Oklahoma Prairie Country

   Welcome to my Home Page! You will find interesting facts and information on this site pertaining to nature, conservation, tall grass prairies, prairie wild flowers, and the American bison. There will also be information about the pioneers of the west, cowboys, desperadoes, Native Americans, ranchers, and early oil barons. Most of these topics will pertain particularly to the state of Oklahoma, and especially to northeast Oklahoma. You will soon notice that much of what is presented on this web site is influenced by The Tallgrass Prairie.

   The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, which is owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy, is located in northeastern Oklahoma, near Pawhuska. It consists of about thirty-nine thousand acres of rolling hills at the southern end of the Flint Hills. From atop one of the hills one can view a spectacular panorama of colorful wild flowers and tall bluestem grass and wild rye waving in the breezes. Two thousand American bison grazing on the lush grasses transports one to a time many years ago when the prairies were teaming with bison and the Native Americans of the Osage tribe, mounted on horseback, rode across the hills and valleys.

   When this great country began there was an estimated 142 million acres of tallgrass prairie extending from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Now less than 10% remains, and most of that is scattered in small land holdings. We are fortunate to have the largest contiguous managed acreage of tallgrass prairie here in Oklahoma. The Nature Conservancy, which owns it, is dedicated to restoring it to its original prairie ecosystem. The public is invited to visit The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, with its 2000 bison (buffalo), and learn about the conservation efforts being introduced by the Conservancy and the many research projects being conducted by our Oklahoma universities. You can learn more by visiting the other pages on this web site.

Preserve is open 24/7
Information Center is open 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Information Center is closed for the winter from December 16 to February 28

   June was a spectacular month for the prairie wild flowers. I don’t think I have seen the TGP any prettier. There were large clusters of the same kind of plant in bloom which reminded me of a bright crazy quilt. Black-eyed Susan was plentiful, along with white Penstemon, White Wild Indigo, purple and white Lemon Mint, Coreopsis, Prairie Larkspur, Showy Evening Primrose, pink Common Milkweed, Green Milkweed, purple Scurfy Pea, white Yarrow, pink Sensitive Briar, Indian Plantain, Pale Purple Coneflower, purple Lead Plant, and the spectacular orange Butterfly Weed. I am sure I have left some out. Because of the large masses of flowers there were beautiful vistas demanding that a photo be made. On the long trail, just after passing through the gated fence, the Butterfly Milkweed was profuse . We are used to seeing the Common Milkweed sprinkled over the prairie, but near the place where the Butterfly Milkweed was so prominent, there was a large patch of the Common Milkweed making a wonderful show of bright pink.