Small town America in suburban Oklahoma City
The city of Bethany sits quietly 12 miles northwest of Oklahoma City where it idles on the banks of Lake Overholser. The community of 20,000 has maintained the character of small town America, while having the convenience of being close to everything Oklahoma City has to offer, with highway access and is home to two universities and one of the best school districts in the state. “When it was new it was a small town outside of Oklahoma City. It was founded early 1900s and it grew its own personality back when Oklahoma City was still growing,” says Jim Miller, real estate agent with Keller Williams-Yukon. “It’s definitely a suburb, no question about that, but it does have its own little character and that’s part of the attraction.”
Mid-century Ranch-style and newer custom builds
Much of Bethany is covered with brick ranches with newer custom builds scattered throughout. The area’s single-family homes are typically closely spaced, with medium-sized front lawns and mature trees. Bethany homes range in price from just under $100,000 to around $300,000 with a few outliers over $1 million. In the older part of Bethany homes were typically built in the 50s and 60s with newer neighborhoods within. It’s a seller’s market in this highly-sought-after western OKC suburb. Once you’re a Bethany resident, you don’t tend to move away.
Award-winning school system
Some students in Bethany attend Bethany Public Schools, starting off at Earl Harris Elementary School. The school has an active Parent-Teacher Association and access to STEM and arts education offerings. Students move on to Bethany Middle School and Bethany High School. All three schools are rated an A or better on Niche, with the district being the second highest-ranked district in Oklahoma. Other students in Bethany can attend Putnam City Schools, and the city is also close to two universities: Southern Nazerene University, and Southwestern Christian University that are deeply integrated into the city and its culture.
Suburban outdoor fun
Bethany is home to 12 parks covering more than 200 acres. Eldon Lyon Park is the largest of the bunch and has a 1.5-miles outdoor track a disc golf course, and several ball fields. “People go there to fly kites; people would go there to practice golf. It’s that big,” Miller adds. “We used to go play football over there. It’s just a lot of open field without a lot of trees.” The park is home to the Bethany Freedom Celebration every July 4 featuring rides, games, and fireworks. At Ripper Park residents can stay cool during hot summer days at the outdoor pool and the waterslide. The complex also has tennis courts and walking trails and a soccer field. “That’s what’s so great about Bethany. For a small town it still has a huge number of parks, lots of green space,” Miller says. Bethany sits on the banks of Lake Overholser and is a popular location for fishing, mountain biking and hiking. Just north of the neighborhood the Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge sits on 1,000 acres of greenspace with hiking trails and a chance to fish or kayak on the North Canadian River.
Route 66 Corridor
Known locally as “The Mother Road” the Route 66 corridor that runs through Bethany offers a collection of delicious eateries to entice the palates of locals and those just traveling through. For authentic Mexican cuisine, Birrieria Diaz does it right with scintillating flavors and some of the best tacos one can find north of the Rio Grande. The side of the building features murals depicting Bethany’s place along the historic highway. Two doors down, Stray Dog Café is the place to grab breakfast with eggs, bacon and all the fixings. Aloha Shave Ice and Coffee Shoppe is down the road, across North Council. Owned and operated by mother-daughter duo Michelle and Savannah Lynne, Aloha has been a Bethany staple since 2012. Savannah describes Bethany as “quaint, friendly and well-connected,” maintaining a small-town vibe within the big city surrounding it. When stopping by, order the signature chicken salad sandwich, Savannah’s favorite thing on the menu.
Easy highway commutes to OKC
Bethany sits 12 miles north of downtown Oklahoma City with access available via I-44 or I-40. Public transit options are not currently available in Bethany, but the Embark transit network is available if closer to downtown.
Photography Contributed By
Richard Waltemath
