I grew up in this town! My best friends dad was chief of police and basically us kids had a upbringing that was nothing short of fantastic. Ppl could literally leave doors unlocked and I didn't know of any crime, as I was surrounded by homes with other kids or they were in retirement age. I loved a arcade center they had downtown, on Van Buren street...even though its cold right now there, I loved going to the Olympic size public swimming pool on a hot day and having a chocolate dipper ice cream cone. The pool itself was absolutely massive, the biggest I've ever seen and enjoyed. The local restaurants always have a charm and excellent food, as this video showcases. A lady across my street always gave me little Debbie snacks if I got a ' A' and several of my classmates to.. I LOVED my life there, and am grateful to been raised there so much so when my family moved out of state when I was a teen I cried. In all, any kids that are there will feel blessed and the impact is everlasting!
Awesome memories! The pool was/is called Champlain pool. Now the city runs it and it's been renovated! No upstairs no more! The arcade was called Eagle Arcade! Me and my 3 big brothers loved them both growing up.! Me and my wife/children left twice, but returned to be around the families and as you know great place to raise children and now grandchildren! Lol It's awesome to read someone knows or grew up hear! Blessings to you and your family.!
I was born in Enid, and I've heard various stories about the origin of its name. My favorite: When this place was an unnamed part of the Wild West, a rowdy cowboy turned upside-down the sign of an eating establishment. It once said DINE, it now says ENID.
I was stationed at Vance Air Force Base back in the late 90’s. It’s a pilot training base for new pilots…that’s why there’s so much flying going on. It’s a larger city with a small town feel. Great to see how much it’s changed over the last 25 years! Thanks
Makes me miss Enid all over. I went to Phillips University before it was shut down. I started my first business there and met a lot of amazing people. Worked at the local Domino's when in college and delivered to Vance Air Force base many times. Been on several bases in my life, Vance is pretty cool. Third generation to do so. Lots of rich history in that town. Thanks for sharing.
Kudos for not calling the grain elevators silos. Interstate highway-wise, Highway 412 is a divided fourlane that runs east-west thru town and connects to I-35 east of town if you want to get to Dallas or Minneapolis or points between
Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but Enid is the hometown of Michael Hedges, an extroidinary guitar player who pioneered a new style of guitar playing. Some called Michael "the guitarist from another planet". He's gone now(RIP, Michael) but there are many RU-vid videos of his performances; simply amazing! 🙂
Another wonderful video! The mechanism going from the grain elevator to the trucks is an auger. My great uncle owned the grain elevators in Kansas. Most still show his last name on them. GANO. When my mom was a teenager, she and a friend spent the weekend at George Gano’s mansion in Hutchinson KS. Complete with servants, a buzzer under dining table to call for next course and both Mom and friend were given mink coats. I think the roofs on the houses you saw are designed to allow the snow to slide down rather than accumulate on top of them. Kind of an Alps design. I always, always am thrilled to go on these virtual trips with you! Thank you for showing us everything
Born and raised in Enid. It had everything. It even had a small town zoo. A small miniature train ride. Go cart racing tracks. Large public pools. Drive in movies. The list goes on and on. Wonderful place to live.
No zoo anymore, go cart racing is also gone, only got to go a couple times. Only one outdoor pool left as our waterpark is shut down. Drive in movies are gone too, though I heard someone bought one up and is trying to restore it. Only thing still around is the miniature train that runs around Meadow lake park. How I wish I could see it in it's heyday once again.
The grain elevators were massive and so impressive. Hope the Gov't does not try to stop or impede the production or delivery of this necessary and so American -based product! I love the old sections of towns and the beautiful houses!
I didn't grow up in Enid but I moved there when I was 19, from SW Oklahoma and I loved it so much that I wish I still lived there now. I miss Enid, Oklahoma so much. Not many people know about this gem of a small city, but what made this place so special for me were the people and since having to leave Enid, Oklahoma, no town matches it. That is the one town I wish I could go back to and live permanently. Not to mention it is such a unique little city in the middle of nowhere, that no other, imho, can match, meaning it has such beautiful people, scenery, houses, little lakes, choo choo trains, beautiful little parks. Gosh darn, I miss you Enid, Oklahoma. Someday I am going back there to live permanently. Other than the important things and believing I am where I am supposed to be at this time. My own mission is to get back to Enid, Oklahoma, in the end. I used rto live a mile from VAFB, I got so used to hearing the jets flying over all of the time that it no longer bothered me. My ex used to work for Advance, is maybe Philadelphia can thank Enid for producing their beef for Philly Cheese Steaks. My boyfriend, when I used to live there would bring those shredded steaks home to cook for us all of the time.
More impressive than the grain elevators is the massive modern ground storage building. Elevators are on the way out as demonstrated by the truck traffic, in the old days that would have been railroad traffic. Today large baloon track facillities have sprung up across the country to load unit grain trains. Excellent video.
Born and raised in Enid! My parents were stationed at Vance Air Force Base where they met. My dad just recently retired from working at Vance! So many memories!
I & my team went to Vance on a TDY to setup servers back in 11... I would like to see it again heck maybe even settle down and move back to Okie ... I was born in Clinton and raised in Optima
Out of the places you've visited, I would have to say that this would probably rank high among choices if I had to start over. That being said, I am quite happy in my DFW suburb with my paid off house, so not relocating, but THIS one, Enis, OK would be one place a younger me would strongly consider. Decent all around. A place an entrepreneur could easily get into. As far as the "sloping roof" houses, that was a style that was popular in the early 1900's. You can see examples of it in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas.
We have houses like this all over Wichita and we call them Tudors. I think they’re also referred to as Storybook style. They are charming! My house is close, but missing the lovely deeply pitched roof.
It's always good to see a vibrant downtown especially in rural areas. They've done a good job with this one. Looked like some nice clean neighborhoods too. Thanks for another great video! Travel safe!
Thank you for showcasing my wonderful home town. It was a wonderful place to grow up and a great place to raise kids. I'm super proud of our downtown! Its a treasure. I hope you got to see the world's tallest fresh cut Christmas tree while you were here. ❤️
Born and raised in Enid. The other story I've herd about the name is that there was a diner in the area, the sign "DINE" flipped upside down in a storm. And it said "ENID". This was during the Land Rush.
Hey, Enidian here! (I don't know if that's a real term) So many of my friends have shared this video and I just wanted to say thank you. Seeing your town from a different perspective can help lift the haze of living in it, ya know? Also, I send this video to overseas friends of mine so they can see my town, the drone footage sold me. We have even prettier houses over farther west in town, and it just keeps sprawling that direction. They're newer looking, maybe not intriguing as far as storybook houses but beautiful nonetheless. And on Maine Street there's a bridge painted like a shark because it's gotten so many trailer trucks stuck under it lol
@@ragnarsilverboard6803 There sadly isn't too much to do here for most people. A lot of bars, dispensaries, churches, and shopping. If one of those 4 things aren't on your list, you're probably bored driving around. At least that's how it's been for me. We hopefully will be having a nice theater and arcade and "fun things" building opening up soon, but Enid is really good at saying new things are coming and then stuff not always pulling through. Fingers crossed though, the younger generations need more things to do instead of the same old stuff that gets you in trouble lol
I loved to stay at Enid with my work years ago. Mostly in the 90s. They had a great downtown to antique hunt. Just overall a great town. I would live there in a heartbeat.
Enid is a beautiful little city. I used to live in Perry, OK and we loved to make the trip over to Enid to shop and enjoy the great restaurants. It's a super unique community.
I just moved to this town about a year ago. This video randomly popped up on my feed. So I’ll say this… One word, interesting… very interesting town. It’s growing rapidly as well. Cool video, the drone footage was a plus.😃
@@chriscosby2459 Ahh, yes. The scenic views you get while traveling are amazing! I’m from Texas, I’m so used to flat land… and cloudy skies🤣 I drove to Okmulgee, Oklahoma a few months ago and man… I saw the most stars I’ve ever seen at once in the sky there, it was unbelievable. Mesmerizing.
I grew up here and the old shoe maker Tom and tiddle had a story about how enid got its name. Back during the landrun a cook who was dyslexic wrote dine on a piece of wood for all weary travelers to stop for rest and to eat. And some people stayed. It was the only sign in the area and it became know as Enid. Though you story is also interesting.
I know a lot of the neighborhoods that have similar homes were built shortly after Vance came into town, they were built for the families of the airmen and the infrastructure necessary to run the base. Enid Brewing Company is always hopping on the weekends, and all their food is great. It's to bad that you didn't get to see the historical homes or Meadowlake Park. I don't know where you are going next but if you have a chance to go to Woodward, Oklahoma after Thanksgiving at night you will see an amazing Christmas light display at Crystal Christmas.
Enid looks very nice. I love the grain elevators. The stand out is definitely the houses west of Enid. Each one is more beautiful than the last! Wow! Thank you for a lovely tour!
I lived in Enid Oklahoma.... I think it's a great little town as for the population and it is also growing.... You were downtown which is more like a ghost town really if you ask me because all the businesses are on the West side of town... An important fun fact!! a world renowned opera singer who is African American her name is Leona Mitchell and there's a street named after her is from this town.... And she is one of the leading contributors to the museum that you showed..... As well as the Enid Symphony building...... A lot of people don't like Enid But truly if you want to start over and you really want a slice of the American dream..... In my opinion it is more attainable in Enid than most cities...
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip You went there doing the daytime... It's extremely hard for me to explain if you're not from there.. Because if you compare it to Oklahoma City and bricktown during the night life it's a ghost town lol... But they did put a hotel downtown they also have the mark price arena.... I think There's a arena football team also plays down there... It's really a growing city
@@justinawilliams3401 IMO! It is what city council and those decision makers had envisioned With the Gateway to Enid project..... To attract more people and tourists to the downtown area Which was the reasons for the destruction of the Old Cherokee strip Building... And the construction of the new hotel (GLO) As well as the expansion of the event center(Stride)
My wife was born in Enid. Her dad was in the Air Force there during world War 2. He was a trainer. IN 2016 we visited there and was able to locate the house she lived in. We also visited the museum and they had a picture of the lady doctor sho delivered. My wife remembered the Dr's name from her birth certificate. We enjoyed visiting a place from her past.
Lord Spoda ; I just happened upon your channel and I found it very interesting. I was born in McAlester Oklahoma in 1945 close to the ending of WW 2. From what I've been told, jobs were scarse so my parents decided to move to California where some of my mothers family lived. I love the history of Oklahoma and I thank you for sharing this story of Enid Oklahoma. Just watching this episode I've learned a lot about my birth state. I'm a new subscriber and I'm looking forward to watching more of your travels especially, Oklahoma. Thank you so much. Stan in Idaho
At one time the largest privately owned oil refinery was here, Champlin Oil Co, whose motto was "a great name in the great plains". My dad worked for them for over 30 years at a pumping station in Hutchinson Kansas. The refinery doesn't exist anymore although the pipeline is still operating. The plant location was leveled.
Champlin is still one of the richest families in Oklahoma. They own a percentage of Enid. Still crooked within the family. Things go on amongst the rich in these small towns that go unspoken.
The refinery had a pollution problem. It was was totally dug up and removed. I was in it "back in the day" when there were leaking valves and fittings everywhere. When the metal salvage operation next to it started getting contaminated water in the drinking fountain , that was the end of the refinery and contaminated soil.
I lived in Enid back in 1990 and we used to go and park on that dirt road next to the runway and watch them do touch and goes. There was an old man named Mr. Gibble and he owned everything.
I live here. Thank you for spotlighting our small town in heartland. We are in the Bible Belt however not everyone is conservative. Midwest is a great place to live.
So this is crazy - I just left Enid today after a 4 day trip and surprised I didn’t run into you. I was staying at the hotel just across the street from the Brewing Company. You missed the World’s Largest Christmas tree! My mom is from Enid and it was great seeing her relatives. Thanks for posting information on the history of this small town.
The homes that you was amazed with is our historical district. We used to get a bunch of snow 80s back! I thought it was Awesome you came to our town!! Oh yeah the double elevators is the top 3 largest in the world! Equity is the name!
Also our roads are bad on east side mostly! It's middle class to poor, fixed incomes etc... Sadly with corrupt government that doesn't have priorities straight!! Go figure! It sounds familiar on all levels! They spend a lot of $$ on stuff that's not as important! Instead of applying to roads. Bad roads tears vehicles up over time. My wife hit a hole turning on our road. It popped both passengers tires! They would only pay for 1. They wasn't even a year old. When they came to patch the holes. They didn't do both sides of road. Another thing we(city of Enid) are famous for! Lol 😂 Not fixing things right the first time! Anyways I pray you and your wife enjoy the rest of your trips and look forward to more videos!
In 1951 I stayed for a short time in one of the small decrepit houses that you show in the old town. It was a season of torrential rain and driving by night in OK involved some danger from overflowing streams, or maybe a river, with long waits of stranded cars, trying to see past the windshield wipers of a 48 Plymouth. In the house where we stayed, cranes nested in the woods. My dad, a Texan whom I was merely visiting, slept on a couch while with others I slept on a rug in the living room below a single, bare light bulb that hung by it's cord from the ceiling, the light kept on all night to attract the clouds of mosquitos that otherwise would have eaten us alive. It was a time and place that has gone forever. As you say, Enid was on the Cherokee Strip. A brother of my mother's father ran on the 1793 run from Kansas, the same one you can see in the Tom Cruise movie Far and Away. He was in a wagon with one Harry O'Hair, a relative by adoption. They staked a claim but it was contested by man and his family, waving revolvers, so Harry and my granduncle returned to Kansas satisfied that they were still alive. But a childhood friend of mine, in Wichita, was of a family that, as Sooners, had illegally settled in OK, in Piedmont, just before the Strip run.
I still live in Enid, my family moved here from California in 71,our home is over 110yrs old . Was lucky enough to buy my Family home after we lost my mother a few years ago never wanted to leave here however the homeless and drug problem is on the rise. Used to be smaller and just better place to live for myself years ago ,still love it though. Thanks for featuring our little Enid
We are stationed in Enid at Vance and honestly growing up east coast and being stationed in VA,GA,SC and now OK…these have to be the kindest people…it showed me southern hospitality is a myth…everything i was raised on was just a lie…Enid is was southern hospitality should look like. Love the area and the pace of life.
Ok so this is Enid, did you know that Enid Oklahoma is an area mentioned in Jurassic Park III. The Kirbys, Amanda, Paul and Eric, lived in Enid. Paul owned a small business called Kirby Paint and Tile Plus at the West Gate Shopping Center in the city.
Another great video. Thanks for the your tour of Enid! I’m a real estate agent and would refer to the houses you liked as “storybook cottages.” It was great to see them concentrated in one area!
Have family living in Enid. My brother's oldest son was stationed at Vance and now at Tinker Airforce Base. The houses that you questioned about I believe they are called Tudor style homes. You should visit Ponca City Oklahoma in North Central Oklahoma. Home of the Pioneer Woman statue and ConocoPhillips Oil company. Also my hometown!
I believe you're correct about the home being Tudor style. I usually think of them as having visible beams on the exterior. They might be considered English Cottage style, as well.
Born and raised right here in Enid. Our roads are horrible and I had to chuckled when you mentioned the road that you were on. Thanks for doing a little piece on my home town.
Hello again! I must tell you once more how very much I appreciate what you’re doing. I’m 68 and had no idea what most of America looks like. It’s been such an education that I would never have gotten. I was so impressed with the small beautiful town in Kansas and Oklahoma. I foolishly thought it was all flat prairie. Thank God we still have some lovely small towns especially after watching the ones about Mississippi and Arkansas. Have you been to Laurel Mississippi or Meridian? I think they’re much nicer as well as the gulf coast towns. It would be good to see poor Mississippi in a better light. Anyway I think you’re awesome for doing this❤️
My grandmother and grandfather lived there many years. My mother and aunt lived there when they were young. I love the beautiful scenery and the way it was so many years ago. I miss being there every Christmas. When I was a child, I would spend a week every summer. Thank you for the memories!!
It's hard to think of a 100 year old city as very old. Not when we still have surviving structures here in the northeast from the 1600s, 1700s. I just read an article today about what may be the oldest log cabin and not far from where I live in Swedesboro. Built in 1638, it's nearly 400 years old.
@@briankay4229 It's called the C.A Nothnagle log house in Swedesboro, NJ. I didn't see a video, it popped up on my news feed. It does have it's own Wikipedia page, though
I clicked on this video because I lived in Enid 60 years ago. I even stayed at Vance air force base for a little while with my grandmother whose husband was a pilot.
Have watched some of your videos. Parts of Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. The land run was into Indian Territory. Oklahoma did not become a state until 1907. Fort Worth also has giant grain elevators. You will find many of the towns in this region grew when railroads connected them. As you know, rivers, railroads, and interstates enhance community development. On your tour of southeast Kansas your missed how communities paid to get railroads to run spurs to them. Happy trails to you.
Born and raised there - I love Enid deeply. I enjoy visiting family. I could never live in Enid again. Once you leave, you'll never come back. If you get out.
I know you mentioned the Sante Fe building in Amarillo. I have toured that building a couple times. The last time I was there, about 20 years ago, it was occupied by the county and city police departments. Inside the build has lots of brass and marble. When they were digging the earth for a foundation, they found a wholly mammoth skeleton.
I also had two brothers that lived there at one time, one was a builder, the other was a lawyer, a judge, and later a D.A of Alva County, a huge county!
My sister and her husband, lived in Enid almost all of their adult life. Raised their 3 children here. Both my sister and brother-in-law have passed away, 2018 and 2020 respectively. Lord, I miss them both.
You'll need to come back and do a video just on the murals and art throughout Enid. Some of the most talented muralists in the country have pieces here.
You missed the castle at Leonardo's! It's a beautiful structure built entirely by volunteers. Owen K Garriott, is from Enid. He and his first wife Helen started Leonardo's Children's Museum. He was an astronaut on Skylab 2. It would have been beautiful to see with your drone shots. Come back and visit us!
My dad grew up in Enid and was born there the oldest of the five children back in the 20s 30s he live on a farm and his grandparents my great came to Enid on the Oklahoma land run in1893 I used to go to iEnid when I was a child see my grandparents, their farm still there it was put on the national register it’s 116 years old my dad played a lot of baseball in basketball and he was a first ever to come out of Enid as the first all American in sports MyBrother was born there in the 40s my grandparents farm was on Famous Cherokee strip in Enid they had a big shopping mall in the 80s and 90s and clear up to 2020 but now it’s gone out😊they have a big nice hospital. need to show the west side there’s a lot of beautiful homes on the west side in really nice neighborhoods
I've lived around enid all my life. It's really the economic heart of the area. Now that many of the small rural towns are dying, many young people end up moving there for homes and jobs from northwest or north central Oklahoma. I'm about to move there with my brother to start our electrical careers
My family is from Enid and surrounding farm land/small towns. Last name is Semrad and Waters. My grandfather moved to Wichita in 1960 when he and my grandmother divorced. Hi to anyone that knows my family and Hi to any cousins I may still have there!!!!! I know I have a few 😉 ....... Love to you all ❣️
Cute town. Also, there looks to be some areas that could stand a little investment but not post apocalyptic. That's a good thing for working class people; that means you can buy a home in a nice town on a budget. That's the kind of place I would be looking for if I were still looking.
Nicole, I sympathize with you about the cold!. At the end you looked so miserable! Very interesting town!. Glad you could get good views of the grain elevators. The neighborhood you showed us was fascinating. The sloped roofs were all pretty. Thanks.
I always thought Enid was weird in that its so big to be so damn far away from every other major population center in Oklahoma. It is literally a city sitting in the smack dab middle of fucking nowhere. Over an hour away from anywhere else worth going to. U can leave outta town going north south or west and just get farther and farther out into nothingness. East will keep you on 412 cimarron turnpike but its nothing out there either. Its gas up before you leave town
I grew up there.I have good memories of being a kid there. Moved at 23. It's been about the same size forever. 40ks to 50ks population. Most people that live there were born there, or got transferred there. Unless you like flat featureless landscape with cold cold winter weather, No one would randomly choose to live there. The good job market is small. That's why a high percentage of kids grow up and move away.
I have always wondered about Enid. It has a vibrant downtown for its size. According to a Wiki article, Pillsbury uses one of the elevators, and General Mills uses one of the elevators. Not to take away from Enid, but you mentioned visiting cities at 50,000 or more. Next time you are in southwest Missouri be sure and visit Joplin. I'd be curious what your take is on it. Also, hit nearby Carthage and its courthouse on the square, plus nearby Webb City and the Praying Hands on the hill.
