The
U.S. Route 83
Travel Page
U.S. Route 83
Travel Page
Oklahoma
Stretching only 34 miles, the portion of U.S. Route 83 that traverses the Oklahoma Panhandle doesn’t have much to offer tourists. Just some big sky country and a couple wide spots on the road where travelers can gas up or grab a bite to eat. It has been designated the Oklahoma Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
Turpin, Oklahoma
The unincorporated town of Turpin is the only community on the 34 miles of Highway 83 in the panhandle. It has one structure, the Turpin Grain Elevat
or, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The elevator is found along Highway 64, west of the intersection with 83. There’s nothing better an old-fashioned highway diner where travelers can sit down and have a meal brought to them by a friendly and chatty waitress. Miller’s Café in Turpin has all the usual road grub and daily specials. As the photo shows, it’s a favorite of the local oil well workers.
There is a fabulous antique store, Yesterday’s Treasure, a shop with thousands of items. You’ll never know what you’ll find. Next to Miller’s Café on Highway 83.
Bryan’s Corner
Banned on 83!
Alcohol sales are prohibited in Ochiltree County, Texas, and fireworks sales banned in Kansas. So stock up on libations just across the border from Texas, and grab your bottle rockets a few feet south of the Kansas border. Don’t drink and drive, though!
Alcohol sales are prohibited in Ochiltree County, Texas, and fireworks sales banned in Kansas. So stock up on libations just across the border from Texas, and grab your bottle rockets a few feet south of the Kansas border. Don’t drink and drive, though!
No Man’s Land
While the Oklahoma Panhandle might be short of sights, it is not short of history. This marker just over the Texas-OK border explains the story of “No Man’s Land,” the strip of territory no state wanted. For years, it served as a haven for outlaws and vigilantes. The long, convoluted history of the land once called Cimmaron Territory is too long for this page. A good rundown can be found on the Wikipedia Entry found here.
This was also “ground zero” for the Dust Bowl. So grab a copy of Woody Guthrie’s “Dust Bowl Ballads,” stick it in the CD player and get off the beaten path to see some beautiful, wide-open spaces.
Check Out the Other U.S. Route 83 Travel Pages:
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
North Texas
Central Texas
Rio Grande Valley
