Green Country

Last updated
Possible definitions of Green Country. The borders as officially defined by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation denoted by shades of bright and dark red; the counties of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area denoted in dark red; possible inclusion of Southeastern Oklahoma added by pink, although the Oklahoma Department of Tourism includes this area in the separate Choctaw Country. Greencountyborderwithtulsamsa.png
Possible definitions of Green Country. The borders as officially defined by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation denoted by shades of bright and dark red; the counties of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area denoted in dark red; possible inclusion of Southeastern Oklahoma added by pink, although the Oklahoma Department of Tourism includes this area in the separate Choctaw Country.

Green Country, sometimes referred to as Northeast Oklahoma, is the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, which lies west of the northern half of Arkansas, the southwestern corner the way of Missouri, and south of Kansas.

Contents

Alternate definitions

While the name's usage can be traced to the early part of the 20th century, [1] it was popularized in the 1960s by the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation as one of six travel destination regions within the state. Said tourism designation is an 18-county region including Pawnee, Osage, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottawa, Delaware, Mayes, Rogers, Creek, Tulsa, Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair, Sequoyah, Muskogee, Okmulgee, and McIntosh counties. [2] Another alternate usage of the term can include solely the immediate vicinity of Green Country's principal city, Tulsa; the Tulsa Metropolitan Area or the city of Tulsa proper is often referred to as "Green Country" in its own right.[ citation needed ] In this case, the terms "Tulsa Metropolitan Area" and "Green Country" are used interchangeably. Average precipitation totals in Green Country are generally above 40 inches per year. The area is also one of the most populous regions of Oklahoma, and is home to some of its largest cities.

Geography

Near Natural Falls State Park Natural falls1.jpg
Near Natural Falls State Park

Northeastern Oklahoma has the state's second largest city, Tulsa. In addition to the area's foliage and rolling hills, it has more lakes than any other geographical area of Oklahoma,[ citation needed ] as well as more than half of the state's registered state parks. [3] Oklahoma is one of only four states with more than 10 ecoregions, but six of its 11 ecoregions are located in northeastern Oklahoma. [3]

The heavily wooded Ozark Mountains and their foothills dominate most of northeast Oklahoma from the immediate Tulsa vicinity south and eastward towards the Arkansas state line, containing both evergreen pine and deciduous forests. In its western counties, the far eastern extent of the Great Plains transition to woodlands through the Cross Timbers region.

This area includes most of Oklahoma's portion of the Flint Hills, some of which is the protected by the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska, one of the last remnants of tallgrass prairie in the United States. Prairie terrain is most apparent in a strip of Green Country's northern section, which borders Kansas, running roughly from Bartlesville to Miami, where the landscape is a mix of true prairie and forest.[ citation needed ] A small portion of the Ouachita Mountains extend into the southern areas of northeast Oklahoma, though the Ozark highlands are the primary range in the area.[ citation needed ]

Northeast Oklahoma has a land area of 13,247 square miles (34,310 km2), comprising 18 entire counties. The region comprises about 19.3 percent of Oklahoma's land area, and is larger than the state of Maryland.[ citation needed ]

Political geography

Based on commuting patterns, the adjacent micropolitan area of Bartlesville, is grouped together in the (CSA). The population of this wider region is 998,438—more than one-fourth of Oklahoma's population—as of 2012.

The 2010 census population of Green Country was 1,301,716 inhabitants, about 30 percent of whom were concentrated in the city of Tulsa.

Counties of the Green Country region (per Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation)

[2]

It includes the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge, Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas River, Canadian River, Grand River, Illinois River, and Verdigris River.

Infrastructure

The Tulsa International Airport is the primary commercial flight operation in Green Country. Also in the area, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and Port of Muskogee are Oklahoma's only seaports, connecting the state directly with international trade routes. From either of these two ports, goods may be transported via the Arkansas River's connection to the Mississippi River. [4]

The area's highway system is dominated by turnpikes. Toll roads account for the primary highways in and out of the city of Tulsa in almost every direction. The Will Rogers Turnpike serves the city to the northeast, the Turner Turnpike to the southwest, the Cimarron Turnpike to the west, The Muskogee Turnpike to the southeast, and the Cherokee Turnpike to the east.

Interstate 44 is the primary thoroughfare,[ citation needed ] and runs diagonally through Green Country, exiting on the southwest and northeast corners. All portions of the road through northeastern Oklahoma exists as a toll road, except for in the city of Tulsa. Interstate 40 straddles the southernmost border of Green Country, while other highways include the north-south Highway 75 (not a turnpike), The Muskogee Turnpike, the north-south Highway 69, Highway 169, and the east-west Highway 412. In addition, Historic U.S. Route 66 runs (with breaks) between the Kansas line and Stroud, the southwesternmost town in the region.

Cities and towns

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wagoner County, Oklahoma</span> County in Oklahoma, United States

Wagoner County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 80,981. Its county seat is Wagoner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rogers County, Oklahoma</span> County in Oklahoma, United States

Rogers County is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,240, making it the sixth-most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Claremore. Rogers County is included in the Tulsa, OK metropolitan statistical area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muskogee County, Oklahoma</span> County in Oklahoma, United States

Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 66,339. The county seat is Muskogee. The county and city were named for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The official spelling of the name was changed to Muskogee by the post office in 1900.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherokee County, Oklahoma</span> County in Oklahoma, United States

Cherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 47,078. Its county seat is Tahlequah, which is also the capital of the Cherokee Nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scouting in Oklahoma</span> Youth movement

Scouting in Oklahoma has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nowata, Oklahoma</span> City in Oklahoma, United States

Nowata is a city and county seat of Nowata County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,731 at the United States Census, 2010, a 6.0 percent decline from the figure of 3,971 recorded in 2000. The area where it was established was then part of the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catoosa, Oklahoma</span> City in Oklahoma, United States

Catoosa is a city in Rogers and Wagoner counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 7,159 at the 2010 census compared to 5,449 at the 2000 census. This was a 31.2 percent increase during the decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verdigris River</span> Tributary of the Arkansas River in Kansas and Oklahoma, USA

The Verdigris River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. It is about 310 miles (500 km) long. Via the Arkansas, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma State Highway 33</span> Highway in Oklahoma

State Highway 33 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is a major highway that traverses most of the state, and at one time traversed its entirety. Its general orientation is west to east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Area codes 918 and 539</span> Telephone area codes in Oklahoma, USA

Area codes 918 and 539 are telephone area codes serving Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma. Besides Tulsa, these area codes cover cities such as Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Claremore, Gore, Jenks, McAlester, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Pryor, Sapulpa, Tahlequah, and northeastern Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma State Highway 16</span>

State Highway 16 is a state highway in Oklahoma. It runs in an irregular 99.2-mile west-to-east pattern through the northeastern part of the state, running from SH-33 at Drumright to SH-51 at Wagoner. There are no letter-suffixed spur highways branching from SH-16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulsa metropolitan area</span> Metropolitan area in northeastern Oklahoma

The Tulsa metropolitan area, officially defined as the Tulsa metropolitan statistical area is a metropolis in northeastern Oklahoma centered around the city of Tulsa and encompassing Tulsa, Rogers, Wagoner, Osage, Creek, Okmulgee and Pawnee counties. It had a population of 1,023,988 according to the 2021 U.S. census estimates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 62 in Oklahoma</span> Highway in Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) runs diagonally across the state, from the Texas state line in far southwestern Oklahoma to the Arkansas state line near Fayetteville. US-62 spends a total of 402.48 miles (647.73 km) in the Sooner State. The highway passes through fifteen of Oklahoma's counties. Along the way the route serves two of Oklahoma's largest cities, Lawton and Oklahoma City, as well as many regionally important cities, like Altus, Chickasha, Muskogee, and Tahlequah. Despite this, US-62 has no lettered spur routes like many other U.S. routes in Oklahoma do.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 60 in Oklahoma</span> Section of U.S. Highway in Oklahoma, United States

U.S. Route 60 (US-60) is a transcontinental U.S. highway extending from near Brenda, Arizona to Virginia Beach, Virginia on the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, 352.39 miles (567.12 km) of the route lies within the state of Oklahoma. The highway crosses into the state from Texas west of Arnett and serves many towns and cities in the northern part of the state, including Arnett, Seiling, Fairview, Enid, Ponca City, Pawhuska, Bartlesville, and Vinita. US-60 exits Oklahoma near Seneca, Missouri. In Oklahoma, US-60 has three business routes, serving Tonkawa, Ponca City, and Seneca. The first 60.2 miles (96.9 km) of the route, from the Texas line to Seiling, is also designated as State Highway 51 (SH-51).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 412 in Oklahoma</span> Highway in Oklahoma

U.S. Route 412 is a U.S. highway in the south-central portion of the United States, connecting Springer, New Mexico to Columbia, Tennessee. A 504.11-mile (811.29 km) section of the highway crosses the state of Oklahoma, traversing the state from west to east. Entering the state southwest of Boise City, US-412 runs the length of the Oklahoma Panhandle and serves the northern portion of the state's main body, before leaving the state at West Siloam Springs. Along the way, the route serves many notable cities and towns, including Boise City, Guymon, Woodward, Enid, and the state's second-largest city, Tulsa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 75 in Oklahoma</span> Section of Numbered Highway in Oklahoma, United States

U.S. Route 75 is a major north-south highway that enters the U.S. state of Oklahoma from Texas concurrent with US 69 crossing the Red River. US 75 serves the city of Tulsa, the 2nd largest city in Oklahoma.

The Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway (O&CC) was formed under the name of the North Arkansas & Western Railway in 1899. At its maximum, it owned a standard gauge, single track line running between Fayetteville, Arkansas and Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Its assets were merged into the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway (Frisco) in 1907.

References

  1. Arnett, David (2003-09-15). "Vision of the Future Now, Part 3". Tulsa Today. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  2. 1 2 "Counties & Regions". Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (Travel Promotion Division). Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Archived 2006-07-09 at the Wayback Machine [Oklahoma Department of Tourism]
  4. "Our Story". Tulsa Port of Catoosa. Retrieved February 8, 2019.

36°30′N95°30′W / 36.5°N 95.5°W / 36.5; -95.5