SEVEN REASONS TO VISIT OKLAHOMA’S CHICKASAW COUNTRY

BY MEGAN HILL

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CHICKASAW COUNTRY

It’s time to put south-central Oklahoma’s Chickasaw Country on the travel radar. The gorgeous landscape—where the Arbuckle Mountains are punctuated with sparkling lakes and sliced by pristine rivers—is rife with discoveries. From the surprising scenery to wellness to culinary and wine experiences, this area has plenty going for it. Your trip can include outdoor adventures, cultural activities, and relaxation. Here are seven must-have experiences in Chickasaw Country.

1. First American Culture – The region’s

Chickasaw Cultural Center, located in

Sulphur, is the largest tribal cultural center in the United States. Here, visitors can immerse themselves in First American experiences, history, and culture. 2. Outdoor Adventure – Chickasaw

Country is teeming with outdoor adventure opportunities across its more than 7,600 square miles of rolling hills, inviting lakes, flowing rivers, and sprawling forests. Opportunities for exploration range from ziplining above the mountains and waterfalls, hiking the trails through the

Arbuckle Mountain range, and viewing waterfalls and wildlife in the Chickasaw

National Recreation Area. 3. The Arts – The Chickasaw Country region is home to an array of arts experiences, from Native American to western to contemporary. There are scores of installations at galleries, live stage performances, and public art on city streets and boulevards. 4. Wellness - Relax, reset and rejuvenate 5. History and Culture – History buffs will with a head-to-toe treatment at one of enjoy the region’s collection of museums, Chickasaw Country’s spa sanctuaries. where Oklahoma’s fascinating history is Or sequester yourself behind the door of on display. From indigenous Americans a secluded cabin where in-the-moment to western history, there are plenty of opmindfulness is easily achieved. tions for learning about the area. Visitors

can explore the Chisholm Trail Heritage

Center or the century-old Chickasaw

White House, which give perspective into

Oklahoma’s past while being very much in the present. For First American culture, there’s the Chickasaw Cultural Center and Capitol Building, both of which offer enticing insights into the area. 6. Celebrities that Call Chickasaw Country Home – No Doubt frontwoman Gwen

Stefani has embraced her husband’s home state of Oklahoma. She and Blake Shelton, along with Stefani’s kids, live on a sprawling 1,300-acre ranch in Tishomingo. You might catch the family around town, or at

Ole Red, a restaurant and bar where the duo often make impromptu appearances.

And even if you don’t spot these famous locals, you’ll get a sense of why this incredible region of epic sunsets, rolling hills, and pastoral scenery inspired some of Shelton’s hit songs, including “God’s Country.” 7. Food + Wine – Diverse culinary and wine experiences await foodies in Chickasaw Country. Visitors can check out almost a dozen boutique wineries making mostly sweet wines harvested from local vineyards. There are also options for beer drinkers as well, including local breweries crafting unique suds. Visitors shouldn’t leave Oklahoma without trying the state’s famous fried pies, which got their start in

Springer in 1954, and whose popularity has spread beyond state lines. There are also chances to sample First American fare, including Chickasaw Indian molasses bread, Choctaw-Chickasaw banaha bread, fry bread and fried pork, grape dumplings,

Three Sisters Stew and pashofa, a dish made of hominy and pork covered in water and boiled for several hours.

Fueling up has always been an integral part of any visitor’s experience in Joplin. Stopping to fill your gas tank on a crosscountry, Route 66 journey has been historically paired with digging into a hearty meal that will sustain you for miles. Not only has Joplin’s strategic location on the Mother Road fostered the development of iconic restaurants, it has created an environment where creativity, paired with locally sourced food, has birthed one-of-a-kind cuisine. This marriage of rich history and innovative gustatory trends has transformed Joplin’s status from a convenient, road-trip stopover to a culinary destination.

Two local restaurants exemplify the juxtaposition of Joplin’s dining landscape: Fred & Red’s and The Bruncheonette. Both are hole-in-the-wall diners where food is served with a side of southwest Missouri friendliness, yet the two couldn’t be more different. Fred & Red’s tried-and-true recipes have roots that reach back almost 100 years, while The Bruncheonette’s menu is presented on a dry-erase board, allowing for frequent seasonal and inspirational updates to its unorthodox menu.

Something old, something new, both delicious - unique, too.

If you’ve visited Joplin any time in the last century, chances are you’ve heard of - or eaten at - Fred & Red’s. Founded as Grover’s in 1923, in a building located at 10th

and Main Streets, this diner moved to its current location, 1719 Main Street, in 1943. As the diner’s ownership changed throughout the years, so did its name - until 1956, when owners Fred Herring and Red Wilcoxson decided to use their first names for their joint venture, and it stuck.

Like the name, most of the restaurant’s interior has remained nearly frozen in time: a U-shaped Formica counter with fixed bar stools faces the open kitchen where the staff busily prepares burgers, fries, tamales, and Fred & Red’s signature dish, Spaghetti Red.

Not for the weak of appetite, Spaghetti Red consists of a heap of spaghetti noodles smothered in chili (no beans in this chili, though). Most people top it with a few shakes of Parmesan cheese because it’s spaghetti…or is it? The popular additional side items of pickles and onions confuse

the issue further, yet surprise and delight the taste buds. Adventurous foodies have traveled from near and far to sample this Spaghetti Red, including the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain, who starred in the show “No Reservations.”

The adventure continues farther north on Main Street at The Bruncheonette, which opened in 2013, making it a relative newcomer to the Joplin dining scene. It didn’t take long for Sean and Chas Flanagan, the owners of The Bruncheonette, to wow the populace with their inventive takes on traditional breakfast, brunch, and lunch fare, using mostly locally sourced ingredients. Some dishes have staked their claims as permanent residents on the menu, such as the variations of Eggs Benedict, including the Garden Benny, made with an English muffin, topped with fresh asparagus, tomatoes, avocados, local microgreens, poached eggs, and a creamy, dreamy, pink beet Hollandaise. The daily specials here sport playful names, such as “Right Bao Now, the Pork Soul Brother,” which consists of three breakfast bao buns filled with local scrambled eggs, pulled pork, and pickled vegetables. If you come here for lunch, try The Farmhouse, a sandwich filled with asparagus, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and Gruyere, and served on toasted bread from local producer, Redings Mill bread. Of course, the side of carrot fries will take your tastebuds to another dimension and strengthen your eyesight at the same time.

Fred & Red’s and The Bruncheonette exemplify how Joplin’s past, present, and future are represented by historically beloved dishes and modern, unconventional cuisine.