Berryhill, Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Berryhill
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 Berryhill
Location in Oklahoma
Berryhill
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Tulsa |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Berryhill is a small community in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. It is not officially a city or town. This type of place is called an unincorporated community. Berryhill is located west of Tulsa. It covers about four square miles (10 km2).
You can find Berryhill south of the Arkansas River. It is also north of West 41st Street South. The area sits between South 71st West Avenue and South 47th West Avenue. Many small creeks in the area flow into Berryhill Creek. This creek then empties into the Arkansas River.
Berryhill has some interesting hills. Victory Hill is a well-known spot. It stands tall over the Berryhill Football Field. People say this hill is important to the first people who lived here. Chandler Park is another famous hill in Berryhill. Nearby, there was once a special clean-up site. This site was part of a program called Superfund. The United States Environmental Protection Agency checked air quality at local school buildings.
Contents
History of Berryhill
The Berryhill area was first known as Happy Hollow. Much of the land here belonged to a Creek Indian named Tom Berryhill. After 1910, Tom Berryhill gave land for the first school. That is when the name changed from Happy Hollow to Berryhill.
The first school was a single room building. It served the community until 1929. Then, it became the first church in Berryhill, a Freewill Baptist Church. Many early families in Berryhill were working-class. They had big dreams for their children.
People liked Berryhill's country feel. It was different from the growing city of Tulsa. Also, there were many factory jobs nearby in West Tulsa. This attracted both wealthier and working families. The culture here is influenced by the Ozarks and the "Boomer/Sooner" spirit. Many residents are also proud of their Native American heritage.
Berryhill could not get its own post office. Laws in Oklahoma also stopped it from becoming an official town. Because of this, the local school district became very important. It was the main focus of the community.
In 1982, the city of Tulsa wanted to expand its borders. They planned to surround Berryhill. But Berryhill residents strongly disagreed. Some Tulsa officials also opposed the idea. So, Berryhill stayed outside the Tulsa city limits.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Rolling Oaks area grew. Wealthier families moved there. They could use the modern sewer system from Sand Springs. Most other Berryhill homes used septic systems. Many parents also liked the Berryhill school district. They felt it gave more personal attention to students.
More well-to-do families moved to the hills. This led to new developments in Berryhill. West 41st Street was expanded to four lanes. This section runs from South 57th West Avenue to SH-97 in Prattville, Oklahoma. New buildings were also constructed. These include a Tulsa Community College campus and a National Guard facility. A bank and a carwash were also built.
Tulsa has recently tried again to add Berryhill to its city limits. They want to do this before new laws make it harder.
Berryhill Schools
The Berryhill School District is an independent school district. This means it manages its own schools. They offer classes from Pre-Kindergarten through high school. In 2004, nearly 1,150 students attended Berryhill schools.
Berryhill Public Schools serves students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The library is located behind the high school. South of the high school is Berryhill Junior High School. Next to the junior high is the C.C. Ogilvie Fieldhouse. This building has the high school's basketball court. It also has a concession area for lunch.
Behind the junior high is a building for the school's band. This band, called The Brigade, has won many state championships. South of the fieldhouse is the wrestling room. A new sports facility was also built. It is on S. 65th W. Ave., across from the fire station.
The younger students attend two elementary schools. These are Berryhill North Elementary and Berryhill South Elementary.
School Buildings History
The Berryhill South Elementary building has a long history. It once served as the high school, junior high, and elementary school. After a new elementary school was built, it became the high school and junior high. Later, Berryhill built a new high school. The old building then became Berryhill Junior High for grades 7–8.
In 1988, a new junior high was built near the new high school. The old building then became the Upper Elementary building. In 2004, part of the original building was taken down. A new building was constructed in its place. This building is now called Berryhill South Elementary School.
Berryhill Fire Department
The Berryhill Fire Protection District started on September 30, 1954. Its first leaders included Waymon Ray and Lawrence A. "Buss" Woolridge. The fire district covered the same area as the Berryhill Public School district. Their first fire truck was a 1941 Peter Pirsch. They bought it from the Siloam Springs Fire Department.
In 1977, people voted to make it a County Fire Department. In 2006, the district doubled in size. This was also approved by a public vote. The new area included the 21st Street corridor. This area has businesses like Holly Refinery and AAON.
In 2014, the fire district bought land for a new station. It was built on 41st Street in 2015. By August 2017, all operations moved to a new, large facility. This building is 15,000 square feet and has 9 bays. It is located at 5911 W 41st Street. In 2017, the community received a high safety rating. The department has 27 volunteers and 7 paid staff.
Fire Chiefs
- Homer Jackson
- Buddy Washburn
- Jim Downing, Sr.
- Grady Beeson
- Dan Sturman
- Michael Hall (2012–Present)
Religion in Berryhill
Berryhill is a community with many churches. It is part of what is called the Bible Belt. Most Precious Blood Parish is a Catholic church. It is located on S. 57th W. Ave. Father William Define leads this church.
Many churches in Berryhill are Baptist. Berryhill Baptist is on West 41st Street. View Acres Baptist church is a place where people vote. It is on South 65th W. Avenue. The New Home Freewill Baptist church is across from South Elementary. Rev. Roy Dale Smith leads this church. Solace Church is on 41st Street and 73rd W. Avenue. Matt Blair, who grew up in Berryhill, leads this church. Calvary Baptist is located off 65th W. Avenue on 36th Street South.
