Ryan, OK
Ryan is the birthplace of Chuck Norris, an American martial artist, actor, film producer and screenwriter. This small town is located two miles north of the Red River in Jefferson County.
Where to Eat
Dig in at Circle D Café! This family-owned and operated diner has a delicious menu of secret family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch and offers large portions at low prices. The menu features everything from country-style cuisine and mouthwatering burgers to tantalizing Tex-Mex and more. They also offer homemade daily specials and desserts.
History
"The agrarian mind begins with the love of fields and ramifies in good farming, good cooking, good eating and gratitude to God." - Wendell Barry
Located in Jefferson County, just two miles north of the Red River sits a small country town known as Ryan, Oklahoma. The community was founded in 1892 by Stephen W. Ryan, an Arkansas native who married a Chickasaw woman and together accumulated a vast amount of land near present-day Ryan. At the time, the land was part of Pickens Country in the Chickasaw Nation Indian Territory. The construction of a railroad station for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway was immediately built on Ryan’s land. Soon after, Ryan officially marked the town site to which his home became the first community residence. Originally a boomtown with over 30 downtown businesses, Ryan is now primarily a rural community with a population of around 800. Due to its rich soil and warm climate, Ryan has developed as a leading agricultural and ranching area, abundant with cattle, hogs, cotton, corn and wheat.
Small towns like Ryan may not have the hype of a metropolitan, but their relaxed, genuine and unpretentious characteristics give them the charm that big cities just cannot provide. If you truly immerse yourself in towns like Ryan, you will quickly find that the good-hearted souls, signature food and quiet ways of life are really quite exhilarating. Come discover this humble country haven!