Tuttle

For some, the name “Bridge Creek” will call to mind harrowing stories from the infamous Bridge Creek-Moore Tornado that struck down in 1999. Today, the vast land surrounding this community is experiencing a new wave of interest as a result of the residential spread from Norman and Oklahoma City. The area provides a more secluded feel than its more densely populated neighbors. “It’s not like Tuttle or Blanchard – driving through the main area it’s literally just a high school and fire department,” says Meghan Groff, a Realtor with Luxury Real Estate who works out of Blanchard to help homeowners find their place outside of OKC. “Residents go out to Blanchard or Newcastle for groceries and things like that.” Drivers passing through Bridge Creek spot farmhouses and ranch-style homes on the edge of fields that stretch for acres. Driveways peel away from gravel roads closer to the center of town. Manufactured homes with hipped roofs and extra shed space will go for $140,000, while steel-framed farmhouses on several acres will go for up to $600,000. New homesites line the road for future homeowners to build on. These plots sell for under $100,000, while new builds with prominent garages and half acre lots go for roughly $350,000. Students in Bridge Creek navigate the close-knit Bridge Creek School District, starting with Bridge Creek Early Childhood Center for grades kindergarten through second; the school earns an A-minus from Niche. They move up to Bridge Creek Intermediate-Elementary School – which earns a B-plus – for grades three through five, before making their way to Bridge Creek Middle School, which also earns an A-minus. Bridge Creek High School – the home of the Bobcats – earns a B-plus. All schools in the district follow a four-day school week model. Interstate 44 cuts right past Bridge Creek’s town center and takes locals to downtown Oklahoma City in roughly 28 miles. They can use the same road to reach Will Rogers World Airport in 23 miles, the Tri-City Area shopping options in 13, or to head southwest to Grady Memorial Hospital in another 23 miles. The H.E. Bailey Turnpike leads to I-35, which takes residents further east to Norman. Bridge Creek residents stay local for school, but all of their errands take place outside the area. They can head into nearby Tuttle for cookies and coffee at Tiger Shack Restaurant, stop by Family Dollar or grab tacos at Lupita’s Restaurant. Bridge Creek merges with its surrounding communities at the Tri-City Area, an intersection between major highways in Newcastle. A Walmart Super Center, Walgreens, and a plethora of chain restaurants can be found here. There’s plenty of room to roam in Bridge Creek and fishing ponds scattered across the landscape, but for a true park experience residents will need to head into nearby Blanchard. The two playground sets and walking trails at Lions Park provide an all-day outdoor setting. Animal lovers can sleep overnight at Tiger Safari Zoological Park and enjoy interactive exhibits with friendly zoo animals. The Bridge Creek High School boosters sponsor The Trails at Bridge Creek each Saturday in October, where students dress up as Halloween haunts and spook walkers. Other school-sponsored events take place at Ridgecrest Baptist Church. Football lovers head to Norman for The University of Oklahoma games. “Bridge Creek is its own separate area, but the homes there have half Tuttle and half Blanchard addresses depending on where you are on a map,” Groff says. Many new properties in the area are built on post-tension foundations with solid brick frames to protect against tornadoes; the most recent major touchdown was in 2015.