Owasso started as a settlement in 1881. It was named Elm Creek because of its location along Elm Creek, a tributary of Bird Creek. By 1893, Elm Creek had a general store, a blacksmith shop, and several residences. In June 1893, plans began to extend a railroad south from Bartlesville to the cattle ranches in Elm Creek. A post office was opened in the area on February 10, 1898. The railroad was completed in 1899, and the first train arrived in November 1899. Since Elm Creek was the end of this railroad, the local people called it Owasso, an Osage Indian word meaning “the end” or “turn around.”
On March 26, 1904, Owasso was incorporated into a town. By 1907 when Oklahoma became a state, Owasso had a population of 379. The population was 373 in 1910 and 416 in 1930. In 1905, the town received its first telephone connection. Oil was discovered in Owasso around the same time, making it an oil and natural gas town for several years. Population and economic growth continued until the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929. Business establishments closed down, the population reduced, and the town wore out as people moved to Tulsa and other areas to evade economic hardships. Owasso recorded a population of 431 in the 1950 census.
Transportation access in the 1950s allowed industries to develop in the region. Owasso residents could also commute to other towns, especially Tulsa, for work. In 1952, 68 new homes were built to accommodate more people. Soon, Owasso became a commuter community. By 1955, the number of retail businesses increased, and the population more than doubled. The completion of the Port of Catoosa southeast of Owasso, and the growth of Tulsa International Airport in the South resulted in more economic prosperity in the late 1990s.
Today, Owasso is one of the largest suburbs of Tulsa, with a population of over 38,000. While in Owasso, visit Centennial Park. It is a large park with paved tracks, fishing lakes, and a disc golf course. If you visit in the summer, tour Owasso Christmas Tree and Berry Farm to pick blackberries and blueberries. Owasso is also home to Owasso Harvest & Pet Festival, an annual event featuring live music, games, a pet competition, food, and more. You won't want to miss this town’s restaurants, museums and entertainment centers.
Campgrounds Near Owasso, Oklahoma
One top campground near Owasso is Warrior RV Park in Tulsa. The facility has 61 sites that can accommodate bigger RVs. It also has many amenities, including a propane refill station, showers, laundry facilities, and free Wi-Fi.
You can find Canyon Creek RV 10 minutes northwest of Tulsa. It has 26 back-in and pull-through sites with full hookups. In addition, the pet-friendly campground has laundry facilities, cable TV, showers, and a Wi-Fi connection.
If you want to camp in a wooded area while viewing eagles, visit Eagle’s View RV Park, 18 miles northwest of Tulsa. In addition to having 87 sites, the facility offers showers, cable TV, and laundry facilities.
State Parks Near Owasso, Oklahoma
Osage Hills State Park is one of the hidden treasures of Oklahoma, located one hour north of Owasso in the Osage Nation. Have fun boating and swimming on Lookout Lake or Sand Creek. The latter is a lovely fishing spot full of crappie, bass, catfish, and sunfish. Hit one of the five trails meandering through the park, and you may encounter buffaloes, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and other wildlife. You will have access to water and a dump station if you decide to stay the night in one of its 20 campsites.
Sequoyah State Park is a prolific destination located less than an hour’s drive east of Owasso. It boasts more than 19,000 surface acres of water and over 200 miles of shoreline on Fort Gibson Lake. The lake offers boating, canoeing, waterskiing, and fishing opportunities. Swimming is permitted on two protected beaches, and hiking is possible on the over 19 miles of trails available on land. The park also has numerous stables and offers unique horseback riding opportunities to equine lovers.
Tucked about 90 miles from Owasso, Tenkiller State Park features a 12,000-acre lake and 1,190 acres of land. Guests can relish boating, scuba diving, tubing, and fishing on Lake Tenkiller. You can enjoy lunch with a view of the lake on one of the park’s four group picnic pavilions or 172 picnic tables. There is one hiking trail and two multi-purpose tracks. Other facilities include a basketball court, a volleyball yard, and two playgrounds.
National Sites Near Owasso, Oklahoma
Cruise less than two hours east on Interstate 44 to George Washington Carver National Monument to learn more about the life and work of George Washington Carver. Start your tour in the visitor center where interactive exhibits and a documentary display Carver’s work as an educator, botanist, and humanitarian. See the statues of Carver as a small boy and mature man during your visit. Lakeside Forest and Henning Conservation Area Loop trails offer stunning waterfall views nearby.
Visit Oklahoma City National Memorial in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City to pay tribute to the 168 people who died in a domestic terrorist attack on April 19, 1995. The memorial narrates the stories of the individuals and places affected by the attack. Stop by the Survivor’s Wall to see the site holding the names of the event’s victims on what used to be the eastern corner of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. While in the area, hike or bike on Lake Hefner Trail to catch beautiful lake views and watch airplanes fly in and out of an adjacent remote control airfield.
Chickasaw National Recreation Area is an exciting getaway destination combining Platt National Park and Arbuckle Recreation Area, south of Sulphur in Oklahoma. Hiking is an everyday activity here throughout the year. If you love wildflowers, visit between March and October when flowers are blooming. You will enjoy lots of canoeing, kayaking and water skiing on Lake of the Arbuckles when you visit this national reserve in the summer. Ice fishing and cross-country skiing are commonplace in the winter.
National Forests Near Owasso, Oklahoma
Ouachita National Forest is in the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas, 155 miles south of Owasso. Lake Ouachita Trail traverses hilly areas with pine and hardwood forests and offers remarkable vistas of the lake. The 40,000 acres of crystal-clear water provide fishing, scuba diving, boating, and swimming prospects. Horse riders will appreciate Fourche Mountain Trail and Billy Creek Trail. If you are into bird-watching, black vultures, turkey vultures, and red-tailed hawks reside here all year round while eagles are lively in spring and winter.
Five hours north of Ouachita National Forest lies Mark Twain National Forest, which covers 1.5 million acres across 29 counties in southern Missouri. Over 750 miles of trails for hiking and biking wind through this woodland destination. Its 14 streams and 16 lakes offer guests endless opportunities for fishing, swimming, and other water-based activities. Take a drive on the Glade Top Scenic Byway to get panoramic views without leaving your RV. You might catch sight of various songbirds and wild turkeys.
You will want to tour Ozark-St. Francis National Forest in Arkansas. It is a 1.2-million-acre forest with mountain streams, lush hardwood, pine forests, and a segment of the Mississippi River. Enter Blanchard Springs Caverns to glimpse flowstones, stalagmites, stalactites, and other sparkling formations constantly changing. Swimming and boating await water lovers on the Mississippi and St. Francis rivers and Bear Creek and Storm Creek lakes. Popular game fish in the water bodies include largemouth bass, striped bass, and catfish. Hunting big game is allowed in designated areas.
