Located in Northeast Oklahoma, Green Country is an area of the state with a relatively high amount of foliage as opposed to Central and Western Oklahoma. The area has the most diversified agricultural economy in the state. This being said, the term has more than simply a botanical connotation. People who live in the Tulsa region feel that they are different from those in other regions of Oklahoma. Tulsans take pride in their city’s cultural achievements, including great museums, gardens and many beautiful neighborhood, all stemming from Tulsa’s boom days as the “Oil Capitol of the World”. The news media in Tulsa often use the term “Green Country” in every day speech.
This fact also demonstrates the idea of separateness that many Tulsans feel about their community. Oklahoma City, the state capitol, is a two hour trip down the Turner Turnpike. Tulsans seem to have an often heated rivalry with OKC, the largest city in Oklahoma as well. OKC folks embrace their Southwestern and cowboy heritage as part of tourist interest while Tulsans stress their Native American history and arts.
In fact, modern Oklahoma at one point was divided into two territories; Indian Territory in the East (this includes Tulsa) and Oklahoma Territory in the West (where modern Oklahoma City lies). The bottom line is that geographically, historically, and culturally the two communities are quite divergent in their self image. As opposed to Oklahoma City, stressing her beginnings in the rough and tumble “Land Run”, with images of riders on horse back racing tumble weeds across the prairie to stake a claim to settle, Tulsa paints itself as a more enlightened, Midwestern community, stressing its gentility and metropolitan charm. This is the essence of the term Green Country.
