One of my favorite stops in Oklahoma was Shawnee. It is located between Tulsa and Oklahoma City on Interstate 40. We actually stayed here a couple days but it’s a great place to make a stopover for a night if you’re on a road trip and need a break. So, let’s explore some of the best things about Shawnee.
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The Horses
There are so many things to do in Shawnee, but one of the things it is best known for is the painted horses. The horses came to be in 2007 when Shawnee was celebrating their centennial. The mayor came up with the idea for local artists to paint the horses and help them get their names in public. There are over 3 dozen horses around town. In 2023, Shawnee was hit by a F2 tornado and a few of the horses were damaged so if you go to see them, please understand if one of the ones you’re looking for isn’t there. They are working to get them fixed. To learn more about the horses and download a map go to Painted Horses | Visit Shawnee, OK.
History
A little bit about the town. After the Civil War, the Sac & Fox tribe settled here, followed by the Kickapoo, Shawnee and Potawatomi. They all still share this land. In 1896, a railway system was built here. Trains played a big role in the 20’s to Shawnee’s economy. The Santa Fe Train Depot was built as the central hub. Another big industry in the 20’s was agriculture, specifically cotton. There were 8 or more cotton mills in the area. With World War 2, manufacturing came into play with Sylvania corporation moving here. Shawnee milling company still employs many people. Another well-known company started in Shawnee is Sonic Drive-ins which were born in Shawnee in 1959.
Places of Interest
As previously mentioned, Santa Fe Depot was built for the railroad industry. The train industry came to a stop in 1971, but the depot has been transformed into the Pottawatomie County Museum. It still has some of the brick streets and a collection of memorabilia.
Some other museums worth mentioning are Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, which has ancient mummies, Aerospace Career Musuem, & be sure to stop at St. Gregory’s Abbey. The monks arrived in Shawnee in 1927 and started a catholic university here. To learn about the Native Americans in the area visit the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center. There is a gift shop here and of course I bought some original art! The Citizen Potawatomi Nation also has an eagle aviary that you can visit.
Another place of interest is Oklahoma Baptist University. The campus is beautiful, and you can great selfies in front of the bison statues on campus.
Outdoor Adventures
If you’re looking to do some outdoor activities, Shawnee has them. There are the Shawnee Twin Lakes where you can fish, swim, water ski or hang out and have a picnic and enjoy the views. Another option is The Japanese Peace Garden & Shawnee Airport Track. You can get your exercise by running or biking around the airport and enjoying the garden. There is a butterfly garden at OSU extension, an arboretum at OK Baptist university or go get wet at Shawnee Splash Water Park.
Casinos
Last but not least, I have to mention the 5 casinos in the area. In Oklahoma all casinos are run by Native American tribes. There are some really small casinos and some luxurious resorts in Oklahoma, but I have to say that I love all of them here because the people are so friendly and they just have a great atmosphere.
First on the list in Shawnee is the Thunderbird Casino- Absentee Shawnee Tribe. The next one is Kickapoo Casino- Kickapoo Nation of OK. Next up is The Black Hawk Casino- Sac & Fox Nation. The last two are both Citizen Potawatomi Nation casinos; FireLake Casino and Grand Casino. We really enjoyed all of these casinos and we have stayed at the Grand a couple of times. For more on these go to our casino website.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many things to explore in Shawnee. We had a lot of fun riding around looking for the painted horses. Santa Fe depot was really unique and if you have read some of our other posts, you know I am very interested in Native American culture and arts, so the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center was a bonus for me.
I hope this inspires you to explore areas of interest to you and maybe even plan a trip to Oklahoma. There is so much more in this state than I would have ever imagined. Having now moved to Nevada, I’m finding so many things to do in the southwestern states, so I think if you look you can probably find lots of interesting things in every state. I hope this inspires you to look for your own adventure, even if it’s just a day trip near you! For more of our travel adventures, please go to : https://youtu.be/pDGpKMQWPoM