Stillwater, OK
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Stillwater is the tenth-largest city in the U.S. state of
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
, and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Payne County Payne County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 81,646. Its county seat is Stillwater, Oklahoma, Stillwater. The county was created in ...
. It is located in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. Route 177 and State Highway 51. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 48,394. The Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 78,399 according to the 2012 census estimate. Stillwater was part of the first Oklahoma Land Run held on April 22, 1889, when the
Unassigned Lands The Unassigned Lands in Oklahoma were in the center of the lands ceded to the United States by the Creek (Muskogee) and Seminole Indians following the Civil War and on which no other tribes had been settled. By 1883, it was bounded by the Cher ...
were opened for settlement and became the core of the new Oklahoma Territory. The city charter was adopted on August 24, 1889, and operates under a council-manager government system. Stillwater has a diverse economy with a foundation in
aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial, and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astron ...
,
agribusiness Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit ...
,
biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...
,
optoelectronics Optoelectronics (or optronics) is the study and application of electronic devices and systems that find, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, ''light'' often includes invisible forms of radi ...
,
printing Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ...
and
publishing Publishing is the activities of making information, literature, music, software, and other content, physical or digital, available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, the term publishing refers to the creation and distribu ...
, and software and standard manufacturing. Stillwater is home to the main campus of
Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...
(the city's largest employer) as well as Northern Oklahoma College – Stillwater,
Meridian Technology Center Technology Centers, in Oklahoma, are Career and Technical schools which provide career and technology education for high school students in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The students generally spend part of each day in their respective schools purs ...
, and the
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE, commonly known and branded as CareerTech) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. CareerTech oversees a statewide system of Career and technical edu ...
. The city is also home to the
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum and hall of fame for amateur wrestling, headquartered in Stillwater, Oklahoma. In 2010, it began operating the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. History The museum was awarded to Stil ...
.


History

The north-central region of Oklahoma became part of the United States with the
Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...
in 1803. In 1832, author and traveler
Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy ...
provided the first recorded description of the area around Stillwater in his book ''A Tour on the Prairies''. He wrote of "a glorious prairie spreading out beneath the golden beams of an autumnal sun. The deep and frequent traces of buffalo, showed it to be a one of their favorite grazing grounds." According to one legend, local Native American tribes—
Ponca The Ponca people are a nation primarily located in the Great Plains of North America that share a common Ponca culture, history, and language, identified with two Indigenous nations: the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma or the Ponca Tribe of ...
,
Kiowa Kiowa ( ) or Cáuigú () people are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe and an Indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colora ...
, Osage,
Pawnee Pawnee initially refers to a Native American people and its language: * Pawnee people * Pawnee language Pawnee is also the name of several places in the United States: * Pawnee, Illinois * Pawnee, Kansas * Pawnee, Missouri * Pawnee City, Nebraska * ...
—called the creek "Still Water" because the water was always still. A second legend states that cattlemen driving herds from Texas to railways back east always found water "still there". A third legend holds that David L. Payne walked up to Stillwater Creek and said, "This town should be named ''Still Water''". Members of the board thought he was crazy, but the name stuck. Stillwater Creek received its official name in 1884 when William L. Couch established his " boomer colony" on its banks. While the creek itself was tranquil, the next few years saw turmoil as pioneers sought free, fertile land and soldiers held them off while complicated legal issues and land titles with Creek and
Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...
tribes were hashed out. On April 22, 1889, the cannons fired signaling the first
Land Run A land run or land rush was an event in which previously restricted land of the United States was opened to homestead on a first-arrival basis. Lands were opened and sold first-come or by bid, or won by lottery, or by means other than a run. The ...
that opened up the Unassigned Lands of the
Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as ...
, which included Stillwater. By the end of the day, had been claimed and designated as Stillwater Township and a
tent city A tent city is a temporary housing facility made using tents or other temporary structures. State governments or military organizations set up tent cities to house evacuees, refugees, or soldiers. UNICEF's Supply Division supplies expandable te ...
with a population numbering 300 had sprung up on the prairie. The ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' simply says that the name officially became Stillwater only when the post office opened on May 28, 1889.D. Earl Newsom, "Stillwater," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Accessed March 13, 2015.
On Christmas Eve, 1890, the legislature of Oklahoma Territory passed a bill certifying Stillwater as the
land grant college A land-grant university (also called land-grant college or land-grant institution) is an institution of higher education in the United States designated by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890, or a beneficiary ...
site. In 1894, Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College held a dedication of its first brick building, Assembly Building, later known as Old Central. Between 1889 and statehood, Stillwater grew. By statehood in 1907, downtown Stillwater was home to more than 50 buildings including several banks, churches, grocery stores, hotels, and department stores. The first newspaper was the Stillwater Gazette; telephone and gas service arrived in 1899; and the Eastern Oklahoma Railroad arrived in 1900. Around this time, direct descendants of
Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
began to reside in Stillwater, through his eldest son
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (22 November 17101 July 1784) was a German composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. Despite his acknowledged genius as an improviser ...
and his illegitimate grandchild. The population in 1917 was 3,000 and by
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
it had grown to more than 10,000. During the war, town leaders' aim was to convert Oklahoma A&M into a war training center. They succeeded in creating 12 training units that involved bringing nearly 40,000 service men and women to Stillwater. The
WAVES United States Naval Reserve (Women's Reserve), better known as the WAVES (for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), was the women's branch of the United States Naval Reserve during World War II. It was established on July 21, 1942, ...
(Women's Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) was the largest with 10,000 participants. Quonset huts were dotted across town and barracks occupied the site where Stillwater Medical Center and the CareerTech headquarters are now. This vast operation tided the city through the war and served as a base for a healthy economy in the postwar period. In 1952, the Industrial Foundation was established and its trustees worked to bring new industry to town: Moore Plant in 1966, Swan Hose in 1968,
Mercury Marine Mercury Marine is a marine engine division of Brunswick Corporation headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The main product line is outboard motors. It also produces the MerCruiser line of sterndrives and inboard engines, as well as a li ...
in 1973, National Standard plant in 1988, World Color Press in 1974 and Armstrong World Industries, Inc. in 1988. The census of 2000, the population was 39,065; however, the population was adjusted to 46,156 in 2009.


Government

The City of Stillwater operates under a
council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the council-manager government, ...
system, in which an elected
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
is responsible for making policy, passing ordinances and approving the city's budget. The council appoints a
city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
who implements the policies adopted by the council. The city council meets the first and third Monday of the month in the Council Room at the Stillwater Municipal Building, 723 S. Lewis. Stillwater does not have city council districts; instead, it has general elections every year. The
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
and councilors are elected to three-year or four-year terms with at least one of the five seats up for election in April every year. Any person elected to the office of mayor or council member after January 1, 2017, is eligible to serve no more than 12 years on the council. Years served do not need to be consecutive. The vice mayor is elected by the council members and acts as mayor during mayor's absence. , the city council consists of
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
Will Joyce, Vice Mayor Alane Zannotti, and councilors Amy Dzialowski, Kevin Clark and Christie Hawkins. The City of Stillwater employs approximately 500 people. The city encourages resident participation on the boards and committees, and applications are accepted year around. Commissions and authorities oversee city policies and services. Stillwater's 2009 crime rate for serious crimes (UCR Part 1) was 3,657 per 100,000 residents compared to the 2009 national crime rate of 3,466 per crimes per 100,000 residents (FBI 2009 Crime in the United States). In 2009, Stillwater reported: 22 rapes, 15 robberies, 519 assaults, 308 burglaries, and 1,185 larcenies. Stillwater is located in districts 33 and 34 of the Oklahoma State House of Representatives and is represented by Republican John Talley in the 33rd district and
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...
Trish Ranson in the 34th district; as of July 2022 In the
Oklahoma State Senate The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, Stillwater is represented by Republican
Frank Lucas Frank Lucas (September 9, 1930 – May 30, 2019) was an American drug lord who operated in Harlem, New York City, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from hi ...
, of the third district in Oklahoma. In the
U.S. Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
, Stillwater is represented by Republicans
James Lankford James Paul Lankford (born March 4, 1968) is an American Baptist minister and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Oklahoma, a seat he has held since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he represented in the U.S. Hou ...
and
Markwayne Mullin Markwayne Mullin (born July 26, 1977) is an American and Cherokee Nation, Cherokee businessman and politician who has served as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from Oklahoma since 2023 ...
.


Geography

Stillwater is located north-northeast of downtown
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
and directly west of downtown
Tulsa Tulsa ( ) is the second-most-populous city in the state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tul ...
by road. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of 28.3 square miles (73.3 km), of which 27.9 square miles (72.1 km) is land and 0.5 square mile (1.2 km) (1.62%) is water.


Climate

Stillwater has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, and is located in the area popularly known as "
Tornado Alley Tornado Alley, also known as Tornado Valley, is a loosely defined location of the central United States and, in the 21st century, Canada where tornadoes are most frequent. The term was first used in 1952 as the title of a research project to st ...
". During peak storm season in the spring, tornado watches and warnings are frequent, with sirens sounding to warn townsfolk to hurry to shelters when necessary. Summers are sunny, hot, and humid, with the temperature reaching or exceeding 100 (38 °C) ten times annually on average. Winters are generally sunny, mild, and dry, with an average January high temperature of and an average annual snowfall of . The highest recorded temperature was on August 11, 1936, and the lowest recorded temperature was on February 10, 2011.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 45,688 people, 17,941 households, and 7,920 families residing in the city. The population density was . The racial makeup of the city was 79.50%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 4.71%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 3.93% Native American, 5.56% Asian, 0.06%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.19% from other races, and 5.05% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 4.26% of the population. As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 15,604 households, out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.1% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.1% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.81. In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.2% under the age of 18, 38.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,432, and the median income for a family was $41,938. Males had a median income of $31,623 versus $22,312 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $15,789. About 12.6% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Stillwater is home to a diverse mix of business and industry, from manufacturing to advanced technology. Among its export industries are printing and publishing, floor covering, wire products, software, food and kindred products, and research. Stillwater has the following economic clusters:
aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial, and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astron ...
,
agribusiness Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit ...
,
biotechnology Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...
,
optoelectronics Optoelectronics (or optronics) is the study and application of electronic devices and systems that find, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, ''light'' often includes invisible forms of radi ...
,
printing Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ...
and
publishing Publishing is the activities of making information, literature, music, software, and other content, physical or digital, available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, the term publishing refers to the creation and distribu ...
,
software Software consists of computer programs that instruct the Execution (computing), execution of a computer. Software also includes design documents and specifications. The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital comput ...
and standard manufacturing. Oklahoma State University plays a significant part of Stillwater's overall economy with more than 20,000 students, 5,500 personnel and a focus on research and technology. According to the Chamber of Commerce webpage, "Existing Industries", top employers in Stillwater are as follows: Stillwater has a number of distinct shopping and entertainment areas. Downtown Stillwater is a business improvement district with Main Street as its primary thoroughfare. It is bounded by Duncan Street to the west, Lowry Street to the east, and 4th Avenue to the north; it gradually narrows to 15th Avenue to the south. The Strip on Washington Street features small shops, restaurants and live music. It is adjacent to Oklahoma State University where University Avenue and Washington Street intersect. A few blocks east is Campus Corner on Knoblock Street that features unique shops and restaurants, including the original home to Hideaway Pizza.


Education

Oklahoma State University – Stillwater Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislatio ...
is located in Stillwater. In 2003, Northern Oklahoma College added a campus in Stillwater. Applicants who do not meet
Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...
admission requirements may attend the NOC-OSU Gateway Program held on the campus. Stillwater is home to the
Meridian Technology Center Technology Centers, in Oklahoma, are Career and Technical schools which provide career and technology education for high school students in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The students generally spend part of each day in their respective schools purs ...
and also the state agency that oversees career technology schools in Oklahoma, the
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE, commonly known and branded as CareerTech) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. CareerTech oversees a statewide system of Career and technical edu ...
. Stillwater Public Schools is the city's only public school district. There are more than 5,400 students enrolled in the district. The district includes Highland Park, Richmond, Sangre Ridge, Skyline, Westwood and Will Rogers elementary schools; Stillwater High School; Lincoln Academy (Alternative Education); Stillwater Middle School; and Stillwater Junior High.


Libraries

Stillwater has been served by the Stillwater Public Library since 1922. In 1990, Stillwater voters passed a $4.98 million bond issue for the construction of a new public library at 1107 S. Duck. The Stillwater Public Library provides a core collections of more than 100,000 volumes and includes books, audio books, music CDs, DVDs, videos magazines and newspapers as well as technological services. The library is active in the community, holding events and programs, including free computer classes, children's storytimes, and scholarly databases with information on a variety of topics. The
Edmon Low Library The Edmon Low Library (ELL) is the main library of the Oklahoma State University System. It is located on the main campus of the university in Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, Stillwater, Oklahoma. The library holds more than 3 million volu ...
at Oklahoma State University houses approximately 3 million volumes, 190,000 government documents, 70,000 electronic and print serials. Stillwater campus branch libraries include the Architecture Library, Curriculum Materials Library, Veterinary Medicine Library, Electronic Publishing Center and the Library Annex. It is a
federal depository library The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is a government program created to make U.S. federal government publications available to the public at no cost. there are 1,114 depository libraries in the United States and its territories. A "go ...
.


Arts and culture

Stillwater is known as the home of red dirt music, a mixture of folk, country, blues and rock. Notable red dirt artists from Stillwater include
Cross Canadian Ragweed Cross Canadian Ragweed is an American country and rock band formed in Yukon, Oklahoma in 1994. The original members of the band is how the name was formed. Cross- Grady Cross, Canadian- Cody Canada, Rag- Randy Ragsdale, Weed- Matt Wiedemann. The ...
, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, the Red Dirt Rangers, The Great Divide, No Justice, Jenny Labow, the Jason Savory Band, and the father of red dirt music,
Bob Childers Robert Wayne Childers (November 20, 1946 – April 22, 2008) was an American country music, country-folk music, folk musician and singer-songwriter from the state of Oklahoma. Both before and after his death, he achieved widespread critical acc ...
.
Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...
,
Other Lives Other Lives may refer to: * Other Lives (band), an American indie rock band ** ''Other Lives'' (album), their 2009 debut album * "Other Lives" (''True Detective''), an episode of the American television series ''True Detective'' * "Other Lives" ...
, and The All-American Rejects launched their careers playing the local bars like Willie's Saloon, Tumbleweed Dance Hall, and
Eskimo Joe's Eskimo Joe's is a restaurant and bar located at 501 W. Elm in Stillwater, Oklahoma. History Eskimo Joe's was opened by Steve File (who came up with the name) and Stan Clark (who later purchased File's interest and became sole owner), two gra ...
.
Eskimo Joe's Eskimo Joe's is a restaurant and bar located at 501 W. Elm in Stillwater, Oklahoma. History Eskimo Joe's was opened by Steve File (who came up with the name) and Stan Clark (who later purchased File's interest and became sole owner), two gra ...
collectable T-shirts have been spotted all around the globe. Tumbleweed Dance Hall, home of the world-famous annual Calf Fry, was nominated for "Dancehall of the Year" award by the Academy of Country Music. Located on The Strip on Washington Street, Willie's Saloon is a Stillwater landmark. It is known for launching the career of
Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...
after he was discovered there by Dallas entertainment attorney, Rod Phelps. Stillwater hosts several performing arts series, including performances at the City of Stillwater Community Center, the Town and Gown Community Theater. OSU's Allied Arts holds performances in the Seretean Center and the Jerry L. Davis Studio Theatre on the OSU-Stillwater campus. The McKnight Center, a new state-of-the-art performing arts center on campus, is currently under construction. Stillwater is served by several voluntary organizations dedicated to providing entertainment and cultural experiences: the Stillwater Community Singers, the Stillwater Community Band and Stillwater Jazz.


Annual festivals and events

Stillwater is home to a number of annual festivals and community events held throughout the year. Residents also benefit from the many events and activities hosted by Oklahoma State University. Since 1920, Oklahoma State University has welcomed alumni to "America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration." Each year, more than 70,000 alumni and friends return to campus for "Walkaround" and the Homecoming Parade. Spring kicks off with the Stillwater Public Education Foundation's ''A Taste of Stillwater'', a fundraiser held every March. Other events include the Tumbleweed Calf Fry, the Stillwater Home Builders Association's Home and Garden Show, the Remember the 10 Run, and the OSU Jazz Festival. Since 2012, Stillwater has hosted the annual Land Run 100, a 100-mile (161 km) bicycling endurance race around north-central Oklahoma. The annual Red Dirt Film Festival is held every March. The independent film festival features screenings, panels, and workshops on the OSU campus. The Stillwater Arts Festival is now in its third decade. The festival is a two-day, juried art show held in April that features live entertainment, artist demonstrations, and children's activities. The Oklahoma Special Olympics’ Annual Summer Games take place every May. It is the largest amateur sporting event in Oklahoma and the largest Special Olympics event in the United States. Since 2011, Stillwater has hosted the annual Bob Childers' Gypsy Cafe, a red dirt music festival. Benefits from the event go to the Red Dirt Relief Fund which supports Oklahoma musicians in crisis. In the summer, there is the Krazy Daze Shopping Extravaganza and the Payne County Fair. On Independence Day, Stillwater hosts the annual Boomer Blast, a fireworks show at Boomer Lake Park. The fall season begins Collegefest, OSU Student Government Association's Lights on Stillwater (a trade-show style event where students learn about local organizations, shops, restaurants, and services), and the Downtown Stillwater Car Show. The annual Downtown Stillwater Halloween Festival is held the Tuesday before Halloween and includes a costume contest. For more than twenty years, the Eskimo Joe's Juke Joint Jog 5K and Fun Run (one mile race) have been held in the fall to benefit the Stillwater Area United Way. Winter is celebrated with the Downtown Parade of Lights and the Madrigal Dinner Concert on the OSU campus.


Points of interest

The Sheerar Museum of Stillwater History is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Stillwater. The museum features exhibits on Stillwater and Payne County, including the first land run that opened
Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as ...
for settlement in 1889. The museum also offers a variety of temporary exhibits and programs. The
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum and hall of fame for amateur wrestling, headquartered in Stillwater, Oklahoma. In 2010, it began operating the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. History The museum was awarded to Stil ...
is also located in Stillwater. It is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the sport, celebrating achievements, and encouraging young athletes. The Washington Irving Trail and Museum, located in a rural setting, celebrates the heritage of
Payne County Payne County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 81,646. Its county seat is Stillwater, Oklahoma, Stillwater. The county was created in ...
. It is named for American writer
Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy ...
who used to camp in the area. The museum features items from the famous Oklahoma boomer, David L. Payne. In October 2013, Oklahoma State University opened the OSU Museum of Art in the renovated Postal Plaza, a former WPA-built Federal Post Office in Downtown Stillwater. The university began collecting art in the 1930s, an endeavor initiated by the former head of the OSU Art Department, Doel Reed. The university also operates the Gardiner Art Gallery on campus in the Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts, home of the OSU Art Department. Exhibits in the gallery, which are open to the public, vary from student and faculty exhibits to national shows. The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University covers more than with thousands of species of flowers, shrubs, grasses and trees. It features specialized gardens like butterfly and organic gardens, turf and nursery research centers, and a Centennial Grove. It also has a studio garden where OETA's show ''Oklahoma Gardening'' is filmed. The facility also has an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony Garden. The David L. Payne Memorial Monument, located in Boomer Lake Park, honors Oklahoma boomer, David L. Payne. In 1995, his body was exhumed and moved from Wellington, Kansas to this site.
Payne County, Oklahoma Payne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, its population was 81,646. Its county seat is Stillwater. The county was created in 1890 as part of Oklahoma Territory and is named for Capt. David L. Pa ...
, is named for him. The International Friendship Garden is located at the City of Stillwater Community Center and was built in 1997 by the Kameoka Landscape Gardeners Association to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the sister city relationship between Stillwater and Kameoka, Japan. The gardeners shipped 22 tons of materials, tools, and supplies to Stillwater from Japan. Over a two-week period, they constructed a traditional Japanese garden. They also built a small tea garden at OSU's Oklahoma Botanical Garden and Arboretum. The International Friendship Garden was dedicated Sunday, July 26, 1998, with a delegation from Kameoka in attendance. The Stillwater Public Library dedicated a bronze statue of Oklahoma historian and author
Angie Debo Angie Elbertha Debo (January 30, 1890 – February 21, 1988),
on November 18, 2010. Created by local artist Phyllis Mantik, the statue depicts a young Debo sitting on a rock with several books by her side. Mantik chose to depict the historian as a young woman to illustrate that, at an early age, she chose the life of a scholar. To highlight Debo's importance to Oklahoma's Native American community, the base of the statue is surrounded by the seals of Oklahoma's 38 federally recognized Native American tribes. '' Payne County's Grandest Elm Tree'' is located in Stillwater. It has gained large attention from bystanders and neighbors of the attraction. The Stillwater Farmers' Market operates April through October on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The following Stillwater sites are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
: * James E. Berry House (502 S. Duck St.) * Campus Fire Station (600 W. University Ave.) * Citizens Bank Building (107 E. 9th Ave.) * Cottonwood Community Center (N.W. of Stillwater) * William Frick House (1016 S. West St.) * Hoke Building (121 W. 7th Ave.) * Josephine Reifsnyder Lustron House (2119 Sherwood) * Magruder Plots (Oklahoma State University-Stillwater) * Murphy House (419 S. Monroe St.) * Oklahoma A & M College Agronomy Barn and Seed House (2902 W. 6th St. Building #610) * Old Central (Oklahoma State University-Stillwater) * Payne County Courthouse (606 S. Husband St.) * Pleasant Valley School (1901 S. Sangre Rd.) * Selph Building (119 W. 7th Ave.) * Santa Fe Depot (400 E. 10th Ave.) * Walker Building (117 W. 7th Ave.)


Media

Stillwater's newspaper of record is the ''
NewsPress The ''Stillwater News Press'' is a newspaper published in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. It is owned by CNHI. As of April 2020, it changed to print editions on Tuesday, Thursday and weekend editions on Saturday with daily e-editions Tuesd ...
'', owned by the Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. The community is also served by the weekly ''Stillwater Journal'', owned and published by David and Lisa Sasser. '' The Daily O'Collegian'' has been published since 1895 as a daily paper by
Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...
and is an affiliate of the College Media Network. Stillwater is also home to several radio stations, including Stillwater Radio that broadcasts on four stations: KSPI 780 AM, 80s, 90s and 2000s Rock; KSPI 94.3 FM, 80s, 90s and 2000s Rock; KVRO 101.1 FM, classic hits and home of Stillwater High School sports; KGFY 105.5 FM, country music and the home o
Perkins-Tryon High School
sports (in nearby Perkins, Oklahoma), and OSU women's basketball, soccer, and softball; and KSPI 93.7 FM, adult contemporary, and the home of OSU football, baseball, men's basketball, and wrestling.
KOSU Kosu is a village in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Bal ...
91.7 FM is owned by Oklahoma State University and is a
National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
station. White Peacock Publishing publishes ''Stillwater Living Magazine'', a full-color monthly magazine. ''Stillwater Scene'', published by Red Productions, is a monthly print and online magazine that focuses on local entertainment. Stillwater TV is a government-access television station airing on
Suddenlink Communications Suddenlink was an American telecommunications subsidiary of Altice USA trading in cable television, broadband, IP telephony, home security, and advertising. Prior to its acquisition by Altice, the company was the seventh largest cable operator w ...
’s channel 14. It broadcasts programming provided by the City of Stillwater, including live and rebroadcasts of Stillwater City Council and Planning Commission meetings. Stillwater citizens were featured in the news for threatening fellow citizens attempting to enforce public safety regulations related to COVID-19 "just three hours fterthe rule going into effect".


Sports

Stillwater is home to the
Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls are the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Stillwate ...
. Oklahoma State University teams have won 53
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
National Championships, the majority of which have been in
wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...
. Men's programs include baseball, basketball, football, cross country, golf, wrestling, tennis, and track and field. Women's programs include basketball, cross country, equestrian, soccer, softball, tennis, and track and field. The
Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestling The Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestling team is the most successful NCAA Division I athletic program of all time in any sport. As of 2024–25, Oklahoma State wrestling has won 34 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships#Team titles, team NCAA natio ...
team is an
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...
program and is one of five
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. It consists of 16 full-member universities (3 private universities and 13 public universities) in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Florida ...
schools which participate in wrestling. The team has won 34 team national championships (plus an additional three which are unofficial) and 134 individual NCAA championships which are both NCAA records. Major sports facilities include Boone Pickens Stadium,
Gallagher-Iba Arena Gallagher-Iba Arena, also known as ''"The Rowdiest Arena in the Country"'' and ''"The Madison Square Garden of the Plains”'', is the basketball and wrestling venue at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. Originally ...
, and
O'Brate Stadium O'Brate Stadium is a baseball park in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The home field of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys college baseball team, it is named after Cecil O'Brate. It was scheduled to host its first game on March 20, 2020 against TCU. F ...
. Stillwater High School is a 6A-2 school. The Pioneers compete in football, volleyball, softball, cross country, cheerleading, pom, wrestling, basketball, swimming, baseball, golf, tennis, and soccer.


Parks and outdoor attractions

The City of Stillwater Parks and Recreation Department manages more than of parkland, including five ball complexes, ten tennis courts, two disc golf courses, four lakes, one swimming pool, 14 playgrounds, one skate and bmx bike ramp, special services centers, including the Multi Arts Center, Senior Activity Center, Community Center, Armory Gymnasium and Lakeside Golf Course. Lake McMurtry, owned by the City of Stillwater, offers hiking and mountain-bike trails, back-to-nature camping and well-stocked reserves for fishing. Its convenience store and bait shop are open seasonal hours.
Carl Blackwell Lake Lake Carl Blackwell a/k/a Carl Blackwell Lake is west of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Primarily a recreational area, it is almost midway between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. It was constructed in 1937.
is owned by
Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...
. It offers camping, boat rentals, covered pavilions, and a gift shop. Stillwater is served by a number of paved and unpaved bicycle and walking trails for non-motorized forms of transit. The Kameoka Trail Corridor includes a three-mile (5 km) loop around Boomer Lake and additional disconnected segments throughout the city.Parks, Trails & Open Spaces in Stillwater

Stillwater.org
. (accessed August 1, 2013)
The corridor begins north at Park View Estates and runs along West Boomer Creek toward Airport Road and Boomer Lake Park, circles the lake and cuts south to Stillwater High School, crosses McElroy and continues to Hall of Fame between Main and Perkins and crosses through Hoyt Grove Park. Other multi-use trails include an asphalt trail through Couch Park, a dirt nature trail around Sanborn Lake, bike and pedestrian trails at Lake McMurtry, and a one-mile (1.6 km) gravel screenings loop at the Oklahoma Technology & Research Park. Four golf courses are located in Stillwater: *The 18-hole course at the Karsten Creek Golf Club features 7,095 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 74.8 and it has a slope rating of 142 on Zoysia grass. *The 18-hole Lakeside Memorial Golf Course features 6,698 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 70. The course rating is 71.3 and it has a slope rating of 117. *The 18-hole course at the Stillwater Country Club features 6,524 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 70. The course rating is 71.0 and it has a slope rating of 125. *The 18-hole course at The Links At Stillwater features 6,258 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71.


Transportation


Major highways

Stillwater has two highways running through it:
Oklahoma State Highway 51 State Highway 51, abbreviated to SH-51 or OK-51, is a major state highway in Oklahoma, United States. It runs for east–west across the state, running from the Texas state line to Arkansas. It is the third-longest state highway in the sys ...
, or 6th Avenue, runs east and west; and US-177, or Perkins Road, runs north and south. The city is also served by a spur that connects US-177 to the
Cimarron Turnpike The Cimarron Turnpike is a controlled-access toll road in north-central Oklahoma. The route travels , from an interchange with Interstate 35 (I-35) north of Perry, to Westport, just west of Tulsa. The route also consists of a spur which ...
.


Airport

Stillwater Regional Airport (SWO) has served the city since 1917.
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
began service in August 2016 with two daily round trip flights to its largest hub at
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas region, in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest hub for American Airlines, which is headquartere ...
. The flights are operated on behalf of American Airlines by their regional partner
SkyWest Airlines SkyWest Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah. SkyWest operates and maintains aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by four partner Mainline (air travel), mainline airlines. The comp ...
using the 65 seat
Bombardier CRJ700 The Bombardier CRJ700 series is a family of regional jet airliners that were designed and manufactured by Canadian transportation conglomerate Bombardier (formerly Canadair). Officially launched in 1997, the CRJ700 made its maiden flight on 27 ...
. Private jets also fly in and out of this airport.


Bus service

Public transportation is provided by
OSU-Stillwater Community Transit OSU-Stillwater Community Transit, branded as The Bus, is the primary provider of mass transportation in Stillwater, Oklahoma with ten routes serving the region. It is a service of Oklahoma State University, however the buses are available to the ...
. Ten bus routes are operated within Stillwater's city limits and on the OSU campus.


Infrastructure


Utilities

Stillwater has been a community-owned electric utility since 1907. The electric utility, now part of the Stillwater Utilities Authority, provides electric, water, wastewater and solid waste management services. A portion of the Utility Authority's revenues help to support the City of Stillwater's fire and police departments, the parks and recreation system, and other city services. Water in Stillwater is drawn from
Kaw Lake Kaw Lake is a reservoir completed in 1976 in the northern reaches of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, near Kaw City which is located on a hill overlooking the lake. The lake is approximately east of Ponca City.
and pumped approximately to the treatment facility.


Health care

Stillwater Medical Center is a 119-bed non-profit public trust facility. Services offered by the hospital include emergency, wound care, labor and delivery, surgery,
radiology Radiology ( ) is the medical specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiation), but tod ...
, rehabilitation, cancer care, and wellness. The community is also served by the Stillwater Surgery Center, an
outpatient surgery Outpatient surgery, also known as ambulatory surgery, day surgery, day case surgery, or same-day surgery, is surgery that does not require an overnight hospital stay.The International Association for Ambulatory Surgery (IAAS) would not consider al ...
center, and the Stillwater Cancer Center, a physician-owned cancer treatment center. Residents who seek the full services of a teaching hospital must travel to the OSU Medical Center, about 60–70 minutes east in Tulsa. The Payne County Health Department is also located in Stillwater and offers services such as WIC, consumer protection, health promotion, and chronic and acute disease services.


Notable people

*
Art Acord Arthemus Ward "Art" Acord (April 17, 1890 – January 4, 1931) was an American silent film actor and rodeo champion. After his film career ended in 1929, Acord worked in rodeo road shows and as a miner in Mexico. Early life and career Acord ...
, (1890–1931), rodeo champion, Hollywood cowboy movie star * Ai (or Ai Ogawa) (1947–2010), poet, recipient of the 1999
National Book Award for Poetry The National Book Award for Poetry is one of five annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. They are awards "by writers to writers".
* Xavier Adibi, former professional football player * Frank K. Berry, chess administrator/organizer *
Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...
, singer and songwriter *
Bob Childers Robert Wayne Childers (November 20, 1946 – April 22, 2008) was an American country music, country-folk music, folk musician and singer-songwriter from the state of Oklahoma. Both before and after his death, he achieved widespread critical acc ...
, folk musician, father of red dirt music * Ben Cline, American Congressman *
Burr DeBenning Burris Franklin DeBenning (September 21, 1936 – May 26, 2003) was an American character actor who worked in both film and television. Early years The son of Mr. and Mrs. M.J. DeBenning, he was born in Seminole, Oklahoma, and grew up in Stil ...
(1936–2003), actor ('' A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child'', '' Matlock'', ''
Magnum, P.I. ''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980, to May 1, 1988, during its first-run broadcast on ...
'', ''
Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner, aired on NBC from September 13, 1974, to January 10, 1980. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in the ...
'', ''
Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...
'') *
Angie Debo Angie Elbertha Debo (January 30, 1890 – February 21, 1988),
(1890–1988), historian of Native American and Oklahoma history * Robert DoQui (1934–1998), actor (''
Coffy ''Coffy'' is a 1973 American blaxploitation action thriller film written and directed by Jack Hill. The story is about a black female vigilante played by Pam Grier who seeks violent revenge against a heroin dealer responsible for her sister's ...
'', ''
RoboCop ''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dani ...
'') * Julian Ewell (1915–2009), lieutenant general,
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...
* Wyatt Flores, country artist * Edward C. Gallagher (1887–1940) Hall of Fame, Olympic and NCAA Champion Wrestling Coach, champion sprinter and football player. * Willis "Blue Scuti" Gibson, classic ''Tetris'' player, first person to "beat" the game *
Chester Gould Chester Gould (; November 20, 1900 – May 11, 1985) was an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the ''Dick Tracy'' comic strip, which he wrote and drew from 1931 to 1977, incorporating numerous colorful and monstrous villains. Ear ...
(1900–1985), cartoonist, creator of
Dick Tracy ''Dick Tracy'' is an American comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on Sunday, October 4, 1931, in the '' Detroit Mirror'', and was distributed by the Chicago T ...
* Labron Harris Jr., pro golfer, 1962
U.S. Amateur The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August ov ...
champion * Jackson Holliday, professional baseball player *
Josh Holliday Joshua S. Holliday (born September 14, 1976) is an American college baseball coach and former professional player in Minor League Baseball. Currently the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball team, he was hired to this position p ...
, baseball coach *
Matt Holliday Matthew Thomas Holliday (born January 15, 1980) is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 to 2018 for the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York ...
, professional baseball player *
Viktor Hovland Viktor Hovland (born 18 September 1997) is a Norwegian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and European Tour. He won the 2018 U.S. Amateur and reached number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in 2019. Hovland became the first Norw ...
, professional golfer *
Howard Keys Howard Newton "Sonny" Keys (January 24, 1935 – October 21, 1971) was an American professional football offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) from 1960 to 1965 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Early life and college Keys was born ...
, former professional football player and coach * Brad Leftwich, old-time fiddler *
James Marsden James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor. He began his acting career guest starring in the television shows '' Saved by the Bell: The New Class'' (1993), '' Touched by an Angel'' (1995), and '' Party of Five'' (1995). Ma ...
, actor (''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...
'', ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'',
Westworld ''Westworld'' is an American science fiction dystopia media franchise that began with the Westworld (film), 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild West, Wild-West-th ...
) *
Sharron Miller Sharron Miller is an American Television director, television and film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter. She is one of the pioneering women directors who worked regularly in mainstream Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s (along ...
,
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
winning television and film director, producer, and writer *
Tyson Ritter Tyson Jay Ritter (born April 24, 1984) is an American musician and actor. He is the lead vocalist, bassist, pianist, and songwriter of the rock band The All-American Rejects. As an actor, Ritter appeared as himself on the seventeenth episode o ...
, musician and actor, frontman of
The All-American Rejects The All-American Rejects (often abbreviated as AAR) are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1999.Jackie Shipp, professional football player and college coach * Artie Smith, former professional football player * Lawrence "Larry" Thompson (1911–1973), author, humor columnist at ''
The Miami Herald The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1903, it is the fifth-largest newspaper in Florida, serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe countie ...
'' *
Rex Tillerson Rex Tillerson is an American energy executive who served as the 69th United States secretary of state from 2017 to 2018 in the first administration of Donald Trump. From 2006 to 2016, he was chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Exxon ...
, former
U.S. Secretary of State The United States secretary of state (SecState) is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The secretary of state serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
, former chairman and CEO of
ExxonMobil Exxon Mobil Corporation ( ) is an American multinational List of oil exploration and production companies, oil and gas corporation headquartered in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston. Founded as the Successors of Standard Oil, largest direct s ...
* Alternative-rock band
The All-American Rejects The All-American Rejects (often abbreviated as AAR) are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1999.Wikipedia:Bio requirements to ensure notability (see Wikipedia:Notability). 3) Each person MUST meet Wikipedia:Verifiability requirements to verify their notability and prove they resided in the city. 4) If the person has a Wikipedia article, then wikilink the person's name to the correct Wikipedia article, otherwise add citation reference(s) to prove the above requirements (see Wikipedia:Citing sources). *** END OF INSTRUCTIONS *** -->


Sister cities

*
Kameoka is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 87,518 in 29,676 households and a population density of 390 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Kameoka abuts Kyoto to the west and is locate ...
,
Kyoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Kyoto Prefecture has a population of 2,561,358 () and has a geographic area of . Kyoto Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the northeast, Shiga Prefecture ...
, Japan Stillwater has been
sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...
to Kameoka since 1985. The State of Oklahoma and Kyoto Prefecture signed a sister state agreement in 1985 through the auspices of the governor's office. Kameoka requested a sister city in Oklahoma that was about one hour from the capital, agriculturally based, and home to a university. Stillwater was a perfect match. In 1985, the first delegation from Kameoka visited Stillwater, and in November of that same year a Stillwater delegation went to Kameoka. There, Mayors Calvin J. Anthony and Yoshihisa Taniguchi signed the Sister City Affiliation Agreement that officially established the sister cities relationship between the two cities. Since 1989, the Stillwater Middle School and Taisei Junior High School in Kameoka have participated in a sister school relationship, which features an active teacher-student exchange program. In 2016, the Stillwater High School based string quintet, Penta-Strings, played for the during the 30-year visit of the Kameoka delegation. * Gadabay, Azerbaijan


In popular culture

Stillwater was featured in the CW television show ''
Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'' in Season 13, Episode 12 "Various & Sundry Villains". Protagonists Sam and
Dean Winchester Dean Winchester is one of the two protagonists from the American drama television series ''Supernatural'', along with his younger brother Sam. He is portrayed primarily by Jensen Ackles. Other versions of the character having been portrayed b ...
track a pair of witches to the city to try and recover a valuable spell book. In the 2021 film '' Stillwater''
Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...
plays an oil rig worker from Oklahoma who goes to visit his daughter in prison in Marseilles, France, in the hope to bring her back home to Stillwater. Stillwater served as the filming location for the crime-thriller '' All-American Murder'' starring
Christopher Walken Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is an American actor. Christopher Walken on stage and screen, His work on stage and screen has earned him List of awards and nominations received by Christopher Walken, accolades includin ...
. Stillwater appears in the disaster film ''Twisters'', released in 2024 as a standalone sequel to the 1996 film ''Twister''.


References


External links

*
City of Stillwater

Stillwater Chamber of Commerce

Stillwater Convention & Visitors Bureau
{{Authority control Oklahoma City metropolitan area Cities in Oklahoma County seats in Oklahoma Cities in Payne County, Oklahoma Micropolitan areas of Oklahoma 1884 establishments in Indian Territory Populated places established in 1884