Washington County

Washington County combines impressive oil history, museums, waterside trails and excursion destinations with very different focuses. Those looking for a vacation apartment or vacation home can choose their location based on whether culture, activity, lakes or activities with children are the priority. For an initial overview, Bartlesville and Dewey provide two specific starting points.

Oil History, Architecture and Regional Memories

In Bartlesville, the Nellie Johnstone Number One represents the beginning of Oklahoma's commercial oil history: the state's first commercial oil well was drilled in 1897. Price Tower in Washington County is a distinctive architectural landmark. It is the only fully realized skyscraper by Frank Lloyd Wright and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. The Frank Phillips Home adds to this perspective on the past with a 26-room mansion.

The Bartlesville Area History Museum provides further insight into the region's development. It presents history through exhibitions and artifacts, as well as photographs, artifacts and videos. The museum is located on the top floor of Bartlesville City Hall, which previously housed the Hotel Maire during the oil boom. The Dewey Hotel Museum also focuses on early history: on display are period furniture, glassware, clothing and rare photographs from the region's early life. The Dewey Hotel also played a central role in the early economic and social history.

Trails, Parks and a Scenic Break

Bartlesville offers several different options for active days. The park system includes 18 parks and open spaces covering more than 860 developed acres in total. The paved Pathfinder Parkway is 12 miles long and runs mostly along the Caney River and Turkey Creek. It is suitable for walking, jogging and cycling. Along the bird-watching trails, signs identify birds that can be seen and heard along the route. The Tower Center at Unity Square also includes paved trails for cycling and skating.

Those who want to experience the surrounding area on a longer drive can include the Highway 60 Scenic Byway in their plans. It begins in Bartlesville and extends for 70.2 miles. For vacation accommodation, the desired daily itinerary is therefore the main consideration: focusing on museums and local history leads to different considerations than a stay where cycling routes, bird-watching or a scenic drive set the pace.

Lakes and Excursions by the Water

North of Bartlesville lies Hudson Lake, with 250 surface acres and a shoreline of eight miles. Canoes and kayaks are permitted on the lake without a permit. At Copan Lake, the water surface covers approximately 5,000 surface acres. The park has a designated beach area; there are also opportunities for fishing, including for largemouth bass, white bass, and channel and flathead catfish. Two campgrounds are available there for tents and RVs. This information can help you decide whether to make water-based activities or cultural sightseeing the focus of your trip.

Museums, Music and Activities with Children

The Tom Mix Museum & Western Theater in Washington County houses a large collection of personal belongings and film props from the silent film “King of the Cowboys.” Films by Tom Mix are shown in a 30-seat movie theater. The Prairie Song Pioneer Village Museum comprises more than 25 hand-hewn log cabins with antique period furnishings and offers a tour through a prairie frontier town. This allows different forms of regional history to be combined without all excursions having the same character.

The OKM Music Festival takes place annually in Bartlesville during the summer. The Bartlesville Community Center has an auditorium for 1,700 people. If you are traveling with children, Kiddie Park offers 16 rides designed for children up to and including 12 years of age. This means that, alongside historical topics, music and an age-appropriate excursion destination can also be included in the itinerary.

Choosing the Right Starting Point

When searching for a vacation apartment or vacation home, it is worth organizing your planned experiences before booking. Bartlesville combines oil history, museums, parks, the Pathfinder Parkway and the beginning of the Highway 60 Scenic Byway. Dewey is located on U.S. Highway 75, seven miles northeast of downtown Bartlesville. Those considering this location as a base can take its position along this route into account when planning. The final choice should be based on the sightseeing and activities you actually want, not on compiling the longest possible list of options.

For a broader regional search, you can also look at Kiowa County, Mcintosh County, Cherokee, Cimarron County, Jefferson County and Pawnee County.

For the higher-level travel overview: Oklahoma.