The Museum of the Great Plains, in Elmer Thomas Park on the north side of Lawton, covers the long history of the southern plains from the late Pleistocene through the cattle-drive era. Strong sections cover the Comanche horse culture, the buffalo trade, the 1901 land lottery that founded Lawton, and the dust-bowl years.
The reconstructed 1830s trading post and a small steam locomotive sit outside. The new permanent exhibit on the Comanche is the best in the museum. Allow ninety minutes; admission a few dollars and family-friendly.