Tulsa, Oklahoma is the 2nd largest city in the state with almost 400,000 inhabitants. It is also the 46 largest city within the United States based on the latest census. Tulsa is the main municipality in the bigger Tulsa Metropolitan Area, which is an area with nearly 1 million in the metropolitan statistical area. Tulsa's CSA is estimated to reach one million between 2010 and 2012. The city of Tulsa serves as the county seat of Tulsa County, the most densely populated county in the state of Oklahoma, and extends into Rogers, Wagoner and Osage counties.
The region was first inhabited between the years of 1828 and 1836, following an attack by the Lochapoka Band of Creek Native American tribe. It was also the location of the well-known Tulsa Race Riot in 1921. This riot was and is still considered among the largest and most destructive race riots in the nation's history. For the majority of the 20th century, the city of Tulsa held the nickname "Oil Capital of the World" and played a major part as one of the most essential centers for the American oil business. The city of Tulsa, together with some other cities, claims to be the origin of U.S. Route 66 and is also known for its Western Swing music.
Tulsa's Gilcrease Museum features American art from colonial times to the present, with an emphasis on western art. Its extensive collection, once owned by Tulsa oil magnate Thomas Gilcrease and bought by Tulsa in 1955, consists of 10,000 paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints by 400 artists. Of the 22 bronzes of Frederic Remington, 18 can be seen here. Other Tulsa museums and cultural attractions comprise the Fenster Museum of Jewish Art, the Philbrook Museum of Art and the Tulsa Air and Space Center. The city is home to the Tulsa Zoo and the Oklahoma Aquarium. Mayfest is a 4-day outdoor arts and music festival which attracts 250,000 people yearly.
Tulsa's economy has traditionally been dominated by the oil business, even though much effort has been made over the last few decades to change the economic base by building up the sectors of finance, aerospace, telecommunications, technology, manufacturing and high tech. The Tulsa International Airport (TUL) along with the Tulsa Port of Catoosa, the country's most inland seaport, connect the region with global trade and transportation. A maintenance base of American Airlines at Tulsa International Airport is the city's biggest employer and the world's biggest maintenance facility, serving as the maintenance and engineering head office of the airline, whereas the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and the Tulsa International Airport house extensive industrial parks.
Within the city of Tulsa, there are company headquarters for a few huge financial corporations like the BOK Financial Corporation. Other companies call the city of Tulsa home, like for example QuikTrip, a semi-national convenience store chain, the international car rental company of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Hilti, and Mazzio's semi-national pizza chain. Numerous worldwide companies related to oil and gas have head office in the city of Tulsa, including SemGroup, Williams Companies, ONEOK, Syntroleum, Excel Energy and Samson. Now, there are 30 corporations within Tulsa that employ more than 1,000 people, though small businesses make up over 80% of the city's companies.