Kiowa County: History, Museums and Outdoor Activities

Kiowa County offers a variety of ways to explore: Hobart is known for its trading history, architecture and museums, while fishing and activities at Great Plains State Park shape a stay at Tom Steed Lake. If you’re looking for a hotel in Kiowa County, choosing your main focus can be a helpful first step: would you rather visit historic sites and collections, or spend time on the water and outdoors? The examples below show how these themes differ and help you plan a trip around your interests.

Hobart: Trading History and Museums

The Downtown Hobart Historic District was an important commercial trading center for Kiowa County. Its historic buildings include examples of commercial architecture from around the turn of the century and the period that followed. The Downtown Hobart Historical District includes the Kiowa County Courthouse, considered Oklahoma’s oldest continuously operating courthouse.

The Kiowa County Historical Museum is located in the historic Rock Island railroad depot. Its exhibits include a room with Native American artifacts, covered wagons and carriages, a Union Pacific caboose, a schoolhouse and quilts. The museum offers insights into various aspects of regional history.

The General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute & Museum features a 9,500-square-foot exhibition gallery with items from General Franks’ personal collection, as well as a rotating exhibit on military topics. Private tours are available upon request; ask about current availability before your visit.

Historic Sites with Distinct Stories

The Gold Belle Mine was one of several gold mines in the Wichita Mountains. Located in Great Plains State Park, it was abandoned by 1914. The Fairview School House in Roosevelt tells the story of a different era: built in 1903, it was a one-room pioneer school.

The history of Camp Radziminski can also be placed in its historical and geographic context. The camp site near Mountain Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. A historical marker for Camp Radziminski stands on US-183, two miles north of Mountain Park.

Cutthroat Gap is a sobering historical landmark in Kiowa County. In the spring of 1833, an Osage war party killed an estimated 150 Kiowa there.

Tom Steed Lake and Great Plains State Park

Great Plains State Park lies on the eastern shore of Tom Steed Lake, in the shadow of the Wichita Mountains. The lake has 31 miles of shoreline in Kiowa County. Fish that can be caught there include catfish, crappie and bass.

Great Plains State Park offers miles of mountain biking trails, hiking trails across more than 400 acres of parkland, and climbing opportunities among granite boulder fields. At the lake, you can focus on fishing; in the park, choose from hiking, biking and climbing.

Theater and Time at Hunter Park

Hunter Park in Hobart has a small lake with opportunities for fishing, playing and picnicking, as well as a walking path. The Shortgrass Playhouse offers a different kind of experience: its building dates to 1912 and formerly served as a city hall, funeral home and fire station.

The Shortgrass Playhouse stages three community theater productions a year in Hobart; specific show dates may change. If you’re planning to see a performance, check the schedule before your trip. This makes it easy to combine historic sites, outdoor activities and events according to your interests.

Explore more destinations: Lone Wolf, Muskogee, Rogers County, Wagoner County, Pushmataha County, Oklahoma, Okfuskee County, Texas

Back to the main travel overview: Oklahoma.