Progressive Rural Cities

[KayneMo]

I've never been to Chickasha but I love their city hall! It was formerly the post office and a federal courthouse. I like it much more than Durant's city hall, lol.

[Bunty]

It was a pity that downtown Stillwater was never able to develop impressively. Now the biggest and highest building there is probably the county jail.

[bchris02]

What about Guymon, OK? I haven't been there but I've always seen the OK Panhandle as somewhat of an exotic place.

Here is the only picture I could find of the main drag.

[Plutonic Panda]

Just curious.... When we say 'progressive' are we speaking in terms of political affiliation or developmental terms?

[Plutonic Panda]

I've never been to Chickasha but I love their city hall! It was formerly the post office and a federal courthouse. I like it much more than Durant's city hall, lol.

Durant is such a cool city!

[bchris02]

Just curious.... When we say 'progressive' are we speaking in terms of political affiliation or developmental terms?

I would say developmental terms. There isn't any politically progressive towns like Santa Fe, NM or Lawrence, KS in Oklahoma that I am aware of.

[RadicalModerate]

Poteau is actually fairly reliant on Fort Smith, Arkansas. By and large it is a bedroom community like El Reno is to OKC. Towns like that, currently, are doing well. If there is ever a strong push towards urbanism in America they could be in trouble.

There is the proverbial "Bluebird of Happiness" . . .
And then there is the drizzled **** of the "Blackbird of Negativism" . . .
Thanks for the reminder, amigo. =)

Always look on the bright side and keep on the sunny side of the street!
(unless you are a JoyVampire, of course . . . =)

[KayneMo]

Durant is such a cool city!

I agree! I love it here in Durant.

[RadicalModerate]

Somehow . . . I think that most of the smaller, effectively developed population centers outside of TheUrbanSpawlsMetroplexes that all of the Neo-Re-Urbanists seem to be seeking for a better local environment--including good sidewalks and a modicum of genuine friendliness--would resent being referred to as "progressively RURAL" . . . =)

(sorry . . . just returned from An ACTUAL Major League City/Cities, visit to . . . with a different perspective on OKC/etc.* =)

*the land in which I live and that which I really do love.
(if it is possible to actually "love" land.....)

[soonerguru]

I would say developmental terms. There isn't any politically progressive towns like Santa Fe, NM or Lawrence, KS in Oklahoma that I am aware of.

Guess you've never been to Tahlequah, have you?

[RadicalModerate]

Guess you've never been to Tahlequah, have you?

dude . . . that was like twisting the knife or giving an extra chop with the tomahawk to the inexperienced . . . wasn't it? =)

[Plutonic Panda]

I agree! I love it here in Durant.

im guessing you live there? That's really cool! Is there much going on? Construction and such? I've been there once, and loved it. Didn't get to explore it though. I need to one day day. Seen a bunch of pictures about it on Instagram though.

[Plutonic Panda]

There is the proverbial "Bluebird of Happiness" . . .
And then there is the drizzled **** of the "Blackbird of Negativism" . . .
Thanks for the reminder, amigo. =)

Always look on the bright side and keep on the sunny side of the street!
(unless you are a JoyVampire, of course . . . =)

Fact: due to the la/theory of infinite probabilities, there is a town called No Streetville where streets are nonexistent.

[KayneMo]

im guessing you live there? That's really cool! Is there much going on? Construction and such? I've been there once, and loved it. Didn't get to explore it though. I need tone day day. Seen a bunch if pictures about it on Instagram though.

Yup! I'm here for the summer and will be back in Norman for school. Yeah there's some construction going on. I posted this yesterday but I'll copy and paste it again, lol.

Since the last update I posted, La Quinta, IHOP, Discount Tire, CVS, two car dealerships, a tile manufacturing and distribution center, an asphalt blending plant, a metal fabrication and welding business, and a Choctaw Nation food distribution center have opened. Another car dealership is about to break ground and three shopping centers, an apartment complex, a huge church, and a heart medical center are under construction. A new one million gallon water tower will soon be erected in northern Durant. Our local McDonald's was demolished and completely rebuilt, and the Pizza Hut was renovated. Blockbuster has closed but a Movie House and AT&T have taken it's place in the building. There are rumors that a Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Golden Corral (all part of a new development called Durant Town Center), and an Aldi are in the works. The western half of the Highway 70 bypass has opened as well, and State Highway 78 is currently being expanded to four lanes in northern Durant. A cultural center for the Choctaw Nation is closer to fruition, and a stickball field was recently built! Also, the expansion to the casino resort is underway including a 22-story hotel, a bowling alley, a movie theater, and more restaurants and shops. According to City-Data, 86 new single-family house building permits were issued in 2012 (no data for 2013), the highest amount since 1997. Durant's population has grown 24.7% from 2000 to 2013, and 6.5% from 2010 to 2013 to an estimate of 16,891 (according to the Census).

I also forgot to add that a 5-story apartment building in downtown Durant will soon be renovated. It was once a hotel back in the day and was built in the 1920s. Several restaurants have made downtown their home as well such as a steakhouse, an Italian restaurant, and a BBQ restaurant. Every week, Music on Market Square takes place and once a month downtown holds the Art Walk. I believe our downtown is pretty active and thriving. The sidewalks were redone and landscaping was added some years ago. I honestly can't think of an empty building in downtown, not immediately anyway. Enrollment at Southeastern has jumped from around 4,000 a few years ago to now over 5,200.

[KayneMo]

Here are a couple of pictures of downtown Durant from March 2014. They were taken from the top of the downtown apartment building. Credit to Dan Pennington.

Looking west down on Main Street (Highway 70).


Looking northwest with the courthouse and city hall visible.

[Bunty]

No doubt, Durant has developed as much in the last several years as Stillwater has been able to do in the last 10 years.

[Roger S]

Tishomingo should probably be added to this list... I don't know if it's because of Miranda Lambert opening her boutique downtown but several other mercantile/boutique type places have opened up recently and their downtown is bustling on the weekends now.

[Bunty]

Tishomingo should probably be added to this list... I don't know if it's because of Miranda Lambert opening her boutique downtown but several other mercantile/boutique type places have opened up recently and their downtown is bustling on the weekends now.

They voted to allow liquor by the drink, so many that helped some. Something like 24 counties in Oklahoma still have liquor by the drink banned.

[KayneMo]

School starts tomorrow for Durant. Here's the new high school, it opened 2 years ago for the 2012-2013 school year.

I love the lion statue in front!

[KayneMo]

Applebee's in Durant opened last Monday. The new hotel tower, concert hall, and The District (cinema, bowling, laser tag, food court, and arcade) have all opened at the resort. I've also heard that yet another hotel tower is in the works for the resort, along with expanding The District.

[theparkman81]

Boot Barn is opening a store in Ada this month, also rumor that Harbor Frieght Tools is also coming.

[mugofbeer]

I flew from Denver to DAL a few weeks ago and had to veer over OKC due to some storms. From altitude, You could really tell that the effects of the DFW metro are starting to creep into those cities. The Texas side of the river isn't filled in by any means but l was suprised to see how much ranchette and acreage development is going on in Southern OK.

[Bunty]

Boot Barn is opening a store in Ada this month, also rumor that Harbor Frieght Tools is also coming.

Great for Ada. People in Stillwater wish Harbor Tools would open. If some of these smaller towns can have one, why can't Stillwater? Stillwater has a Cavenders's, so probably Boot Barn wouldn't be interested in coming.

[Bunty]

I flew from Denver to DAL a few weeks ago and had to veer over OKC due to some storms. From altitude, You could really tell that the effects of the DFW metro are starting to creep into those cities. The Texas side of the river isn't filled in by any means but l was suprised to see how much ranchette and acreage development is going on in Southern OK.

It seems a number of people prefer rural surroundings. Ardmore has only grown by around 500 people since 2010, so it hasn't benefited to a very impressive extent from rapid DFW expansion. Durant is where it's at for fast growth. Durant is well up there, if not at the very top, as one of the fastest growing Oklahoma towns not in a Oklahoma metro area. Not many are growing. Durant's high school is very impressive looking.

[mugofbeer]

Yeah, my observation from the plane wasn't for suburban type housing developments but rural acreages and ranchettes just filling in.