Pryor Creek: Local History, Nature and Hotels

Get to know Pryor Creek through its local history, exhibitions and art, as well as activities along the creek and farm experiences. The Pryor Creek Nature Trail follows the waterway for more than three miles; Whitaker Park has an outdoor swimming pool and a splash pad. For a specially planned visit, public animal tours are also available by appointment, while blueberries can be picked at Outback Farm during the season. This gives you a choice of culture and nature, as well as experiences with a specific time frame.

Local History and Exhibitions

Pryor Creek was originally called “Coo-y-yah,” which means “Huckleberry” in Cherokee. In 1887, the town adopted the name “Pryor Creek.” The name change offers a tangible starting point for exploring the town’s history, connecting its current name with the meaning of its former one.

The Coo-Y-Yah Museum, also known as the Mayes County Historical Museum, is located in the Katy Railroad Depot in Pryor. Local history exhibits include a large oil painting of Nathaniel Pryor, a 19th-century printing press and a 19th-century salt kettle. Other artifacts and exhibitions cover, among other topics, the Cherokee and Osage. The range of subjects therefore extends from individual historical objects to exhibitions about these two groups.

The Rabbit Gallery in Pryor displays works by Traci Rabbit and her late father, Bill Rabbit. Alongside the museum’s historical objects and subjects, it offers a distinct perspective on the work of two artists. When weighing cultural highlights for your stay, you can choose between local history and exhibitions on the one hand, and art at the Rabbit Gallery on the other.

Nature and Activities Along Pryor Creek

The Pryor Creek Nature Trail follows Pryor Creek for more than three miles. Visitors can mountain bike on the trail; fishing in the creek is permitted on a catch-and-release basis.

Whitaker Park has an outdoor swimming pool and a splash pad. Both offer different water activities in the same park. This adds a distinct park-focused option to the activities along the creek if you’d also like to plan your stay around things to do in the park.

Farm Visits and Seasonal Experiences

GraysLland Acres offers public tours by appointment, where visitors are introduced to goats and llamas. Visitors also have the opportunity to milk a goat or hand-feed a llama. If you plan to take part, keep the appointment requirement in mind; milking and feeding are options during the visit, not guaranteed activities.

At Outback Farm, you can pick your own blueberries during the season. The farm also sells blueberry maple syrup, raw honey, various preserves and herbal soaps; seasonal availability may vary. If you’re interested in picking your own berries, take the seasonal nature of the activity into account when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Locust Grove, Strang.

Go to the broader travel overview: Mayes County.