Oklahoma

Thirty-nine tribal nations call Oklahoma home, more than any other state, and many run their own governments, businesses, and cultural centers, making Native American culture an active part of daily life rather than history. The state’s nickname, “Sooner,” comes from the 1889 Land Run, when settlers raced to claim land, a complex piece of history tied to the forced removal of Native people from their land.

Wearing boots and a hat is simply normal daily dress here, not a costume, a legacy of the cowboy culture preserved at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Chicken fried steak, the official state meal, and onion burgers, born during the Great Depression, reflect that same working, rural identity.

Tornado season in spring is a genuine part of life, and Tulsa’s Art Deco architecture shows a more urban layer of the state’s history.