"Green Country"

Pawnee, Elevation: 866 feet, is located in northern Oklahoma (Green Country) in Pawnee County (of which it is the county seat) at the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and SR 18. It is 104.4 miles north-northeast of Oklahoma City, 61 miles west-northwest of Tulsa, 65.8 miles west-northwest of Enid, 31.3 miles northest of Stillwater and 44.3 miles south-southeast of Ponca City.

Still home of the Pawnee Nation, this town of 2,200 has remained true to its western heritage.

The town originally was a trading post on Bear Creek and then the agency for the Pawnee Nation after their removal from Nebraska.

Perhaps the most famous of all residents is "Pawnee Bill" Lillie, a frontiersman, scout, teacher, Indian interpreter and the originator of the Pawnee Bill Wild West show. His ranch is centered around his mansion, built in 1908, and a log cabin, blacksmith shop and barn built for his Scottish shorthorn cattle and a herd of bison. The Pawnee Bill Ranch & Museum is one of the main attractions in Pawnee.

Pawnee was the home of Moses Yellowhorse, a Skidi Pawnee who became the first American Indian to play in Major League Baseball, and is also the birthplace of the famous cartoonist Chester Gould who created Dick Tracy and modeled many of the cartoon script's characters after people he grew up knowing in the Pawnee area. The town boasts a mural that is the world's largest Dick Tracy cartoon.

While cowboys no longer ride in and shoot up the town each Saturday night, as they did in the days when Pawnee boasted 17 saloons and four churches (the ratio today is 11 churches to only two "saloons"), there remains enough of the Old West to make a visit both educational and entertaining.

Outdoor recreation can be found on the Pawnee Lake, Arkansas River, Cimarron River, Sooner Lake or Lake Keystone State Park.

The Pawnee area has a public library, 3 internet providers offering local dailup, DSL and Cable internet access, one Cable TV Company servicing the area, a weekly newspaper, 2 large grocery stores, the oldest Mall in the country! a wonderful assortment of restaurants and shops, a beautiful and well equipped Hospital, three clinics, a lovely nursing Home with caring staff; is served by both full time and volunteer Firefighters & EMTs and a law enforcement composed of the Pawnee Tribal Police, The Pawnee City Police Department and the Pawnee County Sheriff's Department.

PAWNEE LAKE PUBLIC REC AREA FEATURES: A Boat ramp; Picnic area; Group shelter B Picnic area C Boat ramp; Campsites; Camper parking; Electricity; Picnic area D Boat ramp; Campsites; Camper parking; Electricity; Picnic area; Restrooms; Group shelter E Campsites; Camper parking; Electricity; Picnic area; Restrooms F Boat ramp; Campsites; Camper parking; Electricity; Picnic area; Restrooms; Group shelter G Boat ramp; Boat dock; Campsites; Camper parking; Electricity H Swimming pool; Bathhouse I Swim beach

Pawnee Lake & Golf Course:

Just north of Pawnee, this 257-acre lake has about 5 miles of shoreline which is dotted with developed and partially developed areas 5 sites with camping hookups. Other amenities and facilities include electricity, a group shelter, picnic areas, restrooms, bathhouse, swimming beach, swimming pool, water-skiing, educational pathways, 9-hole golf course, and grass airport.

The lake is purported to have some of the best hybrid bass fishing in the Midwest.

FAA INFORMATION EFFECTIVE 10 JUNE 2004 Location FAA Identifier:  H97 Lat/Long:  36-23-00.188N / 096-48-37.125W 36-23.00313N / 096-48.61875W 36.3833856 / -96.8103125 (estimated) Elevation:  875 ft. / 267 m (estimated) Variation:  06E (1985) Airport Operations: Airport use:  Open to the public Sectional chart:  KANSAS CITY Control tower:  no ARTCC:  KANSAS CITY CENTER FSS:  MC ALESTER FLIGHT SERVICE STATION [1-800-WX-BRIEF] NOTAMs facility:  MLC (NOTAM-D service available) Attendance:  UNATNDD Wind indicator:  yes Segmented circle:  yes Airport Communications: CTAF:  122.9 WX ASOS at SWO (19 nm SW):  135.725 (405-743-8150) Nearby radio navigation aids: VOR radial/distance    VOR name    Freq    Var SWOr047/16.2 STILLWATER VOR/DME 108.40 07E PERr136/27.5 PIONEER VORTAC 113.20 06E   NDB name    Hdg/Dist    Freq    Var    ID CUSHING 352/29.6 242 05E CUH  -.-. ..- .... WILLIAM POGUE 286/34.2 362 06E OWP  --- .-- .--. TILGHMAN 355/39.7 396 06E CQB  -.-. --.- -... Airport Services: Airframe service:  NONE Powerplant service:  NONE Runway Information Runway 18/36 Dimensions:  2130 x 100 ft. / 649 x 30 m Surface:  turf, in good condition RUNWAY 18    RUNWAY 36 Traffic pattern:  left left Obstructions:  50 ft. trees, 525 ft. from runway, 10:1 slope to clear 15 ft. road, 190 ft. from runway, 12:1 slope to clear Runway 13/31 Dimensions:  1950 x 60 ft. / 594 x 18 m Surface:  turf, in good condition Runway edge markings:  /31 & RY 18/36 YELLOW BARRELS MARK THRS ONLY. RUNWAY 13    RUNWAY 31 Traffic pattern:  left left Obstructions:  38 ft. trees, 75 ft. from runway, 80 ft. right of centerline, 1:1 slope to clear 15 ft. road, 30 ft. from runway, 2:1 slope to clear Airport Operational Statistics: Aircraft operations: 200/year 100%  transient general aviation Instrument Procedures There are no published instrument procedures Some nearby airports with instrument procedures: KSWO - Stillwater Regional Airport (19 nm SW) F22 - Perry Municipal Airport (23 nm W) KPNC - Ponca City Regional Airport (25 nm NW) KCUH - Cushing Municipal Airport (26 nm S) 4O3 - Blackwell-Tonkawa Municipal Airport (34 nm NW)

• April: Pawnee Band Day Parade - One of Oklahoma's oldest and largest one day music festivals. Annually attracts thousands of school age musicians from across the state for the Parade,Contests, and Carnival.

• Lion's Easter Egg Hunt - Began in 1929 with 10,000 eggs hidden. Happens every year the Saturday before Easter.

• Easter Sunrise Service and Breakfast - Pawnee Bill Ranch Every Easter Morning!

• May: OSTA Steam and Gas Engine Show - All roads lead to Pawnee the first full weekend in May for three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) for one of the largest displays of the giant machines at work in the country ... The largest in the southwest. A festival of fun, food, arts and crafts, antiques, flea markets, parades, and entertainment. A day in times gone by.

  The Oklahoma Steam Threshing and Gas engine Association was originally called the Oklahoma Steam Threshers association when it was organized in Waukomis, Oklahoma in 1966. It is a state chartered, non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the history and agriculture of the plains states. Each member owns and maintains his own collection of equipment with restoration done throughout the year in preparation for demonstrating the farming methods of the early 1900s.

• May: Memorial Day Ceremony at Veteran's Memorial

• June: The Original Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show and Festival - The 2 "Bills" were pioneers of the old west. Major Gordon W. Lillie was given the name Pawnee Bill by the Pawnees when he came to Indian Territory as a young boy of seventeen. Pawnee Bill and Buffalo Bill rode together in what was to be thefirst of the Wild West Shows in 1883. "The Only Show of its Kind" - A show that once toured across America and Europe - Thrilling young and old has now become an annual event with a cast of 100's re-enacting the world famous Pawnee Bill Wild West Show. Each summer the hill side on BlueHawk Peak at the Pawnee Bill Buffalo Ranch comes alive with trick riders, trick ropers, shootings, hangings - a battle between the cowboys and Indians ... it's the west at its best.

  In conjunction with The Pawnee Bill Wild West Show, come downtown on the square for arts and crafts, entertainment, Fast Draw Competition and rides! The west at its best!

• July: Pawnee Indian Veterans Homecoming & Pow-Wow - The Pawnees moved to Oklahoma Territory in 1874 and to this day retain many of their ancestors beliefs and customs. A ceremony for the braves who died in battle and honoring the returning warriors has become the "World's Largest Free Pow Wow."

  * Most colorful outdoor spectacle in America
  * Four nights - Thursday through Sunday
  * Native costumes, snake dances, eagle dances, and much more
  * Parade in downtown Pawnee - Saturday at noon

  Weekend of the 4th of July each year - Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

• July: Independence Day Celebration - Family fun, games and activities on the courthouse lawn. Turtle races, money scramble, egg toss, sack races, boot throw, water-balloon volleyball. Old-fashioned family fun at its best!

• August: Cattle Drive and Trail Ride - In preparation for the Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo, 100 head of longhorn cattle are driven 50 miles over 5 days. Wagons, chuck wagons, cowboys, and spectators are all welcome. Camp out at night with the cowboys under the stars. Join them around the campfire for stories and singing. August: Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo - Become a part of the cattle drive and wagon trains, judge the chili and barbecue cook-offs, buy some cowboy crafts, and enjoy rides and games...
  August each year, a weekend of family entertainment, 3 big nights; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Cook-off and parade downtown, Saturday.

• August: KCBS Barbeque Cook-off - KCBS Barbeque cook-off, CASI Cowboy Chili Challenge, Rodeo Parade.

• November: Veteran's Day Ceremony - Walk of Honor. Downtown Pawnee.

• December: Christmas Opening - Lights on, Parade of Lights, Kids activities, Stores open late.

• December: Times Square in Pawnee - Lighted Ball Drop, Food, Festivity, Bon Fire, Hot Chocolate, Music.

Pawnee Schools:

Pawnee Elementary School Low Grade: Prekindergarten   High Grade: 5th Grade   Total Students: 408 Male:   206   Female:   202   Student/Teacher Ratio: 13   Full Time Staff: 30   American Indian: 135   Asian American: 0   African American: 13   Hispanic: 6   Caucasian: 254	Pawnee Middle School Low Grade: 6th Grade   High Grade: 8th Grade   Total Students: 202 Male:   122   Female:   80   Student/Teacher Ratio: 26   Full Time Staff: 7   American Indian: 72   Asian American: 0   African American: 6   Hispanic: 4   Caucasian: 120	Pawnee High School Low Grade: 9th Grade   High Grade: 12th Grade   Total Students: 263 Male:   132   Female:   131   Student/Teacher Ratio: 10   Full Time Staff: 25   American Indian: 77   Asian American: 1   African American: 12   Hispanic: 0   Caucasian: 173
Sources: Basic data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from the 2001-2002 school year, the most recent year available. Test score information comes from the U.S. Department of Education, last updated October 2003.
Oklahoma Core Curriculum Tests Results: About the Tests: Oklahoma uses the Oklahoma Core Curriculum Tests (OCCT) to test students in grades 5, 8 and 11. These tests are standards based, which means they measure how well students are mastering the specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Oklahoma. The goal is that 100% of students meet or exceed grade-level standards on the test. Scale: % of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards Grade 5 Math 67% (2001) 90% (2000) The state average for grade 5 math was 72% in 2001. Reading 73% (2001) 75% (2000) The state average for grade 5 reading was 74% in 2001. Writing 89% (2001) 98% (2000) The state average for grade 5 writing was 84% in 2001. Grade 8 Math 75% (2001) 85% (2000) The state average for grade 8 math was 71% in 2001. Reading 68% (2001) 79% (2000) The state average for grade 8 reading was 78% in 2001. Writing 95% (2001) 100% (2000) The state average for grade 8 writing was 88% in 2001.