Take a trip to Stockyards City

Oklahoma City’s history was shaped by cowboy culture and that culture is still alive and well today. You can experience it for yourself at Stockyards City, just a few miles southwest of downtown OKC. Stockyards City is home to the Oklahoma National Stockyards – the world’s largest stocker and feeder cattle market and the only sale of its kind remaining in the United States.

Originally called “Packingtown,” the area was developed as a meat processing and packing plant in 1910, and by 1915 the area was home to cowboys and cattle drives. The meat-packing plant closed in 1961 and was replaced by a cattle auction, which has seen more than 102 million head of livestock pass through its iron gates since opening. Today, you can experience a live auction on Mondays and Tuesdays of each week starting at 8 a.m.

Many businesses in the area also date back to the turn of the 20th century and give the district its own unique flavor. One great example is Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, the oldest continually operating restaurant in Oklahoma City. Cattlemen’s has hosted presidents, pro athletes and movie stars, not to mention thousands of hungry ranchers looking for a hearty meal. For a more modern interpretation of cowboy cuisine, belly up to the 50-foot bar at McClintock’s Saloon and Chophouse for a steak and a glass of whiskey.

Also be sure to check out Langston’s Western Wear, an authentic Western apparel store established in 1916. What started as a one-stop shopping destination for the ranchers and farmers of central Oklahoma has become one of the top independent and locally owned western stores in America. Always known forgreat prices and friendly service, Langston's carries a wide selection of cowboy boots, western shirts, cowboy hats, jeans and work wear by all of today's leading brands. There are also custom boots and more at Little Joe's Boots and custom hats at Shorty's Caboy Hattery.