Medicine Park, OK
(words taken directly from the website)
Medicine Park was founded in 1908 as Oklahoma's first planned
tourism resort. The area that we call "Town Center" is built
around the banks of Medicine Creek, a body of water long known
by the Kiowa and Comanche to have healing powers. The creek's
headwaters begin about twenty miles west of Medicine Park,
far up in the western portion of the rugged Wichita Mountains.
Like many such communities of
the period, Medicine Park flourished throughout the 1920's, and
30's. It was Medicine Park's "salad days." When the 40's rolled
around - America had to shift its focus to the war effort.
Interest in the outdoors and nature declined, and therefore so
did all of the old resort communities. When the war ended, the
urbanization of America began and neighborhoods with neat,
little, "look-alike" homes began
springing up in every city.
There are currently some 20+
homes or structures under restoration, a new 120' long foot
bridge crossing Medicine Creek constructed, a half dozen new
businesses opened and more are on their way. More than a
half-million dollars in grant funding has been garnered to help
build a new fire station, repave every road in town, built
parking areas, provided some "jump-start" funding for economic
development and other vital
projects. More has been promised by various State and Federal
agencies. Medicine Park is becoming Oklahoma's model
community for rural revitalization and restoration. All
this is thanks to quality, pro-active leadership and a sense of
community pride. |
