The Prettiest, Most Photogenic Small Towns in Oklahoma

With a historic reputation that covers pretty much everything from rural farming, cattle barons, oil and gas, the North American center of pipelines, "fly over" territory, Indian Territory, post-Victorian statehood, and any number of applicable adjectives, Oklahoma is just now coming into a state of "cool" in terms of tourism.

I know, that's a statement that is probably going to make you raise an eyebrow, but it's true.

Getting out and exploring the state we live in is also a growing trend among both lifelong and newly adopted Okies.

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As the state heads into our 117th year of statehood, all of the "old" has grown into feelings of kitsch and cool. The Sooner State is retro, and as communities across this land continue to make the effort to preserve as much of old Oklahoma as possible, the popularity only swells more.

If you're still lost in translation, that's OK. People who live in the more vibrant and well-preserved towns of this state look around and think "Isn't that a normal thing?" It's those of us living in towns that have lost their history that can see it.

Take Lawton for instance. This town is full of history, probably... but generations of city planners and politicians spent so much energy pushing our community forward that they forgot to preserve that history.

To their credit, city planners and politicians have tried to rebuild Lawton's history with various projects like the relatively new 2nd Street expansion, but it sort of lost the vintage vibe and mojo by the time the dollar stores moved in.

No big deal, we tried, and that's what is important. Besides, there are tons of beautiful communities around the state worthy of a day trip. Here's a quick list that will undoubtedly grow in time.