Things Oklahoma Did First That Most People Don’t Know

Oklahoma doesn’t always get loud about being first or best at stuff, and that's probably because most of it is stuff that people don't know about. That’s kind of our thing. We just do something, shrug, and move on, while the rest of the country eventually catches up and takes credit.

Take parking meters. The very first one went in right here in Oklahoma City in 1935. People hated them instantly, complained loudly, and swore they were government overreach. If that sounds familiar, it’s because some arguments never really leave us.

Oil is another one. While we weren't the first to discover oil, we did reshape the whole industry through technology developed here, and that continues still today.

Our biggest flex might be the corn dog. Yep. It debuted at the State Fair of Oklahoma in the 1940s. No marketing plan, it wasn't Big-Corndog, someone just decided to batter a weiner on a stick.

Oklahoma also has the largest Native American population in the country, with 39 federally recognized tribes. The history of it is pretty dark, but a pretty awesome and beautiful state came out of the whole ordeal.

Oklahoma may not brag much. But we’ve been first more times than people realize. Here's a short rundown of some interesting Oklahoma stuff.