Oklahoma's fourth-largest city, 90 mi/145 km southwest of Oklahoma City, Lawton was the last Oklahoma town to blossom overnight (6 August 1901). Within months of its creation, the town had 85 saloons.
Today, it's the home of the Museum of the Great Plains (history, archaeology and anthropology, from prehistoric times to the 20th century) and the Fort Sill Military Reservation and National Historic Landmark (a frontier outpost where Geronimo is buried).
The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (15 mi/24 km northwest) is a preserve with more than 22,000 acres/8,900 hectares open to the public. It includes a bison herd, longhorn cattle, deer and wild turkeys, all living in a landscape of ancient, eroded mountains.
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