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Tulsa, Oklahoma

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Tulsa is a large and busy city in Oklahoma.

Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma

It is the second-most populous city in the state. In 2020, the city had 413,066 people living there.

Tulsa Metro
Tulsa Metro

The city sits in the northeast part of Oklahoma. It is located near the Arkansas River.

Tommso
Tommso

The land here has many rolling hills. People often call this region "Green Country." This name comes from the green plants and many lakes.

Tulsa Botanic Staircase 4-2025 Wikipedia
Tulsa Botanic Staircase 4-2025 Wikipedia

The city is a gateway to this beautiful area.

Much of the land in Tulsa belongs to Native American nations. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation covers most of the city.

Tulsa OK Map 1920
Tulsa OK Map 1920

Parts of the Osage and Cherokee Nations are also there. Long ago, the Lochapoka band of Creek people settled the area. They arrived between 1828 and 1836. They built a small settlement called Lochapoka. This name means "place of turtles" in the Creek language. The area was once known as Indian Territory. It was home to many different tribes.

Tulsa became very famous for its energy industry. For most of the 1900s, it was called the "Oil Capital of the World."

Golden Driller
Golden Driller

This happened because people found huge amounts of oil nearby. One big find was the Glenn Pool Oil Reserve. This discovery brought many new businesses to the city. The oil money helped the city grow very fast. It even helped the economy during the Great Depression.

Philtower-Building-Tulsa-Oklahoma
Philtower-Building-Tulsa-Oklahoma

Many people built beautiful buildings in the Art Deco style. This style is still a famous part of the city today.

During World War II, the city began to do more than just oil.

Embraer ERJ 145 (American Eagle) at TUL
Embraer ERJ 145 (American Eagle) at TUL

Many people worked to build aircraft. Large plants like the Douglas Aircraft Company opened near the airport.

One Technology Center
One Technology Center

Later, American Airlines moved its whole fleet to Tulsa. Today, the city has many different types of jobs. People work in finance, aviation, and new technology.

The BOK Building
The BOK Building

This variety helps the city stay strong and busy.

Tulsa is also a wonderful place for arts and learning.

BOK Center faccade
BOK Center faccade

The city has two large art museums. It also has professional groups for opera and ballet. Students can study at the University of Tulsa or Oral Roberts University.

McFarlin-Library-University-Of-Tulsa
McFarlin-Library-University-Of-Tulsa

These schools have their own sports teams. The city even has a big arena called the BOK Center.

BOK Center faccade
BOK Center faccade

This building hosts major concerts and big events. It is a center for culture in Oklahoma.

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🖼️ Images & Media (24)
File:Meadow Gold Neon Sign Route 66 Tulsa Oklahoma.jpg
Meadow Gold Neon Sign Route 66 Tulsa Oklahoma.jpg
File:Tulsa OK Map 1920.jpg
Tulsa OK Map 1920.jpg
File:Cains Ballroom Sign.jpg
Cains Ballroom Sign.jpg
File:Philtower-Building-Tulsa-Oklahoma.jpg
Philtower-Building-Tulsa-Oklahoma.jpg
File:Tulsa, Oklahoma.jpg
Tulsa, Oklahoma.jpg
File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - Tulsa Area, OK(ThreadEx).svg
Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) -...
File:Race and ethnicity 2010- Tulsa (5560454596).png
Race and ethnicity 2010- Tulsa (5560454596).png
File:Tulsa Metro.svg
Tulsa Metro.svg
File:The BOK Building.jpg
The BOK Building.jpg
File:Tulsa Botanic Staircase 4-2025 Wikipedia.jpg
Tulsa Botanic Staircase 4-2025 Wikipedia.jpg
File:Woodward Park.jpg
Woodward Park.jpg
File:Golden Driller.jpg
Golden Driller.jpg

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