What's the historical reason it wasn't included in one of the other states?
When Texas sought to enter the Union in 1845 as a slave state, federal law in the United States, based on the Missouri Compromise, prohibited slavery north of 36°30' parallel north. Under the Compromise of 1850, Texas surrendered its lands north of 36°30' latitude.
Slavery, like usual, was the answer.
It has a lot to do with the US using Oklahoma as a dumping zone for first Americans and then over time taking even that from them piece by piece.
If your interested, Jonny Harris did a piece on it recently.
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Meth and cousins is what gets done in those there parts.
Meth and cousins is what gets the job done in those there parts.
Also dust bowls.
Oklahoman here! I’ve personally haven’t spent much time in this part of the state. It’s was historically referred to as “No Man’s Land” if that gives you any idea. The panhandle has a much more arid, high plains type climate than other parts of the state. I believe there are literal sand dunes out that way. Oklahoma’s highest point, Black Mesa, is in the panhandle. Im told Black Mesa is a great camping spot for star-gazing, but I’ve never been. As far as I’m aware it’s mostly right-wing but jobs living in that area. I seem to recall a few local news stories about people in that part of the state making a big stink about trans kids trying to use the bathroom and so forth.
Lol “right-wing butt jobs”
Black Mesa is where Halflife is set, if that helps?
Black Mesa is the organization, IIRC. I had it in my head that the research facility was near Los Alamos, NM, but that might just be because I associate any theoretical physics research in a desert with Los Alamos.
As far as I’m aware it’s mostly right-wing (nut) jobs living in that area.
This is different from the rest of Oklahoma how?
Well, not really. Oklahoma is a deeply red state, but it is more liberal in areas like Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and the university towns. I've always gotten the impression that people living in the panhandle were a different breed of conservative psycho though.
Like all states, there is a gradient of political leanings, especially around cities. For instance, northern Virginia is nothing like the rest of Virginia at all. I imagine it's similar in Oklahoma, where the major population centers don't reflect the rest of the state at all.
Former Texan here: slavery is why that exists. They ceded the land so they could enter the union as a slave state.
Weddings where everyone sits on the same side of the church and some of the worst maintained roads in America.
After driving around south east Oklahoma this weekend, it scares me to know that there are worse roads in the state.
Can confirm our roads suck. Source: Live in Choctaw County.
War crimes
TIL you can cross between the border of Oklahoma and Colorado, technically...
The Oklahoma high point is right near the border so you can see each state, the marker for the border is like a two minute drive from the parking lot for the highpoint trailhead.
You can go north from Texas to New Mexico
It's pretty much the heart of where the dust bowl of the 1930s was. Most of the people who lived there left and never came back. They moved to places like Bakersfield, California, which is a big part of how you get the "Bakersfield Sound" in country music with guys like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.
It is home to Hooker OK.
Ok, but there are also probably hookers in other parts.
But are they OK?
If she’s the only hooker in the state, she’s probably not OK.
Wind, sand, dirt, and poverty
Original band name of Earth, Wind & Fire
That’s where people drive when they want to avoid Texas’ draconian laws. Think of it as a neutral zone.
How many sisters you got?
makes it easier to flip pancakes
Panhandle behaviour.
Panhandle behaviour!
Panhandling
Nothing goes on there.
