Stroud, OK

Stroud grew where three major routes meet: Route 66, State Highway 99, and the Turner Turnpike. Founded in 1892 and named for James W. Stroud, the city now spans Creek and Lincoln counties. Its position on the old highway gives the center a transportation history that still shows up in the road network, while nearby Lake Stroud adds a recreational edge northeast of town.

The working side of Stroud is tied to oil and gas. Service King manufactures oilfield workover rigs, and the city serves as a transloading point for oil headed toward the Cushing area. Agriculture, tourism, and locally produced wines add other strands to the economy. A 1999 tornado destroyed the Tanger Outlet Center and the SYGMA distribution center, taking several hundred jobs; the city's current story includes rebuilding around its older highway role and newer industrial work. Historic-register buildings and the downtown keep the earlier town visible, while the highway junction keeps Stroud connected to the wider Oklahoma road system.