Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Durant (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, Oklahoma Presbyterian College, and Three Valley Museum. Also, be sure to include The Country Framer in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Durant (Oklahoma).
Table of Contents
Choctaw Casinos & Resorts
Choctaw Casinos & Resorts is a chain of eight Indian casinos and hotels located in Oklahoma, owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
The original location in Durant has 218,844 sq ft (20,331.3 m2) of gaming floor, over 4,200 slot machines, and 776 hotel rooms. The resort has two casinos and two hotels within the complex. The South Casino was completed in 2006 with 108,844 sq ft (10,111.9 m2) of floor space, and the North Casino was completed in 2010 with 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) more floor space. Choctaw Inn has 101 hotel rooms, and the newer Grand Tower has 204,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) of floor space, 330 rooms and suites, and is 12 floors tall. The $360 million resort is the flagship of the Choctaw Nation gaming industry.[1]
Oklahoma Presbyterian College
School in Durant, Oklahoma. Oklahoma Presbyterian College is a historic Presbyterian school at 601 N. 16th Street in Durant, Oklahoma. The site, including two contributing buildings, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The main building is a three-story building, built during 1909-1910 of red brick with white stone trim. It is 50 by 160 feet (15 m × 49 m) in plan and served as a combination school and dormitory, and was built at cost of $100,000.
The second building, built in 1918, is also three stories but is more modest, and is 32 by 80 feet (9.8 m × 24.4 m) in plan.
In 1976 the two buildings served as headquarters and museum of the Red River Valley Historical Society.
Beginning in 1975, the building functioned as the Choctaw Nation's administrative headquarters until 2018 when the headquarters was relocated to a newly constructed building. The building still houses some Choctaw Nation employees, but remains largely empty since the move.[2]
Three Valley Museum
Museum in Durant, Oklahoma. The Three Valley Museum is a non-profit museum in Durant, Oklahoma. It houses a collection of artifacts regarding the history of Bryan County. It opened in 1976. It is named after the book Queen of the Three Valleys by Henry McCreary, which is about Durant. The museum is operated by the Durant Historical Society.[3]
Address: 401 W Main St, 74701-5026 Durant
The Country Framer
Gift shop, Shopping, Museum
Address: 113 S 4th Ave, 74701-5012 Durant
Bryan County Courthouse
The Bryan County Courthouse in Durant, Oklahoma, located at 4th Avenue and Evergreen Street, was built in 1917. It was designed by architect Jewell Hicks. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
It is a three-story courthouse. It was deemed "significant because of its importance to the county's residents as a center of government, and because it is an elegant example of monumental public architecture. It is particularly notable because its architect was Jewell Hicks, one of the designers of the Oklahoma State Capitol Building."[4]
Durant Downtown Historic District
The Durant Downtown Historic District in Durant, Bryan County, Oklahoma is a 28 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It is roughly bounded by 4th Ave. Lost St. Evergreen St. and 1st Ave.
Although construction of Durant's downtown began in the early 1870s, there are no buildings remaining from the very early days. Most of those were hastily built of wood. At least two major fires consumed these downtown buildings. Hence, the Period of Significance for this district is listed as 1901–1957.
It includes work by architects Layton, Hicks & Forsyth. It included 48 contributing buildings, five contributing structures, and a contributing site, as well as 46 non-contributing buildings and two non-contributing structures.
It includes the J.L. Wilson Building, which is separately listed on the National Register. No buildings from Durant's founding era, the 1870s, survive.[5]