Oklahoma City is the capital, as well as largest city, of Oklahoma. It has the 31st largest population of all United State cities, at an estimated 547, 274 as of 2007. Oklahoma is part of the larger metropolitan area, which has roughly 1,192,989 inhabitants in total as of 2007.
Oklahoma City was founded during the Land Rush of 1889. This was the first land run where about 50,000 people lined up on April 22, 1889 to claim unassigned lands in (what would be modern day) Canadian, Cleveland, Kingfisher, Logan, Oklahoma and Payne counties of the state of Oklahoma.
The city has a diverse variety of neighborhoods. In the inner-city, neighborhoods can go from portly and historic to old and gritty. However, many of the older, more run-down neighborhoods are undergoing gentrification. Outside of the inner city, there is a vast land of suburban and rural neighborhoods. The suburban areas are mostly filled with single family detached housing with large yards set within a community that usually includes lakes, libraries, schools, etc. The rural areas are mostly not within neighborhoods; the lands on these areas are heavily protected.
There are many things to do within the city, ranging from educational outings to sport events. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art (which features a large collection of Chihuly glass), Civic Center Music Hall, Stage Center for the Performing Arts, and Ford Hall are a few of the more artistic, educational venues that cater to the city.
For the more outdoor types, there are many outdoor recreation options, such as the Myriad Botanical Gardens, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, Oklahoma City Zoological Park, and Frontier City (an 'Old West' theme park). There are also are many walking trails that line Lake Overholser and Lake Hefner.
Oklahoma City has several sport teams: the Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA), the Oklahoma City RedHawks, and the Oklahoma City Blazers (Central Hockey League). Downtown's Ford Hall hosts the concerts, NHL exhibition games and the city's pro sports teams. The AT&T Bricktown Ballpark is to the major venue for the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team. The stadium opened for the 2008-2009 NBA season.