Perhaps no other animal symbolizes the West as dramatically as Oklahoma's official State Animal, the American bison. In prehistoric times millions of these animals roamed the North American Continent from the Great Slave Lake in northern Canada, south into Mexico and from coast to coast. No one knows how many bison there were, but the naturalist, Ernest Thompson Seton, estimated their numbers at sixty million when Columbus landed. They were part of the largest community of wild animals that the world has ever known.

Oklahoma's state bird, the scissortail flycatcher, reflects the distinctiveness and energy of Oklahoma. One of the most elegant and unusual birds in flight, the scissortail flycatcher is truly unique to this part of the country.

Oklahoma's state wildflower, the Indian blanket, or Gaillardia, pays tribute to the state's Native American heritage and native long grass prairies. Like the people of Oklahoma, the Indian blanket is hardy and resilient, thriving in a variety of conditions and blooming with fiery color throughout Oklahoma's sunny summers.

A celebrated statue in Ponca City, "Pioneer Woman" honors the courage, tenacity and ingenuity of those who weathered great hardships to realize their dreams.

On November, 16, 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state to join the Union.

Read Louise Michael Watson's account of why the Big Pasture is "Where the Harvest Begins" [PDF] and a great place to live. Each year, the Grandfield Chamber of Commerce pays tribute to its "Old West" heritage during Western Days.

From roaming mammoths in the ice age, home to ancient mountain ranges, Spanish conquistadors exploring a new world, early pioneers establishing trade in Indian territory, immense prairies populated with buffalo herds, to Plains Indian history and cowboy culture; Grandfield is rich with history. The Big Pasture is a great place to view many truly spectacular sunsets!

Covering more than 488,000 acres in present-day Comanche, Cotton and Tillman counties, the Big Pasture was leased to various cattlemen under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior. Owned by the Comanche and Kiowa, the area was opened to homestead settlers in 1906 by sealed bids.

Grandfield, currently the largest town in the Big Pasture, is a community of more than 1,100 persons in Tillman County, Southwestern Oklahoma, midway between Lawton and Wichita Falls, Texas. Grandfield boasts a Public Library, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, Elementary and High Schools, Head Start Program, airport, railroad, a Law Enforcement Tactical Training Center, a Senior Citizens' Center, City Hall, a bank and nine churches. The municipality provides water and sewer services, while IESI Waste Management contracts trash pickup.

Telephone and DSL Internet is provided by Pioneer Telephone Company. Natural Gas energy is distributed by ONEOK (Oklahoma Natural Gas). Electrical power source is from AEP (Public Service Company of Oklahoma) .

Other communities in the Big Pasture News circulation area include Devol, OK (site of the Comanche Indian Nation's Red River Casino and a second new casino to be operated by the Kiowa Tribe, opening in early 2007), Burkburnett, TX, Frederick, Oklahoma, Randlett, Oklahoma, Chattanooga, Oklahoma and Loveland, Oklahoma. The Kiowa casino expects to employ about 500 people. Randlett is the site of major development in the area where 2003 NFC Champion Carolina Panthers' defensive back Mike Minter has started with construction on 500 new homes priced in the $80,000 area.

From wikipedia.org: Nearby Big Pasture, "The Wichita Mountains are an ancient mountain range located in southwestern Oklahoma. The Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge, a favorite for Southwest Oklahoma hikers and mountain climbers, is located adjacent to Medicine Park, Oklahoma and 25 miles northwest of Lawton, Oklahoma. Buffalo, elk and deer are protected on the 59,020 acre wildlife refuge. "

"A military reservation, Fort Sill, occupies the southern part of the range. Backcountry camping is available in the Charon Gardens Wilderness area. Additional points of interest is the Wildlife Refuge visitors center, Holy City of the Wichitas, Quannah Parker Lake and Mount Scott, the highest point AGL (above ground level) in the public use area (at 2464 feet), and Mount Pinchot, the highest point overall (at 2479 feet), located the special use area."

Established in 1901, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is one of more than 530 refuges throughout the United States managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The 59,020 acre Refuge hosts a rare piece of the past - a remnant mixed grass prairie, an island where the natural grasslands escaped destruction because the rocks underfoot defeated the plow.

The Refuge provides habitat for large native grazing animals such as American bison, Rocky Mountain elk, white-tailed deer, and Texas longhorn cattle. More than 50 mammal, 240 bird, 64 reptile and amphibian, 36 fish, and 806 plant species thrive on this important refuge.