Stockyards City: A hundred years of history and fun to discover
Oklahoma City’s Stockyards City, originally named Packingtown, began in 1909 with two packing houses and spurred a building boom in our community. The Oklahoma National Stockyards Company began operating as a public livestock market in October 1910, with two large meat packing plants opening shortly after. These businesses were OKC’s first major industrial operations and occupied the largest concentration of labor.
The district continued to grow. By 1966, it was the sixth largest market in the nation, then took the lead as the largest in 1973. Today, Stockyards City is still one of the largest stocker and feeder cattle markets.
Along with the rise of the industrial complex, a community grew around it with businesses providing various goods and services. This original business district remains today and offers residents and visitors alike a unique place to eat and shop.
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse is a must-visit on your list. This restaurant was established at the beginning of Stockyards City in 1910 and has served everyone from hungry cowboys to movie stars to presidents. Also add McClintock Saloon and Chop House and Heather’s Stockyards Café to your list of restaurants to try.
There’s no better place to shop for western wear than in the stockyards. Langston’s Western Wear opened in 1913 in Harrah, then moved to downtown Oklahoma City 10 years later. Today you can visit them in Stockyards City and find clothing for the whole family. Oklahoma Native Art & Jewelry and Shorty’s Caboy Hattery are great places to find new items for your closet.
After a bite to eat and shopping, you can end the evening with a movie at the Rodeo Cinema. Opening in 1924 to show silent movies, the cinema now is a nonprofit movie theatre playing the best in independent films.
Stockyards City may have been around for over a hundred years, but there’s always something new to discover, see and buy.
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