Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Ada (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Wintersmith Park Historic District, Ada Gaming Center, and Ada Arts and Heritage Center. Also, be sure to include Sugg Clinic in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Ada (Oklahoma).
Table of Contents
Wintersmith Park Historic District
Park in Ada, Oklahoma. The Wintersmith Park Historic District, known locally as simply Wintersmith Park, is a historic district located at 18th Street and Scenic Drive in Ada, Oklahoma. The park includes a lake, a lodge, bridges, trails, courts and a public amphitheater. The area is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The park is named for Frances Wintersmith.[1]
Address: 1501 Wintersmith Drive, 74820 Ada
Ada Gaming Center
Casino in the Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. The Ada Gaming Center is a Native American casino in Ada, Oklahoma. The center is the first gaming facility that was founded by the Chickasaw Nation, having started out as a bingo hall in 1983. The 22,482 sq ft facility includes a bar, the Traditions Bar, and a restaurant, the Double Down Grill, and 9,220 sq ft of gaming space. The center has seven tables for blackjack and Ultimate Texas Hold 'em, and more than 330 electronic gaming machines.[2]
Address: Ada, 1500 N. Country Club Road, Ada, Oklahoma 74820
Ada Arts and Heritage Center
Building in Ada, Oklahoma. The Ada Arts and Heritage Center is a Colonial Revival styled building located at 400 South Rennie Street in Ada, Oklahoma. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Ada Public Library in 1989. The building was built in 1939 to serve as the public library of Ada. In 1981, having outgrown this original building, the Ada Public Library moved to its current location at 12th and Rennie.
Designed by architect Albert S. Ross, it was built by the Chapman Construction Co. during 1938–39. It was funded by a Public Works Administration grant and by a local bond issue.
The building was deemed "architecturally significant because its Y-shaped plan is unique in Oklahoma and because its designer, Albert S. Ross, is one of Oklahoma's foremost architects....the Ada building is generally considered 'to be Ross's finest achievement. The building is virtually pristine, retaining almost one hundred percent of its original materials and also retaining its integrity of workmanship, design, feeling, and association."
The building is now known as the Ada Arts and Heritage Center and serves as a museum with changing art displays and a collection of historic photographs.[3]
Sugg Clinic
Building. The Sugg Clinic is considered an outstanding example of the Streamline Moderne architectural style. The building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is located at 100 E 13th Street in Ada, Oklahoma. Opened in 1947, it was called "one of the best equipped clinics in the Southwest." Architect Albert S. Ross designed it to fulfill Dr. Alfred R. Sugg's dream of a large, modern clinic to serve the growing city. The Sugg Clinic features smooth tile walls, curved corners, glass block windows, and brushed aluminum trim. The clinic closed in 1980. After a period of vacancy, it was later restored as an office building.[4]
Address: Ada, 100 E 13th Street
Pontotoc County Courthouse
Courthouse in Ada, Oklahoma. The Pontotoc County Courthouse is a historic courthouse in Ada, Oklahoma. The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984. The county built the structure in 1926. In 2011, the courthouse underwent extensive remodeling.[5]
East Central University
Public university in Ada, Oklahoma. East Central University is a public university in Ada, Oklahoma. It is part of Oklahoma's Regional University System. Beyond its flagship campus in Ada, the university has courses available in McAlester, Shawnee, and Durant, as well as online courses. Founded as East Central State Normal School in 1909, its present name was adopted in 1985. Some of its more prominent alumni include former Microsoft COO B. Kevin Turner, Modernist painter Leon Polk Smith, former NFL player Mark Gastineau, past governors Robert S. Kerr and George Nigh, former U.S. Representative Lyle Boren, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Tom Colbert, and U.S. Army General James D. Thurman.
ECU is approximately 90 miles (140 km) from Oklahoma City, 115 miles (185 km) from Tulsa and 150 miles (240 km) from Dallas. Today the campus consists of 37 buildings on 135 acres (55 ha); the university typically enrolls more than 3,500 students per semester from more than 30 countries and 25 states.[6]
Address: 1100 E 14th St, Ada