Everything About Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

History

Broken Arrow was originally part of the Creek Nation, home to Native American tribes who were relocated to Indian Territory during the 1800s. The city got its name from a Creek legend about a romance between two Indians that ended tragically. The area saw an economic boom when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad was built through in 1901. Broken Arrow incorporated as a city in 1904 and originally functioned as an agricultural community.

The discovery of the Bixby oil field in 1918 brought an economic shift toward petroleum production. The city saw steady suburban growth after World War II as the Tulsa metro area expanded. Broken Arrow has diversified its economic base in recent decades, with aerospace, telecommunications, logistics, and technology companies locating facilities alongside oil and gas businesses.

Today, Broken Arrow is known as Oklahoma’s largest suburb, functioning as a residential community in the Greater Tulsa region.

Geography

Broken Arrow is located in northeastern Oklahoma, bordering the city of Tulsa to the north and west. It sits in the northeastern corner of Tulsa County, covering an area of nearly 50 square miles.

The terrain is characterized by gentle rolling hills dotted with groves of oak and pecan trees. Broken Arrow lies within the Cross Timbers ecoregion, an ecological transition zone between the wetter eastern woodlands and the drier central Great Plains. The habitat consists of a mix of scattered forest, prairie, and riparian zones.

Drainage is provided by several creeks, including Cat, Duck, Coal, and Arrow creeks. These waterways all feed into the Arkansas River system to the east. The land generally slopes downward from northwest to southeast, with some subtle changes in elevation.

Geology

Broken Arrow lies within Oklahoma’s Green Country region, underlain by sedimentary bedrock layers that were deposited during the Paleozoic Era. Much of the subsurface geology consists of Mississippian-aged cherty limestones and shale formations. Younger layers of Pennsylvanian sandstone, shale, and coal also occur.

During the Permian Period, red beds and evaporite deposits formed as seas regressed from the region. Fault lines created the Nemaha Uplift and Ozark Uplift on either side of the area. Extensive erosion occurred before new Cretaceous sediments overlay the area about 100 million years ago. In terms of soils, Broken Arrow has clay loam, silt loam and sandy loam soils derived from weathered shale, sandstone and alluvium.

There are no notable mineral resources, but petroleum and natural gas reserves tapped by area drilling are economically important. A few shallow earthquakes occasionally occur near Broken Arrow due to wastewater injection wells on fault lines. But major seismic hazards are unlikely given the stable continental setting.

Neighborhoods

As a fast-growing suburb, Broken Arrow consists of many modern housing subdivisions and neighborhoods developed from former farmland.

The Historic Downtown district along Main Street features some preserved early 20th century buildings with retail shops and restaurants. Areas like Indian Springs and Iron Gate have larger luxury homes on acreages with custom estates.

Planned neighborhoods like Country Aire, Battle Creek, and Park Lane offer family-oriented subdivisions with amenities like pools, parks and walking trails. Newer developments like Rose Creek and Merrill Ranch feature speculative homes, townhomes and apartments for suburban living.

The main commercial districts run along arterial roads like Hillside Drive, 9th Street, Aspen Avenue, Elm Place and Florence Street. Industrial parks with distribution centers and factories are found along OK-51, 161st Street and Elm Place.

Climate

Broken Arrow has a humid subtropical climate, situated in the transition zone between the humid East and drier Great Plains. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cool and variable with occasional Arctic cold fronts. The warmest weather lasts from mid-June through September with highs near 93 °F. January brings average lows of 28 °F at the coldest.

Rainfall peaks in May and June as moisture feeds thunderstorm activity. Annual precipitation averages 39 inches, with late summer at highest risk for drought. The wintertime is prone to turbulent weather as polar air masses clash with warm Gulf air, generating severe ice storms on occasion. Tornado risks also rise during the spring as unstable conditions mount. But fall is often mild and clear before cold air descends heading into winter.

Demographics

According to the 2020 census, Broken Arrow has a population of nearly 115,000 residents, making it the fourth largest city in Oklahoma. Sometimes referred to as “Tulsa’s Biggest Suburb”, Broken Arrow essentially functions as a residential community to most of metropolitan Tulsa.

In terms of ethnic makeup, Broken Arrow’s population is predominantly white at around 75 percent, with Hispanic/Latino, Asian and African American groups each representing under 5 percent of the population. Around 13 percent identify as two or more races. The median resident age is 36.7 years old.

Compared to state averages, Broken Arrow has higher education attainment and median household incomes around $77,000 per year. The city saw rapid growth after 2000 as the wider region expanded, more than doubling its population size due to suburban sprawl from Tulsa. Forecasts expect the area to continue growing in the coming decades.

Economy

Broken Arrow has diversified its economic base significantly since its rural beginnings. Aerospace companies like Flight Safety International have major operations at the city’s airport. The financial services industry has a strong presence, with firms like Asset Management Solutions.

Health care is also vital, with Broken Arrow serving as the base for major regional medical centers like Oklahoma Surgical Hospital and outpatient clinics. Telecommunications is big, with AT&T and others running sizable call centers. Numerous national retailers have distribution hubs near the Crossroads mega-center. And the energy industry retains some oil/gas firms despite downturns.

The city prioritizes economic development, offering incentives to attract employers. Recent efforts focus on logistics, back-office services and advanced manufacturing. Unemployment fares better than state trends at under 3%, and median incomes rank well above average. But many still commute to Tulsa for work given Broken Arrow’s residential nature.

Culture

As a family-centric suburb, Broken Arrow’s culture revolves largely around community events, parks, sports, shopping, dining and faith-based organizations. Various groups celebrate the city’s Native American heritage through festivals and cultural education. The Historical Society preserves early 20th century history.

Popular events range from rodeos and county fairs to music festivals and seasonal attractions. The city boasts an impressive parks system featuring the OKM Music performance pavilion, disc golf, spray grounds, hiking trails and recreation centers. The Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center hosts concerts and live entertainment.

Sports leagues enjoy first-class facilities like the Broken Arrow Sports Complex with 12 tournament-grade fields. The city lacks major pro sports but embraces local high school and collegiate athletics. Retail ranges from the quaint downtown to modern shopping sites like the outdoor Rose District and supercenter shopping. Restaurant options span classic diners to contemporary cuisines.

Churches play an integral role, with large congregations and megachurches drawing faithful participants. The community atmosphere defines daily life for most families in Broken Arrow.

Colleges and universities

While no major colleges or universities are located directly within Broken Arrow city limits, the city is within 20-30 minutes of several notable schools in the greater Tulsa metro.

The nearest higher education institutions include Oral Roberts University in South Tulsa along with smaller campuses like Victory Bible Institute and Rhema Bible College. Learners can access Tulsa Community College’s Southeast campus just 15 minutes west for affordable associate degree programs.

Within a half-hour drive is the University of Tulsa, known for engineering, business and petroleum offerings with smaller liberal arts colleges like Bacone in Muskogee. Northeastern State, Langston University, Rogers State and Tulsa Tech also provide access to state schools nearby.

The proximity to Tulsa’s universities and community colleges supplements on-site learning options. K-12 education is served by Broken Arrow Public Schools, the largest independent district in Oklahoma with over 19,000 students across 30 total schools.

Media

As a suburb in the Tulsa media market, Broken Arrow relies heavily on regional newspapers, radio and television for local news coverage. Media hub Tulsa maintains broadcast stations, websites and papers that residents access.

The city has one dedicated paper – Broken Arrow Express. But the Tulsa World covers suburban news while the Tulsa Beacon, Oklahoma Gazette and Urban Tulsa Weekly offer alternate weeklies. Local radio stalwarts include KRMG News Talk Radio and KWEN channel 96.5.

Network affiliates from Tulsa broadcast across the metro, with channels 2, 6, 8 and 23 providing daily newscasts and community affairs. Direct mail, event listings and niche publications round out major media. Some public access channels specific to Broken Arrow Schools or government provide area-specific communications when needed.

Roadways

Broken Arrow relies primarily on roadway access across city streets and connecting highways across greater Tulsa. The main state route through town is Oklahoma State Highway 51, also known as the Broken Arrow Expressway. OK-51 stretches from downtown Tulsa straight into southern Broken Arrow, handling heavy commuter traffic.

The Creek Turnpike branches east from the end of the BA Expressway, crossing south Broken Arrow down towards 61st Street. Other primary city arterials include 131st and 121st Streets, 9th Street, Aspen Avenue, Florence Street, Elm Place and Kenosha Street. These mostly traverse north-south or feed traffic flow from surrounding neighborhoods.

Highway 64 connects west Broken Arrow to Tulsa proper. Interstate 44 access lies 15 minutes west, granting passage south to Muskogee or north to connect across all of Tulsa. Broken Arrow is reasonably navigable by car given multiple thoroughfares, with toll roads easing regional travel burden. Public buses also run daily routes aligned with Tulsa Transit lines.

Major Landmarks

While suburban Broken Arrow lacks major skyline landmarks beyond city hall or high school stadiums, some structures and sites define the landscape.

Downtown Broken Arrow centers along historic Main Street, where restored brick storefronts, antique shops and diners retain early 20th century charm. South pointe entertainment site JR Murphy Complex holds retail, a hotel and event center. Rose District Plaza offers fountains, sculptures and cultural charm.

The Flight Safety Museum at the municipal airport honors aviation history. Broken Arrow Community Playhouse and Performing Arts Center anchor creative arts. The Oklahoma Soccer Association Complex hosts hundreds of yearly matches with bleachers and concessions.

Parks range from small neighborhood gems to the 763-acre Nienhuis Park preserve and 110-acre Creekwood Park along the river. Blighted areas get community upgrades like the iconic TIGER mural symbolizing revitalization. As civic pride grows, more local landmarks may emerge.