Rush Springs offers watermelon fun and convenience
Before Rush Springs became a town known for its Watermelon Festival, the Grady County area was home to a village of Wichita Native Americans. Cowboys would pass through while driving cattle along the Chisholm Trail. After farmers found success and a railroad was set, Rush Springs was established. Today, the area is self-proclaimed as the watermelon capital of the world, and residents prefer Rush Springs’ slow-paced lifestyle over nearby busy cities like Chickasha or Duncan. “Lots of people have been here forever,” says Renee Hoover-Payton, a Realtor at Rush Springs Real Estate and Marlow & Moore Realty. “There are new people moving in, and I think they like the small-town feel. We’re a little community with a clinic, churches and a lot of businesses on our main street. You’re going to have to drive to work, but the highway is right there, so you don’t have to worry about taking a bunch of back roads.”
Lower-priced homes with large yards
Most bungalow, Craftsman and brick ranch-style homes have large yards with paved or gravel driveways out front. Home prices usually range between $40,000 and around $155,000. “The houses are older and very well built, and there's not a whole lot of new construction. New doesn't always mean better,” Hoover-Payton says. “There are places where you can build. There’s one subdivision, and that’s it.” Because many homes were built around the 1950s, not every property features attached garages. Residents might park under carports, in the driveway or on the side of the road.
Access to Highway 81 makes commuting simple
Highway 81 runs along Rush Spring’s western border and leads commuters about 21 miles south to Duncan and 20 miles north to Chickasha. Some residents might drive into nearby Lawton for work, which can take about 45 minutes on state Highway 17 to Interstate 44. The Rush Springs Family Medical Center offers routine services, but residents also live about halfway between Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha and DRH Health in Duncan.
Rush Springs’ campus hosts all grade levels
Rush Springs has its own public school district, which gets a B from Niche. The B-rated Rush Springs Elementary School offers prekindergarten through fifth-grade classes and feeds into Rush Springs Middle School, which earns a B-minus. Rush Springs High School also receives a B-minus. All three schools share one campus, with separate buildings for the high school and lower grades. The school’s athletic fields are down Blakely Avenue.
The annual Watermelon Festival draws 20,000 visitors to Rush Springs
When it comes to getting some fresh air, Rush Springs has Jeff Davis Park, which features a public swimming pool, grass baseball and softball fields and a basketball court. The Glover Spencer Memorial Library offers a quiet public space to read and learn, though things get busy when it’s time for the annual Watermelon Festival. “It’s the Watermelon Festival’s 80th year,” Hoover-Payton says. “We see a crowd of 20,000 people come in. It’s a huge deal, and the whole town puts it on. Most of our churches and schools use that as a huge fundraiser.” Residents and out-of-town visitors might sign up for the seed-spitting contest, shop crafts made by local vendors and see which watermelon is named the largest melon.
Locally owned restaurants and farm-fresh produce
Blakely Avenue is lined with locally owned businesses, like Hometown Hardware. The R.E.M. is a thrift store sponsored by the Southern Baptist Church that sells second-hand items and crafts. Residents might shop for groceries at Delbert's Supermarket, but there’s also a Walmart about 19 miles south in Duncan. Miller Farms is a family-owned business where everyone shops to buy farm-grown fruit, especially when the Watermelon Festival rolls around. “We have some very good small, local restaurants with home cooking,” Hoovery-Payton says. Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch has a location in Rush Springs and Tuttle, and the menu is packed with barbecue, house sides and southern desserts.
Low crime, high risk of tornadoes
The town has a 2 out of 10 CAP Index Crime Score, lower than the national average of 4. Like the rest of Oklahoma, Rush Springs may see tornadoes during the spring. The town has tornado sirens tested every Friday at noon for a few minutes. Residents might install a storm shelter or rely on a neighbor who has one during a severe storm. The Rush Springs Fire Department handles fire and medical emergencies throughout town.
