Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city of 31,671 people in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, founded in July 4, 1895.
Why visit Shawnee
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 39 parks and trails, 41 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cinema Centre 8, Movies 6, Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art and Aldridge Hotel.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 93°F; January lows average 29°F.
Weather in Shawnee
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Shawnee
Shawnee is a city in and the county seat of Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Shawnee had a population of 31,377. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Shawnee, Oklahoma (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Museums and landmarks8
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art
Museum · 2.2 mi
The MGMoA features art spanning 8,000 years of human history and many world cultures
1900 West MacArthur Street, Shawnee
Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 13:00-16:00
Aldridge Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Former hotel building in Shawnee, Oklahoma
Beard Cabin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Oklahoma, United States
Benedictine Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic college building in Oklahoma, United States
Governor's Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building in Shawnee, Oklahoma, United States, planned as governor's official residence
CPN Cultural Heritage Center
Museum · 3.0 mi
1899 Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee
Tu-Fr 08:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-15:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds39
Raymond Peltier Park
Park · 2.8 mi
Park adjacent to the FireLake Grocery store used for annual events
1702 South Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee
Firelake Golf Course
Golf course · 3.1 mi
1901 South Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee
OBU Millenium Park
Park · 1.6 mi
This park was funded by the 2000 OBU class and includes a basketball court, volley ball court and walking trail around a pond.
27 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes41
Heavenly Grind Coffee Co.
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.8 mi
1836 North Kickapoo Street, Shawnee
Mo-Fr 07:00-13:30
Coffee N' Crafts
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.1 mi
5 East Main Street, Shawnee
Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 2.9 mi
27 West Interstate Parkway, Shawnee
Su-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-23:00
Sunny Side Up
Restaurant · Breakfast, Burger, Diner · 0.7 mi
426 North Broadway Avenue
Mo-Su 05:30-14:00
29 more on the map.
History
The area surrounding Shawnee was settled after the American Civil War by a number of tribes that the federal government had removed to Indian Territory. The Sac and Fox originally were deeded land in the immediate area but were soon followed by the Kickapoo, Shawnee, and Potawatomi Indians. These federally recognized tribes continue to reside today in and around Shawnee.
Over the course of the 1870s, Texas cattle drovers pushed their herds across Indian Territory; there were four major trails, with the West Shawnee trail crossing near present-day Kickapoo and Main streets. With the cattle drives, railroads were constructed through the territory, with the government forcing tribes to cede rights of way.
In addition, white settlers pressed for more land; they were encroaching on territories previously reserved by treaty to Native Americans. In 1871 a Quaker mission was established here. (The current Mission Hill Hospital is located near that site, now occupied by an historic building.) That first missionary, Joseph Newsom, opened a school in 1872. By 1876 a post office and trading post had been established a quarter mile west of the mission at what became known as Shawnee Town.
From the History section of Shawnee, Oklahoma on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Churches and places of worship39
Shawnee Friends Mission
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.7 mi
501 North Broadway Avenue, Shawnee
Shopping9
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries45
Healthcare2
Map of Shawnee
203 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 29°F | 1.6 in | 2.5 in |
| Feb | 54°F | 32°F | 1.8 in | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 41°F | 2.9 in | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 49°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 59°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 68°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 62°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 51°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 40°F | 2.4 in | 0.5 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 31°F | 2.2 in | 1.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Shawnee 3Nnw Mesonet (2 mi away), rain and snow from Shawnee, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Pottawatomie County has had 36 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-03-15: East Thunderbird Fire (Fire)
- 2025-03-15: Clear Pond Fire (Fire)
- 2024-04-30: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Tornado)
- 2023-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2022-06-29: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2021-02-24: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Shawnee Regional Airport (SNL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Choctaw 21 mi northwest, about 35 min by car
- Norman 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Midwest City 26 mi west, about 42 min by car
- Del City 30 mi west, about 48 min by car
- Moore 31 mi west, about 49 min by car
- Oklahoma City 34 mi west, about 55 min by car
- Edmond 36 mi northwest, about 57 min by car
- Newcastle 38 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Warr Acres 41 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Bethany 42 mi west, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Pottawatomie county oklahoma courthouse, Small Town OK, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art building exterior, Casadevida, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shawnee Friends Mission near Shawnee, Oklahoma, kennethaw88, CC BY 4.0
- Benedictine Hall Shawnee, kennethaw88, CC BY 4.0
- Aldridge Hotel 2012-09-26 18-12-16, JDessary, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Governors Mansion 2012-09-26 19-04-31, JDessary, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bailey Business Center, Oklahoma Baptist University, kennethaw88, CC BY 4.0
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