The Martin Park Nature Center Collection was added to the archives last fall, just in time for the 50 year anniversary of the park's dedication. Materials collected from the nature center include maps, brochures, park newsletters and photographs and newspaper articles about park events kept in the files of Neil Garrison, park Naturalist. 

On the northwest side of Oklahoma City between MacArthur Blvd and Meridian Avenue there is a pocket of wilderness, a unique park that has been protected from bulldozers and paving machines.  Unlike other city parks, Martin Park Nature Center was chosen as a nature preserve so the people of Oklahoma City can enjoy a piece of undeveloped prairie land and learn about the plants and animals that live there. What started as a land run homestead and was known as the Dr. J.T. Martin Park was officially dedicated on May 10, 1975 as the Martin Nature Center with a ceremony led by Oklahoma City Mayor Patience Latting. Mayor Latting presented a bronze bust of Dr. Martin, and the Director of the Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department Pat Murphy gave a history of the land. The Martin family came to Oklahoma Territory in 1889 and Jospeh became City Physician while his brother J. Frank served as Mayor in the 1930s, overseeing the construction of the Civic Center in downtown Oklahoma City. The park was named for Dr. Martin in honor of his 20-year term on the Parks Commission. In 2025 the park turns 50 years old, even with an updated Nature Center and reinforced bridges not much has changed in the park. 

Today the park is still the only wildlife preserve managed by The City of Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation Department. The land north of Lake Hefner has a human-caused 5-acre lake and is intersected by the running waters of Bluff Creek and Spring Creek. Home to rabbits, deer, turtles, birds of the air and water, and even a bobcat or two, Martin Park Nature Center provides a sanctuary where the people can be up close and personal with the land. Educational activities began as soon as the park opened, giving a chance for residents of all ages to get a glimpse into the wild lives of burrow owls, native plants and countless varieties of creepy crawlers. Neil Garrison served as lead naturalist at the park from 1978-2009, his job included managing flood waters, chasing down errant racoons, and giving guided tours of the multiple nature trails while living in the park. It takes a lot of work to keep things from changing, and to tell the story of the past at the same time. Martin Park Nature Center has a proud history of accessibility and provides free educational programming for kids and adults, all while keeping a watchful eye on the furry and feathered friends who live there. 

Learn more about the park and what you can do there on the City Parks and Recreation website. https://www.okc.gov/departments/parks-recreation/martin-park-nature-center