Ardmore
Around Ardmore
Photo: Ken Lund · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Oklahoma · 49k people
Ardmore
“City of Lakes”
Where the plains meet the pines, and the lakes welcome you home.
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Welcome to Ardmore, where the lakes are big and the skies are bigger. Whether you're here for the rodeo, the fishing, or just passing through, you'll find friendly folks and good food. Make yourself at home.
Clubs for Ardmore
No clubs for Ardmore yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Ardmore. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Ardmore. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Lake Murray State Park Oklahoma's largest state park, with boating, fishing, and cabins.
- Lake Texoma Huge reservoir on the Red River, famous for striper fishing.
- Turner Falls Park Home to Oklahoma's largest waterfall, in the Arbuckle Mountains.
- Greater Southwest Historical Museum Local history museum in Ardmore with pioneer and Native American exhibits.
- Chickasaw National Recreation Area Springs, trails, and historic Platt Historic District near Sulphur.
- Arbuckle Mountains Ancient mountain range with scenic drives and hiking trails.
- Outdoors Boating on Lake Murray
- Outdoors Fishing on Lake Texoma
- With kids Swimming and picnicking at Turner Falls
- With kids Boating and camping at Lake Murray State Park
- Evenings Live country music at local bars
- Evenings Rodeo nights
- Locals love Lakes and reservoirs
- Locals love Rodeo arenas
Through the year
Humid subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. Best time to be out is spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are perfect for outdoor activities.
Talk like a local
- “The Arbuckles”
- The Arbuckle Mountains
- “Texoma”
- Lake Texoma
- “The Murray”
- Lake Murray
- “The Falls”
- Turner Falls
Getaways
- Gainesville, TX Historic downtown and the Frank Buck Zoo.
- Durant, OK Home of the Choctaw Casino and Lake Durant.
- Sherman, TX Antique shops and the Sherman Museum.
- Ada, OK East Central University and the Ada Arts District.
Local flavour
Rooting for Oklahoma Sooners (NCAA), Oklahoma State Cowboys (NCAA), Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA)
Eat and drink
- Chicken fried steak A staple of Oklahoma diners
- Barbecue Smoked meats, often with a vinegar-based sauce
- Indian tacos Fry bread topped with seasoned meat, beans, and veggies
- Pecan pie A Southern dessert with local pecans
Where people go
- Lakes (Lake Murray, Lake Texoma) Recreation, fishing, and boating
- Arbuckle Mountains Rolling hills, hiking, and scenic drives
- Rodeos
- Small-town diners Classic American diners with home-style cooking
- Barbecue joints Smoky, casual spots for slow-cooked meats
Heritage and traditions
Ardmore is proud of its Chickasaw heritage, oil boom history, and the natural beauty of the Arbuckle Mountains and Lake Murray.
This time of year in Ardmore
- Rodeo season Fall The Ardmore Rodeo and other local rodeos.
- Healdton Oil Field Jamboree Fall Celebrates the oil boom that made the region boom.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — About to do something
Festivals
- Healdton Oil Field Jamboree Fall Celebrates the oil boom that made the region boom.
- Ardmore Christmas Parade December A festive downtown parade with local floats.
- Lake Murray Fireworks July 4th Fireworks over the lake on Independence Day.
Landmarks with a story
- Healdton Oil Museum Tells the story of the 1913 oil boom.
- Fort Arbuckle Historic Site Ruins of a frontier fort near Davis.
- Ardmore Historic Downtown Early 20th-century commercial buildings.
- Tucker Tower A stone tower on Lake Murray, built by the CCC.
Food traditions
- Fried catfish Fresh from Lake Texoma, often served at Friday night fish fries.
- Chickasaw pashofa A traditional Chickasaw hominy dish, served at cultural events.
- Chicken and dumplings Comfort food at local diners, especially in winter.
Music and arts
- Country and bluegrass music Local pickers and bands play at festivals and honky-tonks.
- Chickasaw traditional crafts Beadwork, basket weaving, and other arts are practiced.
- Local community theater Productions at the Ardmore Community Theatre.
A little history
- 1887 Ardmore founded as a railroad town.
- 1913 Healdton Oil Field discovered, sparking an oil boom.
- 1830s Chickasaw Nation removed to Indian Territory.
- 1907 Oklahoma statehood; Ardmore becomes part of the new state.
- 1930s Lake Murray built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Rivalries
- Oklahoma Sooners vs Oklahoma State Cowboys (Bedlam) The big in-state college rivalry.
- Game day High school football on Friday nights
- Game day Rodeo events
- Outdoors Hunting deer and quail
- Outdoors Rock climbing in the Arbuckles
- With kids Visiting Tucker Tower
- With kids Playing in the springs at Chickasaw National Recreation Area
People speak with a Southern Oklahoma drawl, using phrases like 'y'all' and 'fixin' to'. Some Chickasaw place names are common.
Only here
- The Arbuckle Mountains are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world.
- Turner Falls is the tallest waterfall in Oklahoma.
- The Healdton Oil Field was one of the largest in the world in the 1910s.
- Lake Murray's Tucker Tower is a unique landmark built by the CCC.
New here? A few tips
- Be ready for hot, humid summers and occasional tornadoes in spring.
- Learn to say 'Ardmore' as 'ARD-more'.
- Try the chicken fried steak and barbecue at local diners.
- Explore the Chickasaw heritage at cultural sites.
- Get a fishing license and try for stripers on Lake Texoma.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaLake TexomaOklahomaWhere the lake meets the prairie, and everyone knows your name.GainesvilleTexasWhere Texas meets the Red River with small-town warmth.Arbuckle MountainsOklahomaWhere the springs run clear and the hills hold stories.DurantOklahomaWhere the lake meets the Choctaw spiritSherman–DenisonTexasRed River roots, Texas heartAdaOklahomaLocal rooms for Ada.DuncanOklahomaWhere the prairie meets the oil patchBonhamTexasSmall-town heart, wide-open skies.
Ardmore, OK. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.