This week staff will attend the Winter Texan’s Tourism Show in McAllen, Texas. This is a great opportunity for us to promote Ponca City to people traveling back home, after winter, on I-35. We always have people stop by the office that we met while working the show in McAllen. We will also have staff at a tourism show in Springdale Arkansas. N.W. Arkansas is a great market for us. This is the beginning of many shows we will attend throughout the spring promoting our attractions and events.
Tourism is a major industry for Ponca City. Many of our attractions feature items that can only be seen in Ponca City. For example our 55 room castle the Marland Mansion. There is nothing like the mansion in the Midwest. The 101 Ranch collectionsarehoused in the beautiful Marland Grand Home. This was the largest ranch in Oklahoma history with a fascinating story. The Bryant Baker Gallery, again, where in Oklahoma can you see this unique art work from such an incredible sculptor? The Matzene collection at the Ponca City Library. Only in Ponca City can you see this artwork some of which is hundreds of years old. We havethe largest collection of hand-painted lobby art in the world at the Poncan Theatre. The beautiful and one of kind Pioneer Woman statue voted on by the entire nation. Plus, the beautiful Pioneer Woman Museum. Our 10 acres of botanical gardens at the L.A Cann Gardens. We have the most beautiful swimming pool in the state of Oklahoma with an awesome view. We have the tallest bronze statue in the state at the Standing Bear Museum. Our two oil history museums telling our rich history with the Conoco Museum and the Marland Oil Museum. We also have the Ponca City Art Center, casinos, great annual events andfantastic outdoor recreation.
Ponca City has it all for visitors to Oklahoma. Outside of Oklahoma City and Tulsa there is not another city in Oklahoma that has all we have to offer visitors. That makes our job at these tourism shows exciting and fun.