It was two weeks ago yesterday that we moved into our new house in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, and we are so excited to be here! We spent much of the first week unpacking, getting utilities hooked up, and just finding our way around town.
A view from the dining room into the living room on move-in day.
We brought a U-Haul full of stuff from Nebraska and are trying our best to fill in with purchases made locally in Pawhuska. We’ve been to four auctions, scavenged the local thrift and consignment stores, and found some things at local places like The Buckin’ Flamingo, Prairie Cottage, The Book Burrow, and The Pioneer Woman Mercantile.
We purchased this window frame at the Buckin’ Flamingo in downtown Pawhuska.
Admittedly, we’ve had to run to nearby Bartlesville for a few items and did some online shopping for things we couldn’t find in town, but the house is really coming together and feeling more like home every day.
It has been fun filling book shelves with items found in local shops, like these books from the Book Burrow and the horse head bookend from Sister’s Attic.
The decorating is not complete and we still need to finalize a few details like end tables, lamps, and chairs (ha!), but we wanted to give y’all a little peek inside our place, anyway. So here we go!
First, you must know that the former owners did an amazing job remodeling this 1,500 square foot, 1930’s craftsman house. They stripped all the wood floors, updated the fireplace, took out a wall that separated the kitchen and dining area and gutted both the kitchen and full bath, among other things. Take a look at this entryway.
We love the bright entryway that the front door opens up into. Not sure exactly what we’re going to do with this space yet, but Ann is already picturing a Christmas tree in the window.
I love the bright sunlight that fills this space in the morning. Still trying to figure out what to put in this room, but I’m thinking about some kind of cozy chair(s) to curl up in with a cup of coffee or a good book. And aren’t the natural floors just beautiful?
The previous owners sanded and refinished the original hardwood floors. They are beautiful and we love that they left blemishes and original nails.
We love the way the sunlight comes in first thing in the morning.
The entryway opens up into a pretty good-sized living room, which we love. We’re hopeful that the temperatures here in Oklahoma will eventually cool down and we’ll want to use the fireplace.
This antique chair was given to us by Ann’s mom years ago. She had it in her first home when Ann was just a baby and it is so nice to have it with us in Pawhuska.
The bright yellow Tonka truck by the fireplace in the photo below was accidentally purchased at our first auction. I thought we were bidding on two round end tables and alerted Steve to bid. Without hesitation, he quickly raised his paper plate buyer’s number and the auctioneer said, “Sold!” Sadly, we were actually bidding on the truck (which we got for $10) and are still without end tables. Nonetheless, it makes a good conversation piece.
The beautiful fireplace in the living room with a working gas log is one of our favorite parts of the house. The Tonka truck was an accidental purchase at an auction. Long story, but great conversation piece.
We purchased these candlesticks from Harp Design Co., in Waco, Texas, last summer. We visited there two days after our first visit to Pawhuska.
The living room of our Pawhuska home. The blue tape is where we’ll put a really cool map of Oklahoma that we’ve ordered.
We’ve tried to make the living room comfy, cozy and welcoming to friends and visitors. We’ve already had a few people stop by and can’t wait for Steve’s mom and dad to come for a visit in a few weeks.
As you know, we’ve picked up a few things for the house at area auctions, including this cute Crete Carrier collectible semi truck. While this large carrier company is now headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, it started in nearby Crete, Nebraska, where we have roots. Still need to find a real picture for that crackled frame.
We found this Crete Carrier Corp. toy truck at a local auction and thought it would be a great nod to our Nebraska roots. Crete Carrier is now based in Lincoln, but started in our hometown. Oh, and we still need a new photo for that frame.
Another little slice of memorabilia we’ve added to the bookcase in the living room is this selfie from a June 2017 road trip we had with our daughter, Meghan. This was the day after Steve’s last day as middle school principal and was taken just before we rolled into Pawhuska for the first time. We could never have imagined buying a house here just a little more than a year later and this photo is a great reminder that you never know how a new adventure will impact the rest of your life.
We took this picture in the summer of 2017 as we passed the sign coming in to Pawhuska for the first time. We never would have imagined that day that we’d own a house here a year later.
Of course, a postcard jar also made the move and this one is filled with postcards from all over the world sent to us by readers like you. We have been so blessed by your greetings and the opportunities to get to know so many wonderful people through our blog.
Well, it just wouldn’t be home without a postcard jar.
We’re also getting to know our neighbors here and have visited two different churches. We’ve familiarized ourselves with new aisles at the grocery store and found new shortcuts across town (although you get about anywhere is less than three minutes).
The high school football team debuts on a new turf field this Friday night and we’re looking forward to that. We hope you’ve enjoyed this little peek inside our new home and life here in Oklahoma. We’ll share more later but right now, we need to take a break from blogging and get over to El Vallarta’s for the $4.99 lunch special.
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We recently bought 1,500 sq. ft. home in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Here’s a peek inside.
Just more than a year after I quit my job as a middle school principal, we’ve made another big life choice. We bought a house in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. (No, we’re not having a mid-life crisis, thanks for asking.)
Regular readers of this blog know that we have absolutely fallen in love with Pawhuska (pop. 3,477 3,479) over the past year. In June of 2017, we made our first stop in Osage County. It was a quick visit to pay homage to The Pioneer Woman and her Mercantile on our way to Texas. We enjoyed a chicken fried steak dinner and wrote a few blog posts about our time in town, including this one that listed six reasons husbands should take their wives to the Merc.
We rolled into Pawhuska for the first time in June of 2017 for a quick visit to The Pioneer Woman Mercantile on our way to Texas.
A couple of months after writing that post, the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce contacted us to see if we’d be willing to return as celebrity judges for the National Indian Taco Championships. We felt obliged to call and tell them that we really aren’t celebrities. They replied, “Well, you are to us! Everybody here loves your blog!” We then shared that we knew little about Indian tacos. They told us not to worry and that we should just be sure to pack stretchy pants and Tums.
How could we say no to that?
We loved learning about how authentic Indian tacos are made from our new friend, Margie Williams, of Pawhuska.
We rolled back into Pawhuska early in the first week of October. We wanted to spend a few days getting to know the town a little better before the Indian Taco Championships and like we did for our own hometown of Crete, we decided to write an article on 70+ things to do after you’ve eaten at the Merc.
We saw our first ever Powwow at the National Indian Taco Championships last fall and can’t wait to see it again this year!
We figured five days would give us all the time we needed in Pawhuska. We were so wrong.
You see, when you’re in this cowboy town that has just one flashing traffic light, you can’t just walk into a store or museum, take a quick photo and leave. Nope. The folks you’ll find there are just too friendly and welcoming for that. We learned quickly that people in Pawhuska were genuinely interested in getting to know us and many of our conversations pushed well through the noon hour or until after closing. Nobody seemed to care. Relationships mattered more than time. We loved that.
The day we met Martha and Margie at Handy’s in Pawhuska, they put their spoons down, forgot about their chili, and took time to tell us all about the history of this unique convenience store and the secret to the best fountain pop in Osage County.
It didn’t take long before we began to feel like locals. Though we had a hotel 25 miles away in Bartlesville, townspeople insisted we should be staying in Pawhuska. By Friday, one had helped us find a room, and so we spent our first overnight inside the city limits. With no 30-minute drive to a hotel, we decided to go to the high school football game to cheer on the hometown Pawhuska Huskies. We met some nice folks as we sat down on the bleachers to watch the game and, as was normal for this town, we felt like old friends by the fourth quarter. It was homecoming that night. We couldn’t help but feel like we’d come home, too.
The Homecoming game had all the pageantry you’d expect in a small town.
By the time the National Indian Taco Championships were over that weekend, we didn’t want to leave and vowed that we’d be back soon. A couple of weeks later we took our moms to Pawhuska. We went back in December for the Holiday Parade of Lights. Starting in January, we found one reason after another to return to the Osage and learn more about its unique history and residents. With each visit, we grew to love the town and the people more and more. We started to feel like maybe we belonged, like maybe we had a bigger calling there.
A view of Pawhuska at the Cavalcade street dance in 2018.
So, after a lot of consideration, investment planning, and prayer, we contacted a realtor, put the word out, and began looking for a house to buy. We had looked at about a dozen homes before getting a text from a friend a few weeks ago that pointed us to one that seemed just right. It was in a great location, in our price range, and newly remodeled. We knew it wouldn’t last long on the market. So, despite the fact that we’d just gotten home from a trip about an hour earlier and our suitcase was not even unpacked yet, we put our dirty clothes in the laundry, re-packed clean ones, got in the car and headed south.
It is less than a six-hour drive from Crete, Nebraska, to Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
We spent time looking at the house and talking with the owners and everything about it just felt right. We made an offer that evening around their kitchen table, shook hands, and were under contract the next day. If all goes as planned, we’ll close on the three-bedroom, craftsman style bungalow Monday morning. We can’t wait to show it to y’all (I think we’re allowed to use that word now that we’re south of Kansas) and be a part of the Pawhuska community.
We were honored to be given this blanket by longtime Pawhuska residents and business owners Mr. and Mrs. Trumbly.
What, exactly does the future hold for us? We honestly aren’t sure. For now, we are planning to go back and forth between Oklahoma and Nebraska, splitting time between the Huskies and Huskers. We hope you’ll stop by for a visit if you’re in the area. We may even look into becoming Airbnb hosts, someday. We can write about travel from anywhere with internet service, so we’ll do just that as we create a new home while maintaining another one, at least for now.
What we know for sure is that Pawhuska is a special place, and very soon we’ll be proud to call it home.
Men, we’ve all been there, sitting in the man seat, holding bags and baskets of merchandise while our wives gleefully continue their shopping sprees. And I know that many of us, when faced with our wives’ desire to go to the Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, recoil in fear of long hours stuck sitting in that chair.
Loved this chair for non-shopping men we saw in Pawhuska.
But men, I’ve got good news: If you play your cards right, you just might have more fun than your wife when you go to Pawhuska. Here are a few of my favorite things to do in this cowboys’ playground.
1. Shop for your man cave
The World Famous Buckin’ Flamingo is just down Main Street from the Merc, and is definitely worth a stop. They sell some of the most unique metal art you’ve ever seen, perfect for decorating your man cave. You’ll find vintage signs for beers, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, baseball teams, and gas/oil companies. You can also prepare for your anniversary, Christmas, or your wife’s birthday by shopping their selection of beautiful sterling silver and turquoise jewelry. How thrilled would she be with a memory of one of her favorite towns on that special day? I daresay you’d get a LOT of points!
You can shop for your man cave at The World Famous Buckin’ Flamingo that is just around the corner from The Mercantile on Main Street.
From there, head over to Big County Pawn and check out their selection of tools, vintage items, case knives, guns, ammo, and cleverly named, delicious, Sh*t bar-b-que seasonings that can take your grill game to the next level. (Pardon my French.)
And, to up your grill game even more, stop by Lorec Ranch – Pawhuska and pick up a small branding iron to char your initial right into a juicy steak.
Heat this up and put a unique mark on every steak you serve!
2. Roam the Osage
Head east from the Merc about three blocks and board a tour on the Roaming the Osage Historic Scenic Tours van. Casey and his crew have put together an informative tour that will give you an overview of the area and its history. You might even get to see a bison.
The Roaming the Osage Tour will give you a great overview of Osage County while you ride in style.
The best part is that the tour is in the coolest tour van you’ve ever seen. It’s a Mercedes convertible with a retractable roof. When the weather is nice, you’ll roll through town in the open air, but when you head out on the highway, they close the top and the AC pours over you keeping you comfortable. It’s a unique experience — our understanding is that only two of these particular vans exist in the United States.
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3. Go fishing at the lake
Located just two short miles outside the city limits is the large, beautiful Bluestem Lake. When you head to Pawhuska, pack along your fishing gear because you can spend long, peaceful days at the lake.
Bluestem Lake offers lots of outdoor recreational activities, including fishing.
You can catch whiskered channel catfish, largemouth bass, speckled crappie, spotted bass, lengthy saugeye, ray-finned sunfish and white bass while your wife eagerly shops for all the kitchen gadgets you’ll need to prepare a wonderful dinner with your catch of the day. (Note: A state permit is required for fishing.)
4. Get yourself a custom hat and boots
While your wife is busy trying out whisks, spatulas, and mixing bowls, head across the street to Osage Outfitters and try on a new cowboy hat for yourself. Owner Joey Lee will help you pick one that is just the right size and will then custom shape it while you wait at the hat bar.
Osage Outfitters owner, Joey Lee, will be happy to shape a hat just the way you like it while you wait.
In just 10-15 minutes, your new hat will be shaped however you want, whether that’s a Cattleman’s Crease, a Gus Crease like in the movie, “Lonesome Dove,” or something else entirely.
Check a wide selection of quality cowboy boots at Osage Outfitters on Kihekah Ave. in Pawhuska.
Once you have your hat, pick out a pair of beautiful boots made from sustainably sourced hide. Osage Outfitters has some of the highest quality boots around, and they can even get a pair custom made just for you. Why should your wife be the only one to get new things, right? No matter what you choose, you’ll walk out of the store looking good. (Full disclosure: Osage Outfitters has a lot to offer the lady in your life, as well, so you might want to show her around the store while wearing your new hat.)
5. Relax with a book
Head up Kihekah to the Book Burrow, a used book store where they probably have a copy of just about anything you’re looking for. Don’t have a title in mind? Owners James and Kelly are super friendly and can help you quickly find something that will grab your interest whether that’s a novel or a book on how to build cabinetry. Then, kick back and relax in one of their comfy chairs and enjoy some quiet time to yourself.
The Russells, owners of the Book Burrow, are friendly folks who will help you find the perfect book.
Another book option is offered up by the Pawhuska Public Library which has a huge selection of reading material in a comfortable, relaxing, and perhaps most importantly, air conditioned building. Let your wife deal with the hustle and bustle of downtown Pawhuska while you catch up on a novel or your favorite hunting magazine in a quiet, calm, environment.
Read a book, or take a cat nap at the Pawhuska City Library.
The librarian told us that some guys even take little cat naps there, and she said that’s perfectly OK as long as they don’t snore too much. Get off that man bench downtown, and slide into a comfortable chair with a book. You can find the library’s hours on its website.
6. Grab a bite to eat
Obviously, you will want to eat at The Mercantile. I mean, the chicken fried steak is amazing (and so is the queso dip, and the lasagna, and the chicken parmesan, and the cattleman’s breakfast and the…). But if you’re out and about in town, you should know that there are some other great places to satisfy your hunger.
Buffalo Joe’s is a local favorite and has daily specials that are all fantastic. Grill 125 and El Vallarta’s Mexican restaurant are also good places to try.
The street tacos at Buffalo Joe’s are outstanding and so are the breakfast burritos.
If you’re looking for something a bit more, um, rustic, try T-Bones Pig Stand for a great pork sandwich. And if you’ve got Bar-B-Que on your brain, then head over to Bad Brad’s for an amazing Frito pie.
Steve enjoyed a chopped pork sandwich at The Pig Stand just on the edge of town.
Oh, and don’t forget that any day now, you’ll be able to go across Kihekah Ave. to P-Town Pizza, Ree and Ladd’s new wood-fired pizza restaurant. Judging from the pictures we’ve seen and what we’ve heard from our local contacts, the pizza, desserts and hand-crafted cocktails are all beyond incredible. And let’s be honest, if the Drummonds are involved, you know it will be top-notch.
7. Play a round of disc golf
You’d likely never expect a town the size of Pawhuska, Oklahoma to have three disc golf courses including two of the top ten courses in the country.
Taylor Ranch disc golf course in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
One course is located in town, while the two championship courses are just south of town on Highway 99 at Taylor Ranch. Drop your wife off at The Merc for her shopping adventure, and head out to challenge yourself to a round of some of the best disc golf there is anywhere in the U.S.A.
8. Take Ladd Drummond’s advice
When I met Ladd at The Mercantile last fall, I told him we’d write a post like this someday and asked him what he thought men should do while their wives shopped. His simple suggestion may well be the best one on this list: Get a piece of chocolate or pecan pie from the bakery at The Mercantile, sit back on the large couch upstairs, and watch the game on TV.
The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond’s husband, Ladd.
Honestly, men, is there a better way to spend a day than that? And remember, they make fresh, homemade pies. All. Day. Long.
Do you have any ideas for things for men to do in Pawhuska? Let us know in the comment section below.
As always, thanks for sharing and pinning!
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Things for men to do while their wives shop at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile.
When Ann and I were married, we took vows to forsake all others and be faithful to one another. That being said, I have a confession to make: We’ve both slept around Pawhuska, Oklahoma. All around. And we’re not too shy to admit it was wonderful! Now don’t get too excited. It was just the two of us, by each others’ side every night. (Smile)
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Turns out, The Pioneer Woman’s hometown of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is also home to a number of great bed and bath properties and we have done our best to spend the night at as many as possible. While each property is unique and provides an individual experience, every place we’ve stayed has been exceptionally clean, managed by friendly people, and the prices have been reasonable. If you’re planning a visit to Pawhuska, we encourage you to book a place in town instead of settling for a chain hotel in another city. Staying right in Pawhuska gives you the real experience of small-town life in Osage County and the hospitality there is second to none.
Here’s a rundown of the many wonderful places we’ve slept in Pawhuska.
The Grandview Inn Bed and Breakfast
Stephen and Tiffany Poe are owners of this stately home located just up the hill from The Mercantile on Grandview Ave. This house, formerly owned by Ree and Ladd Drummond, has been beautifully restored and decorated and is absolutely charming.
Grandview Inn Bed and Breakfast in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
We enjoyed our stay in the Peacock Room at the Grandview Inn B&B in Pawhuska.
Guests are welcome to hang out in the living room and watch TV or head to their well appointed, comfortable accommodations upstairs for a good night’s rest. Each room is uniquely decorated and in the morning, you’ll come down to wonderful aromas wafting out of the kitchen promising a fresh, hot breakfast.
Steven Poe’s eggs Benedict at the Grandview Inn was delicious.
We loved sitting at the dining room table, sharing a delicious breakfast with other guests while chatting with the Poes. If you want to stay there you should know that some of the rooms have a private bath attached, while others share one. Ann and I stayed in one of the “shared bathroom” rooms, and it was never a problem. Plus, the Grandview has an on-demand water heater meaning that everyone gets all the hot water they need. This inn is also popular with large groups traveling together as they can share the whole house. See their website for more information.
What we enjoyed most: Visiting over a delicious breakfast with Steven and Tiffany Poe and their adorable children.
The Flamingo’s Nest
Lauren and Cody Garnett, who are also proprietors of the World Famous Buckin’ Flamingo, own this whole house B&B property located just around the corner from Handy’s. This home can sleep up to 13 people, but Ann and I enjoyed the space just for ourselves, as well.
The Flamingo’s Nest is a perfect place for a large group of people to stay.
A great place to bring your family or a group of friends, the Flamingo’s Nest offers a full kitchen, dining room, pool table, living room with entertainment center, as well as three bedrooms and three bathrooms. It also has covered parking behind the house which was great for keeping us out of the sleet as we unloaded the car one cold night.
The Flamingo’s Nest is such a fun place to stay, especially with this pool table.
Thank you, Lauren and Cody, for the complimentary night in your wonderful property. We slept really well!
What we enjoyed most: Having an entire house to ourselves!
The Pioneer Woman Boarding House
With eight unique rooms in a totally renovated building only two doors down from The Merc, The Pioneer Woman Boarding House brings “cowboy luxury” to life with amenities like custom-made coffee brought straight to your room each morning, and a wine and cheese reception each evening.
The Tack Room at The Pioneer Woman Boarding House.
In addition, guests at The Boarding House enjoy valet parking, room service, and even get reservations so they can skip the line at The Merc. This may all sound too good to be true, but it is all very real.
The bathroom in the Emerald Room features a claw foot tub and a walk in shower.
Add those VIP amenities to the huge, spacious rooms with genuine Tempur-Pedic mattresses and luxurious bathrooms that have to be seen to be believed, and you’ll find yourself immersed in a beautiful, relaxing place you won’t want to leave.
What we enjoyed most: Visiting with staff and other guests over complimentary wine and cheese. And, of course, the his and hers toilets.
Redbud Cottage
The Redbud Cottage is a charming house located on 7th street. This whole house rental offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attached double garage.
There is a large living room and open floor plan at Redbud Cottage in Pawhuska.
It also has a full kitchen (with Pioneer Woman dishes and pans), dining room, living room, sunroom, and fenced-in backyard complete with a gas grill which makes it a perfect getaway for a family or for a group of friends hoping to explore The Merc, Pawhuska, and Osage County.
Redbud Cottage is a perfect place for a girls weekend getaway.
We took our moms there and loved the flexibility we had being in our own house, able to make coffee (it’s provided!) when we wanted, and even prepare a full meal. Plus, being just a couple of blocks from downtown, the house is super convenient to so many amenities in Pawhuska.
What we enjoyed most: The water pressure. Seriously, one of the best showers I’ve ever had.
The Million Dollar Inn
Overlooking downtown Pawhuska and across the street from the site of the Million Dollar Elm and the Osage Nation Museum, sits this charming bed and bath property that has been fully renovated. Owner Cheryl Potts has decorated each of the four guest suites in the house with heirlooms from her family that show her unique style and personal flair.
A sunny sitting room at the Million Dollar Inn in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
The house boasts a common area with a TV and large windows that offer a lovely view of downtown, making this property a nice one for groups traveling to Pawhuska together. In addition, each suite is equipped with its own kitchenette and full bathroom.
The Million Dollar Inn in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
It is definitely worth noting that our bed was super comfortable. We spent a lovely evening visiting on lawn chairs outside with Cheryl and her husband who were a real pleasure to get to know. We’d like to thank them for the complimentary night we spent in this great property.
What we enjoyed most: A very comfortable bed and soft, luxurious bedding.Oh, and the view.
The Prairie Cottages
We stayed in one of these on a recent trip to Pawhuska, and were among the first to do so as these newly built cottages just opened in the spring of 2018. Two cottages occupy what had been a vacant lot on Main St. next to the Prairie Cottage store and are conveniently located about 89 steps from the Merc.
The Prairie Cottages are located just steps from The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in downtown Pawhuska.
The inside of the Prairie Cottage in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
One of the cottages has two queen beds, while the other features a king bed. These cottages both have all the modern amenities you’d want in a hotel room (including coffee and a coffee maker) while still giving you the privacy of your own building. We were there soon enough after they’d opened that they didn’t have WiFi, yet, though the owner told us it was to be installed soon.
What we enjoyed most: The location. I’m pretty sure I could smell Ree’s chicken fried steak from the front porch.
The Historic Whiting Bed and Bath
This hotel, built in the 1920’s, is about two blocks up Kihekah Ave. from The Merc and offers some of the most unique rooms in town. Located above the Osage Square Mall, the rooms were originally efficiency apartments for newlyweds and oilfield workers. Over the past 30 years, the apartments have been renovated into unique rooms that retain a historic feel, some with the original Murphy bed frames from the 1920’s.
The French room at the Historic Whiting Bed and Bath. Courtesy photo.
The Whiting Bed and Bath has so much character and history.
With chairs to take outside onto the shared balcony, you can spend time watching the comings and goings in downtown Pawhuska. Some of the rooms have only a large, antique clawfoot tub with no shower, so ask when you make your reservation if that makes a difference to you. No matter which room you choose, however, it is sure to be clean and comfortable. This property is also excellent for large groups traveling together.
What we enjoyed most: Ann loved bathing in an old fashioned claw-foot tub.
Places we haven’t slept, yet
Even though we’ve really gotten around, there are still a few more places we’d like to try. The Little Rainsong Loft, located right on Kihekah Ave., is definitely at the top of our list. It offers, among other things, a yard with a fire pit and sleeping accommodations for a group of people. Then, there’s the Maybelle, another old Pawhuska mansion that has been turned into a B&B that we’ve heard is absolutely beautiful. The Wah-Zha-Zhi house, located close to downtown, has two fully renovated efficiency apartments that are available for rent. JJ’s Place, Park Place Bed and Bath, Gray Haven, and Haven on the Hill are all full-house rentals in town. Finally, the Lodge at Taylor Ranch is a bit out of town, but it is located on a championship disc golf course and offers a lake view.
There’s also a new hotel set to open later this summer. The Frontier Hotel will include 20 rooms in what is known as the Triangle Building just across the street from The Mercantile. We’ve anxiously watched the renovations over the past year and can’t wait to see the finished hotel.
The Triangle Building in downtown Pawhuska will soon be the Frontier Hotel.
With this many options when you plan your next trip to Pawhuska, make sure that you try to stay in town. You’ll be close to the action, which in a small town is refreshingly little, and you’ll be the first one downtown for a Pioneer Woman breakfast in the morning.
Have you slept in Pawhuska? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
If you like The Pioneer Woman, or have ever dreamed of spending a night at her new Boarding House in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, you have got to see this video.
Now, here’s how we met this adorable couple.
Earlier this week, we made an impromptu trip back to one of our favorite places, Pawhuska, Oklahoma. As you may know, Pawhuska is a small town so word typically travels fast there. We’d only been in town a few hours when someone mentioned that there might be a few rooms available at new The Pioneer Woman Boarding House for that night due to a last-minute cancellation.
We were super excited to get a room at the boarding house on a recent visit to Pawhuska.
Now, you should know that when this cowboy luxury hotel opened for reservations this spring, they booked every room available (for months in advance) in about an hour. From the moment it was announced, Pioneer Woman fans from all over the world anxiously awaited the opening of the Food Network star’s new boutique hotel. Since opening, reservations there have been nearly impossible to get. Take a look at this picture from The Tack Room and you’ll see why.
The Tack Room at The Pioneer Woman Boarding House.
So when we called someone at The Boarding House Monday afternoon and discovered that a few rooms had indeed unexpectedly become available for that night, we jumped on it before they were booked. We arrived at the front desk in about four minutes (you can do that in a town the size of Pawhuska). We were so excited for the rare opportunity to check in and enjoy one of the eight luxurious, themed rooms.
Like all beds in the PW Boarding house, the bed in the Photograph Room is king-sized, has a Tempurpedic mattress and amazing bedding. If you’re anything like us, you’ll sleep well.
We unpacked our suitcase in The Photograph Room, which was beautifully decorated with white wainescoting, charcoal gray walls, and photographs taken by Ree Drummond herself.
There are always fresh flowers in every room at the PW Boarding House.
A picture of one of the Drummonds’ beloved dogs in the Photograph Room.
A little after 5 p.m., we joined a few other guests for complimentary wine and cheese in a common area and got to talking about anniversaries and what brought each of us through Pawhuska.
Jessye pours wine during the social hour at the PW Boarding House.
One couple from Oklahoma was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary while our soon-to-be friends Claude and Kathy were there to learn more about Osage history after reading the book, “Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann.
After having supper at the newly opened P. Town Pizza (you must have the Not Knots if you go), we went back to the hotel where ran into Claude and Kathy again outside on the balcony overlooking Kiheka Avenue.
The menu at P-Town pizza calls the Not Knots “life changing.” After trying these savory morsels, it’s safe to say the menu is correct. These are the stuff dreams are made of.
It was then that we learned more about how they came to stay at The Boarding House that night, despite knowing little about Ree Drummond or having ever watched even one episode of The Pioneer Woman’s popular TV show!
Claude and Kathy were a hoot. We ended up showing them around The Photograph Room and they invited us to see The Prairie Room in which they were staying.
The bathroom in the Photograph Room has beautiful black and white tile.
We got such a kick out of this couple who was married 50 years ago on the same day of the year as we were – August 27! Their story and lively personalities were just too good not to share, and they happily agreed to allow us to interview them on video.
We hope you enjoyed their uplifting story as much as we did. It certainly made for a memorable stay for all of us.
-Ann & Steve
Note: The Pioneer Woman Mercantile is inviting you to put your name into the hat for a free night’s stay at The Boarding House in 2018! Simply sign up at the link below to subscribe to The Merc’s email newsletter and each month for the rest of 2018 they will draw a random winner.
We’re Steve and Ann Teget. We spent more than two decades in corporate America and public education before Ann’s health and Steve’s aversion to middle school girl drama convinced us to try something new. Now we are making the most of midlife and telling authentic stories about extraordinary travel. And yes, we send ourselves postcards.
We’re Steve and Ann Teget. We spent more than two decades in corporate America and public education before Ann’s health and Steve’s aversion to middle school girl drama convinced us to try something new. Now we are making the most of midlife and telling authentic stories about extraordinary travel. And yes, we send ourselves postcards.