Interesting facts

1. Oklahoma City was founded on a single day: April 22, 1889, during the Land Run, when the population went from zero to 10,000 in a matter of hours. 2. It is the capital of Oklahoma and the state's largest city by population. 3. By land area, Oklahoma City is one of the largest cities in the United States, covering over 600 square miles. 4. It is the only state capital with a working oil well on its capitol grounds, famously known as "Petunia #1" (though most wells are currently inactive or capped). 5. The shopping cart was invented in Oklahoma City by Sylvan Goldman in 1937. 6. The first parking meter in the world was installed in Oklahoma City by Carl C. Magee in 1935. 7. It is home to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, America's premier institution of Western history, art, and culture. 8. The city hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder, a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise that brought major league sports to the state. 9. The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum stands on the site of the 1995 Murrah Federal Building bombing, honoring the victims, survivors, and first responders. 10. Bricktown, once an abandoned warehouse district, was revitalized into a thriving entertainment district complete with a mile-long navigable canal. 11. The city is colloquially known as "The Big Friendly" due to the hospitable nature of its residents. 12. It is situated on the I-35 corridor, roughly equidistant from Los Angeles and New York City. 13. The historic Route 66 passes directly through Oklahoma City, offering numerous retro motels, diners, and roadside attractions. 14. The Boathouse District on the Oklahoma River is an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site for rowing and canoe/kayak. 15. Stockyards City, located just southwest of downtown, is home to the largest stocker and feeder cattle market in the world. 16. Downtown features a network of pedestrian tunnels known as "The Underground," spanning over a mile and color-coded for navigation. 17. The Devon Energy Center is the tallest building in the city (and the state), standing 844 feet tall. 18. Oklahoma City boasts a massive, 70-acre urban park in the heart of downtown called Scissortail Park, funded by a local sales tax. 19. The city features a robust Vietnamese community, particularly centered around the "Asian District," renowned for its exceptional pho and banh mi. 20. Before Oklahoma City became the state capital in 1910, the territorial and state capital was the nearby city of Guthrie.