Just a stone’s throw from Oklahoma’s border with Texas, Thackerville is a popular gaming town on the territory of the Chickasaw Nation. It was founded in the mid-19th century and named after Zacariah Thacker, a pioneer from Arkansas who farmed alongside the local Native Americans at Wolf Hollow Creek.
Things to do in Thackerville
One of Thackerville’s most popular entertainment destinations is the WinStar World Casino, which is one of the largest casinos in the world. It boasts a 55-table poker room and thousands of electronic games, as well as more than a dozen restaurants and lively bars. If you’re visiting in the summer months, you can cool off in one of the two swimming pools or practice your swing on the championship golf course.
A short drive north of Thackerville is Lake Murray State Park, which is the oldest and largest state park in Oklahoma. It centres around a sprawling reservoir created with the damming of the Anadarche and Fourche Maline creeks. In addition to fishing, boating and a variety of water sports, the park is also a popular destination for hiking, horseback riding and cycling.
Combine your visit to Lake Murray State Park with a stop in Marietta, a historically rich city founded in the 1880s. Learn about the settlement’s early years at the Love County Pioneer Museum before getting up close to war memorabilia at the Love County Military Museum. Vintage soda bottles, antiques and arrowheads are on display at Norton's Jewelry and Indian Territory Museum.
Getting around Thackerville
Thackerville is around 15 minutes’ drive from Gainesville and just over an hour from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Long-distance buses connect to Thackerville, although renting a car will give you greater freedom to explore the area.