Bartlesville

Around Bartlesville

Photo: David Marshall · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Town and around · Oklahoma · 54k people

Bartlesville

“City of Legends”

Where the prairie meets the sky

BronzePrairie GreenDeep Oil Blue

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Welcome to Bartlesville, where the prairie meets art and architecture. Whether you're here for the trails, the festivals, or the history, you'll find a friendly community that loves the outdoors. Come explore the town that Frank Lloyd Wright helped put on the map.

Clubs for Bartlesville

No clubs for Bartlesville yet.

The room

One room for everyone around Bartlesville. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

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Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Bartlesville. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • Pathfinder Parkway Scenic trail along the Caney River.
  • Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve Art collection and wildlife preserve.
  • Johnstone Park Historic downtown park with a pavilion.
  • Bartlesville Community Center Hosts concerts and events.
  • Kiddie Park One of the oldest children's amusement parks.
  • Price Tower Only skyscraper designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
  • Outdoors Hike the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
  • Outdoors Fish at Lake Hudson
  • With kids Ride the rides at Kiddie Park
  • With kids Explore the Discovery Center at Woolaroc
  • Evenings Catch live music at the Community Center
  • Evenings Enjoy a craft beer at a local brewery
  • Locals love lakeside picnic spots
  • Locals love prairie hiking trails

Through the year

  • OK Mozart International Festival June Classical music festival in June.
  • Sunfest Music Festival June Outdoor music and arts festival in June.
  • Bartlesville Farmers Market Summer Weekly market with local produce and crafts.
  • Tallgrass Prairie Bison Roundup Fall Annual bison herd management event at the preserve.
  • Woolaroc Western Art Show Spring Exhibition of Western art at Woolaroc.

Humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Best time to be out is spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are the most pleasant times to be out.

Getaways

  • Tulsa Largest city nearby with arts and entertainment.
  • Ponca City Historic town with the Marland Mansion.
  • Miami Gateway to the Ozarks and Route 66.
  • Arkansas City Small city with a historic downtown.

Local flavour

Rooting for Oklahoma State Cowboys, Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma City Thunder, Tulsa Drillers, Tulsa Oilers

Eat and drink

  • Chicken fried steak A Southern staple, often served with cream gravy.
  • Oklahoma-style barbecue Slow-smoked meats with a slightly sweet, tangy sauce.
  • Indian tacos
  • Pecan pie Oklahoma is a major pecan producer, and this dessert is a local favourite.

Where people go

  • Tallgrass prairie preserves Vast, protected grasslands that evoke the pre-settlement landscape.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright architecture The Price Tower is the only realized Wright skyscraper, a source of pride.
  • Historic oil-boom downtown districts Main streets lined with early 20th-century buildings from the petroleum era.
  • Lakes and reservoirs Nearby lakes like Oologah offer recreation and a break from the prairie.

Heritage and traditions

Bartlesville is proud of its oil-boom heritage, the legacy of Frank Phillips, and its role as the home of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, along with a strong sense of community and a love for the arts.

This time of year in Bartlesville

  • Bison roundup Fall A fall event where bison are herded for health checks.

Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — About to do something

Festivals

  • Bartlesville Christmas Parade December A festive downtown parade with floats and lights.
  • Fourth of July Celebration July Fireworks and live music at Johnstone Park.
  • Woolaroc Holiday Lights December A drive-through holiday light display at Woolaroc.

Landmarks with a story

  • Nellie Johnstone No. 1 The first commercial oil well in Oklahoma, drilled in 1897.
  • Frank Phillips Home The 1920s mansion of Phillips Petroleum's founder, now a museum.
  • Bartlesville Area History Museum Local history museum with exhibits on the oil boom and Osage heritage.

Food traditions

  • Bison burgers A local favorite, often served at prairie-themed restaurants and cookouts.
  • Fried pies Hand pies filled with peach or apple, a Southern staple sold at local bakeries.
  • Chicken and dumplings A hearty comfort food, especially popular in winter.

Music and arts

  • Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra Performs classical works at the Bartlesville Community Center.
  • Price Tower Arts Center Exhibitions and programs in Frank Lloyd Wright's landmark tower.
  • Woolaroc's Western art collection Features works by artists like Charles M. Russell and Frederic Remington.

A little history

  • 1897 Nellie Johnstone No. 1 strikes oil, starting Oklahoma's oil boom.
  • 1917 Frank Phillips founds Phillips Petroleum Company.
  • 1920s Osage oil boom brings wealth and the 'Reign of Terror'.
  • 1956 Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright's only skyscraper, is completed.
  • 1989 The Nature Conservancy establishes the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.
  • Game day High school football
  • Game day Baseball at Doenges Stadium
  • Outdoors Watching bison at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
  • Outdoors Stargazing in the wide-open skies
  • With kids Feeding the ducks at Johnstone Park
  • With kids Riding bikes on the Pathfinder Parkway

Locals speak with a Southern accent, often using 'y'all' and 'fixin' to'. They also say 'pop' for soda and drop the 'g' in -ing.

Only here

  • The Price Tower is the only Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper in the world.
  • The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is the largest protected tallgrass prairie on Earth.
  • Nellie Johnstone No. 1 was Oklahoma's first commercial oil well.
  • Bartlesville is the birthplace of the Phillips 66 brand.
New here? A few tips
  • Be prepared for hot summers and severe weather in spring; keep a weather radio handy.
  • Drive everywhere – it's a car-centric town with limited public transit.
  • Try the local barbecue and bison burgers; they're community favorites.
  • Learn about the Osage heritage; the tribe's history is deeply woven into the area.
  • Take a tour of the Price Tower – it's a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece.

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Part of Tulsa area

Nearby

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IndependenceKansasWhere the prairie meets the skyTulsaOklahomaGreen Country's vibrant heartVinitaOklahomaWhere the Mother Road winds through Green Country.Grand LakeOklahomaBig water, small towns, wide skies.Parsons–ChanuteKansasPrairie roots, small-town soul.Ponca CityOklahomaBig skies, warm hearts, and a taste of the prairie.MiamiOklahomaBig skies, calm waters, and small-town warmth.Arkansas CityKansasWhere the prairie meets the river

Bartlesville, 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.

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