McCloud offers country living in the blackberry capital of the world
McLoud is a small town in central Oklahoma with a population just over 4,000. It’s key claim to fame has historically been its wild blackberries, and the area has been known as the Blackberry Capital of the World since the 1940s. However, this fame and the growing urban center west of town have not changed its rural nature. “McLoud is close to Oklahoma City – it’s within 30 minutes of all the major amenities – but it’s real country living,” says Beth Atkinson, broker with Metro Group Brokers and lifelong area resident. “People can get more property for less money per square foot out there. There has been some new construction lately, but none of it has been track homes, so it’s kept the same feel.”
Most homes sit on large tracts outside of town
Bungalows and ranch-style homes are most common on the residential streets in town, often sitting on small- to mid-sized lots with front and backyards. Rural lots are larger, with cabins and ranch-style homes sitting on bucolic multi-acre lots. “The town of McLoud is so small that not many properties are available,” Atkinson says. “Most are rural tracts on the outskirts.” Homes on the lake also rarely come on the market. Prospective residents will need to be prepared for the possibility of tornadoes. Prices for single-family homes range from around $100,000 to almost $600,000, depending on lot size, number of bedrooms, build year and square footage.
School zoning varies across three nearby districts
Students in McLoud may be zoned for one of three school districts serving various parts of the city, depending on their address. The majority will attend McLoud Elementary, McLoud Junior High and McLoud High Schools, all of which receive C-plus grades from Niche. Some students on the southeast side of town may attend Dale Public Schools, which earn an overall B-plus. Some homes on the west side of Wes Watkins Lake are zoned for the Harrah Public Schools district, rated B.
Skeet shooting, berry picking and fishing at the lake
McLoud Veterans Park offers shaded picnic shelters, an open field and hosts annual events like the McLoud Blackberry Festival, the longest-running food festival in the state. “Blackberries grow wild out in that part of the county,” Atkins explains. “They’re so prolific that you can just go out and pick buckets and buckets of them.” Quail Ridge Sporting Clays is a favorite local stop for skeet shooting. Wes Watkins Lake on the south side of McLoud has a boat launch and a beach, but it is most often used by those who own residences nearby. “It’s not like Lake Thunderbird with all the traffic,” Atkins says. “Wes Watkins is kind of small, so there aren’t a lot of people who take motorboats out. All the same, you will see people fishing on the shore.”
Limited shopping in town, with a few homegrown restaurants
Firelake Express Grocery on McLoud Road is the community’s main supermarket, and Dollar General in town is a quick stop for household necessities and frozen food. The closest big-box retailer is the Walmart Supercenter in Shawnee. Popular eateries in town include the McLoud Café, a homestyle American diner. On the south side of town, Curtis Watson’s Restaurant offers all-you-can-eat catfish.
Oklahoma City and Tinker Air Force Base are within commuting distance
Interstate 40 cuts through the south end of McLoud, connecting the community west to the state capitol and the Will Rogers International Airport. “People will commute to Oklahoma City. Tinker Air Force Base is also only about 25 minutes away, and that’s the biggest employer in the state,” Atkinson says. “Going east, it’s only about 12 minutes to Shawnee, which is the closest place for people to shop at Lowe’s or Home Depot.” The closest medical center is SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital in Shawnee.
