About vinita
Welcome to Vinita! We hope you will visit soon. Vinita is the second oldest town in Oklahoma. Our community is nestled where the golden prairies meets the foothills of the Ozarks. This northeastern corner of Oklahoma is abundant with natural beauty and recreational opportunities.
Like so many communities along historic Route 66, Vinita was a railroad town. Today visitors will find a downtown shopping district with historical structures reminiscent of its Victorian history.
Vinita’s residential areas serve as the showplace for many beautiful early and pre-statehood homes. A map and brief description of each home is available at the Eastern Trails Museum or the Vinita Area Chamber of Commerce.
Vinita HIstory
Established in 1871, the town was born under the struggles of the Cherokee Nation and the expansion of the railroad. It was originally named Downingville and later changed to Vinita, in honor of Vinnie Ream, the sculptress who created the life-size statue of Lincoln at the United States Capitol. The name change was spearheaded by Elias C. Boudinot, whose father and thirty-four others sold the Cherokee ancestral lands to the U.S. Government, resulting in the Cherokee Trail of Tears Mass Migration in 1838. Not surprisingly, the sale of the land split the Cherokee Nation politically and the streets in Vinita are named for prominent leaders and citizens on both sides of the dispute. Like so many communities along this section of Route 66, Vinita was a railroad town. Today visitors will find a downtown shopping district with historical structures reminiscent of its Victorian history.
Historic Downtown photo from the 30's