting improvements.

Yep... We have owned land in Ardmore for about 10 years now and spend most weekends, and plan to retire, there. It is amazing how much things have changed.... Downtown Ardmore has really gone through a renaissance of sorts and is always packed on Friday and Saturday nights. They have a vibrant performing arts culture going on there too.

And while I'm no fan of chain restaurants..... They are building a Chick-fil-a at Rockford and 12th.

If you are in the area be sure and go downtown and check out the antique shops and boutiques that have popped up and also try places like Ten Star Pizza, Red Dirt Brewery, Cafe Alley, and Edamame.... All are kicking out top notch food.

It's certainly not the only reason for the boom, but Ardmore's downtown benefitted greatly from a long-running and very successful Main Street program.

It's certainly not the only reason for the boom, but Ardmore's downtown benefitted greatly from a long-running and very successful Main Street program.

Yes they have... In the last 10 years it has gone from ghost town to destination.... I was sad when The Cellar closed their doors recently. That chef was turning out some high caliber meals.

The only thing I have really seen take a turn for the worse in Ardmore is the BBQ scene.... When we bought our land there were several locally owned Q-raunts that turned out solid Q..... Since then all but one have gone out of business and now a Rib Crib has moved in and is always busy...... I guess I need to start offering classes down there to teach people about good BBQ. :wink:

I take it Budro's has dropped off? I went there a couple of times close to ten years ago and thought it decent. Not life-changing, but good.

Of all the small, rural towns and cities, in Oklahoma, that we drove through, on three relatively recent road trips, there was something about Poteau that really impressed me. I can't put my finger on just what it was that left such a positive impression, but Poteau had such a good vibe to it along with a nice, old downtown section with a great little (very popular) restaurant. I was also "wowed" by Bartlesville, but I wouldn't consider it "rural." Pawhuska is apparently trying to make a comeback, but it struck me as a once vibrant little city on the verge of "ghost-townism."

I take it Budro's has dropped off? I went there a couple of times close to ten years ago and thought it decent. Not life-changing, but good.

I ate at Budro's twice and did not enjoy either visit. They still do a pretty good business. Parking lot is always full on weekends.

Expect to see development along the Red River continue for the forseeable future between I-35 and U.S. Highway 75. There have been some challenges (Pointe Vista - Golf, Marina & Resort (http://www.pointe-vista.com/)), but the confluence of the states of Oklahoma and Texas, the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations and growth of the DFW Metroplex make it a natural. In my opinion, real property on the Oklahoma side is far more visually attractive and desirable than that on the Texas side.

Agree completely. This area reminds me a lot of what you are seeing in Eastern Pennsylvania with NYC/NJ pushing out that way.

Texans buying up property in OK has actually been a "thing" for some time now. Much lower property taxes is the main draw. Also, I find Southern OK to be far more scenic than anything in N Texas. Over time I image the scarcity of water rights in TX will continue to push people north of the Red River.

Speaking of taxes, part of the reason Durant has had a ton of success in luring logistics firms is these types of companies are usually very land-intensive. One could cut their property tax in half just moving 10-15 miles north. I was actually quite surprised to see Bryant County growing much faster than Grayson County TX across the Red River.

Of all the small, rural towns and cities, in Oklahoma, that we drove through, on three relatively recent road trips, there was something about Poteau that really impressed me. I can't put my finger on just what it was that left such a positive impression, but Poteau had such a good vibe to it along with a nice, old downtown section with a great little (very popular) restaurant. I was also "wowed" by Bartlesville, but I wouldn't consider it "rural." Pawhuska is apparently trying to make a comeback, but it struck me as a once vibrant little city on the verge of "ghost-townism."

Poteau is actually fairly reliant on Fort Smith, Arkansas. By and large it is a bedroom community like El Reno is to OKC. Towns like that, currently, are doing well. If there is ever a strong push towards urbanism in America they could be in trouble.

If Conoco hadn't decimated Ponca City, it would easily be one of the classiest towns in the state. But now, they struggle. It's still a nice little town though.

Last I heard, the smaller towns in Oklahoma were actually starting to grow again. That is awesome considered they've been on a downwards spiral since the 90's, if I recall right. I heard it was mainly because of the oil boom. I just really hope that they reinvest in their core and revitalizing their main streets instead of sprawling out.

If you have't seen it yet, Chickasha has an awesome downtown. It's huge compared to what I thought it would be. I went down there to pick up a fridge for a friend, and I was completely amazed. What an awesome little city!

https://www.google.com/search?q=Chickasha&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ymLEU7SxLcTtigKiy4CQDA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAw&biw=1280&bih=909#q=Chickasha+downtown&tbm=isch

I've never been to Chickasha but I love their city hall! It was formerly the post office and a federal courthouse. I like it much more than Durant's city hall, lol.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2092/2128702771_e1beae0baf_z.jpg

It was a pity that downtown Stillwater was never able to develop impressively. Now the biggest and highest building there is probably the county jail.

What about Guymon, OK? I haven't been there but I've always seen the OK Panhandle as somewhat of an exotic place.

Here is the only picture I could find of the main drag.

http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=AQA6hlXC7ehO0EiC&w=720&h=476&url=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia% 2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F6%2F66%2FStratford%252C_Texas. jpg%2F720px-Stratford%252C_Texas.jpg

Just curious.... When we say 'progressive' are we speaking in terms of political affiliation or developmental terms?

I've never been to Chickasha but I love their city hall! It was formerly the post office and a federal courthouse. I like it much more than Durant's city hall, lol.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2092/2128702771_e1beae0baf_z.jpgDurant is such a cool city!

Just curious.... When we say 'progressive' are we speaking in terms of political affiliation or developmental terms?

I would say developmental terms. There isn't any politically progressive towns like Santa Fe, NM or Lawrence, KS in Oklahoma that I am aware of.

Poteau is actually fairly reliant on Fort Smith, Arkansas. By and large it is a bedroom community like El Reno is to OKC. Towns like that, currently, are doing well. If there is ever a strong push towards urbanism in America they could be in trouble.

There is the proverbial "Bluebird of Happiness" . . .
And then there is the drizzled **** of the "Blackbird of Negativism" . . .
Thanks for the reminder, amigo. =)

Always look on the bright side and keep on the sunny side of the street!
(unless you are a JoyVampire, of course . . . =)

Durant is such a cool city!

I agree! I love it here in Durant.

Somehow . . . I think that most of the smaller, effectively developed population centers outside of TheUrbanSpawlsMetroplexes that all of the Neo-Re-Urbanists seem to be seeking for a better local environment--including good sidewalks and a modicum of genuine friendliness--would resent being referred to as "progressively RURAL" . . . =)

(sorry . . . just returned from An ACTUAL Major League City/Cities, visit to . . . with a different perspective on OKC/etc.* =)

*the land in which I live and that which I really do love.
(if it is possible to actually "love" land.....)

I would say developmental terms. There isn't any politically progressive towns like Santa Fe, NM or Lawrence, KS in Oklahoma that I am aware of.

Guess you've never been to Tahlequah, have you?