Exploring Pryor Creek

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It was originally called Coo-Y-Yah by the Cherokee, then in 1887 the name was changed to Pryor Creek. Most folks just call it Pryor. Today it's home to about 10,000 people, and a surprising number of interesting modern buildings!

The Googleplex is a landmark in the nearby Midamerica Industrial Park.

Arriving from the south you'll pass Google's brutalist server warehouses. The art on the main building looks like messages left by alien visitors. But then you're greeted by this lonely little Fiat 500 on a sign. It's definitely seen better days. But what better roadside welcome than a friendly Cinquecento?

Strolling around downtown we spotted these great tiles on the side of a former bank.

The local library is a nifty post-and-beam job built in 1958. Designed by the OKC firm of Bailey, Bozalis, Dickinson, Roloff, the building retains a great deal of its modern edge. I was happy to see their website even includes some great photos of the original interiors.

Another commercial building that caught our eye is this low-slung beauty. Today it's the home of TC Advisors, an accounting and investments firm. That crab orchard stone is so great– I hope they realize how cool it is. And that wacky roof... still not sure exactly what is going on there!

A nice rest stop is Whitaker Park. We detoured off US-69 on to Park Street (what else?) and enjoyed lunch at this neighborhood oasis. The 24-acre park features a pool, splash pad, tennis courts and a fishing pond. It was too hot to the enjoy the walking path, so we just ate lunch and watched the geese.

The unique shelter immediately caught our eye! Apparently the local youth have also enjoyed it's... um, design.

We resisted the urge to crawl on top of it. 


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Location: Pryor, OK 74361, USA

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