Pawhuska makes statewide tourism list

A recent visit to Pawhuska by a travel writer for the Oklahoma Today magazine resulted in several of the town’s most prominent attractions being featured in an article, “Gem of the Osage.”

The article by Sheilah Bright in the publication’s March/April issue — cites Pawhuska as “Oklahoma’s most screen-ready small town” with delectable food, bountiful shopping and wild history. Her article paints Pawhuska in a very positive way, offering travelers a small-town experience.

The Osage Tribal Museum, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, as well as eating establishments such as Bad Brad’s BBQ and The Prairie Dog are featured in the articles. The piece also names Promised Land Antique Mall and Sister’s Attic as places to shop.

“It’s been a memorable couple of years with Terrence Malick’s ‘To the Wonder’ and ‘August: Osage County’ being filmed here,” said Chamber Executive Director Mike McCartney. “Pawhuska is a small town 60 miles round-trip from anywhere. If you want to see true rural Oklahoma, we’re it.”

McCartney also referred to the revitalization of Pawhuska’s historic downtown, where at least 15 buildings/properties on Main Street and Kihekah Avenue changed ownership last year.

“It’s a great start to what we hope will become a real preservation commitment,” he said.

The article highlighted the Osage Tribal Museum and Archives as the oldest tribal-owned museum in the United States. With more than 5,000 artifacts and an impressive archival photo collection of 1,500 of the 2,229 original Osage allotees, the museum attracts thousands of visitors each year.

“We have employees who work tirelessly to get the word out and find photographs (of original allotees),” said Museum Director Kathryn Red Corn of the ongoing project. “I call them the sages of the Osage.”

McCartney also showed Bright the interior of the historic Catholic church, with its famous stained glass windows and vibrant history.

The March/April issue of the Oklahoma Today magazine is available on newsstands.