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Music Venues, Museums and Art Collections Dot Stillwater’s Cultural Landscape
With country music legend Garth Brooks as its most notable ambassador, Stillwater’s legendary Red Dirt genre of music continues to influence performers around the world. But there’s a lot more than music to Stillwater, which boasts a thriving arts community complete with theater, museums and more.
Red Dirt, loosely defined by a new generation of outlaw country music with a focus on songwriting, traces its roots throughout a long musical heritage of Stillwater. Brooks... Read More »
Sheerar and Washington Irving Trail Museums Preserve the Past
The Sheerar and the Washington Irving Trail museums both offer a detailed look at Oklahoma history with a focus on Payne County.
Located on South Duncan Street, The Sheerar Museum is named after an OSU engineering professor who decided to put his mother’s impressive button collection on display. The 3,450 buttons, dated from the 1740s to the 1930s, are still here, but the museum has expanded well beyond that initial idea.
In 1989, the museum became the official Stillwater History Museum,... Read More »
Town and Gown Theatre Has Long History in Stillwater
Stillwater’s Town and Gown Theatre has come a long way from its first production in OSU’s ballroom, but it’s never ventured very far from its roots.
The 57-year-old community theater, whose name is a play on the old “locals vs. campus” cultural battleground, has become an entertainment mainstay not only because of its age, but because of its open-door policy when it comes to getting involved.
“We exist, basically, to educate people about theater by using not just the shows, but classes and... Read More »
Cool Things About Stillwater, Oklahoma
The Land Where Oklahoma Began
Founded in 1889, Stillwater was the first settlement among many that occurred during the first land run into the Unassigned Lands, which were the lands ceded to the United States by the Creek and Seminole Indians following the Civil War. The Indian Appropriations Bill of 1889 opened the land for settlement. On April 22 of that year, tens of thousands of people poured into the area and had created towns by nightfall. The Organic Act of 1890 created the Oklahoma... Read More »
Stillwater, OK Music Scene Has Red Dirt Roots
Memphis has the blues and Detroit has Motown, but Stillwater is known as the home of Red Dirt music, a genre as varied as the people who try to define it.
“Red Dirt music has more of a focus on songwriting with an outlaw-country sound behind it,” says Jared Cranke, publisher of the monthly Stillwater Scene magazine. “The sound has dominated the music scene in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma for years, especially as local bands including Cross Canadian Ragweed and Jason Boland & The Stragglers... Read More »
Spend a Weekend in Stillwater
The thriving, family-friendly city of Stillwater boasts great neighborhoods, top-notch schools, low crime, low cost of living and a myriad of recreational and cultural offerings that draw visitors and new residents alike. Home to Oklahoma State University, Stillwater pulsates with the youthful energy of a college town, while its world-class golf courses make it equally attractive to retirees.
The list of accolades for this modern metropolis with old-fashioned warmth and values includes a... Read More »
Stillwater Community Center Hosts Theater, Concerts, Ballet and More
It’s all a big act at the Stillwater Community Center.
The center is home to several arts organizations, including the Stillwater Community Band, Stillwater Jazz and the Stillwater Community Singers. The facility has an on-site Winfrey D. Houston Theater that is ideal for live drama, dance performances, recitals and concerts.
Recent acts that have played the Stillwater Community Center include the Chinese Golden Acrobats, the Missoula Children’s Theatre and a stage performance of the classic... Read More »
Stillwater, OK Offers an Extreme Staycation
You may not expect a little town in Oklahoma to be labeled extreme, but Stillwater, OK is full of surprises – even for those who have lived there for years. Surprise number one is Area 51 Motocross Park, a 60-acre park located in Stillwater and devoted to racing. Due to its success, multiple retailers have opened in the area to cater to the sport lovers, making Stillwater a top motocross destination spot. Those that would rather the outdoors without the risk can try a tour... Read More »
Year-Round Farmers' Market Features Fresh Produce
Don’t forget peppers shoppers can purchase anything from shiitake mushrooms to kohlrabi – as well as dozens of other traditional fruits and vegetables – at the Stillwater Farmer’s Market. And the market actually operates at two different sites.
From April 1 through Oct. 31, the outdoor market is open to customers on North Main Street. Then, from Nov. 1 through March 31, everything moves indoors to its location on West Ninth Avenue.
The year-round market features locally grown produce along with... Read More »
