History of Tulsa, Oklahoma facts for kids

Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma. It is also the 45th-most populated city in the United States.

The Creek Native American tribe, specifically the Lochapoka Band, first settled Tulsa between 1828 and 1836. For most of the 1900s, Tulsa was known as the "Oil Capital of the World." It was a very important center for the American oil industry.

Early Days: Indian Territory (1830-1882)

Indian Territory, Eastern part of present-day Oklahoma.

The area that became Tulsa was once part of Indian Territory. This land was set aside for Native American tribes. These tribes, known as the Five Civilized Tribes (the Choctaw, Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw, and Seminole), were forced to move here. This happened after the Indian Removal Act of 1830. They had to give up their lands east of the Mississippi River to the U.S. government.

Each large tribe received a lot of land. They formed their own governments. Tribal members started new lives as farmers, trappers, and ranchers. Many of these Native Americans came from the Southern states. During the Civil War, most of them supported the Confederacy. This was partly because slavery was common among the Five Civilized Tribes. Today, most of Tulsa is in what was the Creek Nation. Parts are also in the Cherokee Nation and Osage Nation.

The Creek Council Oak Tree in 2012.

The Lochapoka band of the Creek tribe first settled the area now called Tulsa. They arrived between 1828 and 1836. They had been forced to leave their home in Alabama. The Lochapokas made a new home near what is now Cheyenne Avenue and 18th Street. Under a large burr oak tree, now called the Creek Council Oak Tree, they relit their special fire. The Lochapoka called their new home "Tulasi," which means "old town" in their language. This is the same word that gives Tallahassee, Florida its name. The Lochapoka used this spot for ceremonies and gatherings until 1896. The area around the tree became the "Creek Nation Council Oak Park" in 1929.

In 1832, the famous American writer Washington Irving visited the area. He wrote about it in his book A Tour on the Prairies. Irving camped near the Arkansas River, a few miles south of present-day Tulsa. This area is now in the suburb of Bixby. Washington Irving Park is located near this spot.

In 1846, Lewis Perryman built a log cabin trading post. It was near what is now 33rd Street and South Rockford Avenue. Perryman, who was part Creek, built his business in this wild area. After the Civil War, the area grew. In 1879, the first post office opened. It was on a ranch owned by Josiah Chouteau Perryman, Lewis's son. Josiah became Tulsa's first postmaster. The post office was first in a log cabin. Later, it moved to the George Perryman ranch house. By this time, the area was known as 'Tulsey Town.' It had become a trading post and a cattle town.

Sylvester Morris House

A Methodist minister, Rev. Sylvester Morris, built a house in the early 1880s. This house is now in Tulsa's Owen Park. It was originally on North Cheyenne Street. Morris served as a minister from 1836 until 1907. This is the oldest house still standing in Tulsa.

The Railroad Arrives (1882-1901)

In August 1882, Tulsa had about 200 people. The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad extended its line to Tulsa. This railroad later became part of the Frisco (St. Louis and San Francisco Railway). The railroad came to serve the cattle business, which was Tulsa's first major industry.

Josiah Perryman and his partner, Has Reede, opened a store at First and Main. Perryman moved the post office to this store. This gave the community better mail service. He was postmaster until 1885. Josiah died in 1889.

James M. & Harry C. Hall Store

The Hall brothers, James M. and Harry C., chose where the railroad would stop. They first picked a spot where the railroad crossed what would become Lewis Avenue. They set up a tent for their store there. This spot was just inside the Cherokee Nation. The Halls then learned that the Creek Nation had fewer rules for white merchants. So, they moved their store a few miles west. This became First Street. They built a more lasting wooden building. James M. Hall is often called the 'Father of Tulsa.' He marked off Tulsa's first streets. He built its first permanent store. He also helped start its first church, school, and government.

The Presbyterian Church started the Presbyterian Mission Day School in 1884. It was a one-story building at what became 4th Street and Boston Avenue. A second story was soon added for more children. This school ran until 1889. In 1898, Tulsa became an official city. The new city government took over the school. It became Tulsa's first public school. James M. Hall and three other men bought the property with their own money. They held the title until the city could pay them back.

During the 1800s, Native American tribes had to accept many treaties. These treaties made their lands smaller. They also brought new tribes into Indian Territory. White settlers kept moving in. In 1892, the land was officially opened. All tribal members had to accept their own pieces of land. By 1898, Tulsa had 1,100 people. The city of Tulsa officially became a city in 1899. The 1900 U.S. census reported 1,390 people living there.

Tulsa's first newspaper, the Indian Republican, started in 1893. It was renamed Tulsa World in 1905. Eugene Lorton bought the paper in 1913. The Lorton family has owned it ever since.

The first telephone system in Tulsa began in 1899. Robert H. Hall connected 80 people. In 1903, he sold his system to the Indian Territory Telephone Company. This company was based in Vinita, Oklahoma. Pioneer Telephone and Telegraph Company bought it in 1904. They became the only telephone provider in Tulsa.

In 1900, Rev. C. W. Kerr arrived in Tulsa. He was the first permanent Christian minister. He started the First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa. He stayed as its main minister until he retired in 1941. He also helped Tulsa grow a lot.

The Oil Boom (1901-1907)

Tulsa quickly changed from a small frontier town to a boomtown. This happened when oil was discovered in 1901. The oil was found at Red Fork, a small town southwest of Tulsa. It was on the other side of the Arkansas River. Oil explorers and investors rushed into Tulsa. The town began to grow rapidly. In 1901, the city hired Dan Patton and his brother Gus to survey the land and plan the streets. New neighborhoods were built across the Arkansas River from the oil drilling sites. They started spreading out from downtown Tulsa.

A smallpox sickness hit Tulsa in 1900. Most homes were too small to keep sick people separate. So, Dr. Fred S. Clinton, a skilled surgeon, opened the area's first hospital. It was in a four-room cottage near Archer and Greenwood. After the sickness passed, this hospital closed. Tulsa's next hospital opened in 1906. It was in a large, unfinished wooden building at Fifth and Lawton. A nursing school opened there, and its first students graduated in 1908.

Tulsa had some natural springs nearby. But it was clear they would not be enough for a large city. So, Tulsa built a pumping plant in 1904. It brought water from the Arkansas River to a tall standpipe on a hill north of downtown. This hill became known as Standpipe Hill. Water then flowed by gravity to homes in town. However, this water source was not good. The water had a lot of silt, salt, and gypsum. Filters could remove dirt, but not the dissolved salts. There was no way to make the taste or look better. Wells also did not work well. Their water was either hard and salty, or they dried up quickly. Because of this, most people in Tulsa bought drinking water in large containers.

In 1905, the Glenn Pool oil field was found. This discovery brought so much crude oil that Tulsa needed to build storage tanks for the extra oil and gas. Later, pipelines were built. This also helped Tulsa become a leader in many oil and gas businesses. It became the main center of the growing petroleum industry. Glenn Pool helped make Oklahoma one of the top petroleum producing areas in the United States. Many early oil companies chose Tulsa as their main office.

Tulsa built its first two public schools in 1905. More schools started being built quickly in 1906. In December 1907, the Tulsa Board of Education took control of the public schools from the city government. Tulsa High School' opened in 1906. It was on the same block where the old Presbyterian mission school had been. The new school was a three-story brick building with a dome. The school was approved by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges in 1913.

Oklahoma Becomes a State (1907-1915)

A 1909 panoramic view of Tulsa

Kendall College, a Presbyterian school, moved to Tulsa from Muskogee in 1907. This school later became the University of Tulsa. It was the start of higher education in Tulsa.

By the time Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Tulsa had 7,298 people.

By the 1910 U.S. census, Tulsa's population had grown to 18,182.

The first oil refinery in Tulsa was built by Texaco. It started working in 1910 in West Tulsa. This was across the Arkansas River from Tulsa. Texaco ran the plant until 1983. Then, it was sold to Sinclair Oil Company. When it was sold, the refinery could process 50,000 barrels of oil each day.

A second refinery was built in West Tulsa in 1913. It was two miles (3 km) upstream on the Arkansas River. Joshua Cosden built it. He also started the Cosden Petroleum Company. This refinery later operated as Sunray D-X and Sunoco. Holly Corporation bought both the former Texaco and Sunoco refineries in 2009. They announced they would run both as one refinery.

Downtown Tulsa, looking east on 2nd Street from Main Street, 1908.

Tall buildings started appearing downtown during this time. The Tulsa Hotel and the Brady Hotel annex were both built around 1910. The 16-story Cosden Building was built in 1918. It is considered Tulsa's first skyscraper. Mid Continent Oil Company later bought it. They built another tower next to it, connected to the old one. This is now called the Mid-Continent Tower.

In 1917, the Federal Building was built. It held both the main post office and courtrooms. The building was made much bigger in 1933. It covered the west side of Boulder Avenue between Second and Third Streets.

The Second Oil Boom (1915-1930)

By 1920, Tulsa's population exploded to over 72,000 people. Many new residents came from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. The second big wave of oil discoveries happened between 1915 and 1930. This firmly made Tulsa the "Oil Capital of the World." Rich oilmen like Waite Phillips, William G. Skelly, and J. Paul Getty built grand homes and modern company headquarters. The popular Art Deco style of architecture during this time led to many beautiful buildings. Cultural groups like a Symphony, Ballet, and Opera Companies were started. Theatre Tulsa, the oldest community theater west of the Mississippi River, was also founded. In 1932, Waite Phillips gave his amazing Italian-style mansion, "Philbrook", to the city of Tulsa. It became an art museum.

The Roaring Twenties (1920-1930)

Another community that grew in Tulsa during the early oil booms was Greenwood. It was the largest and richest African American community in Oklahoma. It was known across the country as "Black Wall Street." The neighborhood was a lively place for jazz and blues music in the 1920s. The music scene in Greenwood was so exciting that it's said Count Basie heard a dance band there in 1927. He then decided to focus on jazz music.

The Tulsa Race Massacre (1921)

The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 was one of the worst acts of racial violence in the nation's history. It happened from May 31 to June 1, 1921. During 16 hours of rioting by white people, more than 39 people were officially reported killed. Over 800 people were treated at hospitals for injuries. An estimated 10,000 people lost their homes. 35 city blocks, including 1,256 homes, were burned down. The damage was about $1.8 million, which would be nearly $17 million today.

There are reports that the state government sent the National Guard. They used government planes and soldiers to attack fleeing Black people in the Tulsa Greenwood community. This attack killed up to 75 people and destroyed over 1,100 homes. The riot mostly happened in the segregated Greenwood neighborhood. It wiped out almost all the success that Black Wall Street had achieved. However, the neighborhood rebuilt within a few years and thrived until the 1960s.

Tulsa's Water Supply (Spavinaw Water Project)

Tulsa built a pumping plant in 1904 to get water from the Arkansas River. But this water was not good for homes. It had a lot of dirt, salt, and gypsum. Wells also did not work well. Their water was either hard and salty, or they dried up quickly.

The Spavinaw Dam was finished in 1924. It is near the town of Spavinaw, Oklahoma, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Tulsa. This dam created Lake Spavinaw. The lake was fed by Spavinaw Creek, a constant stream that drained 400 square miles (1,000 km2) of Ozark Mountain land. In 1922, a pipeline began to bring this water to Lake Yahola in Tulsa's Mohawk Park. On June 23, 1923, the Arkansas River flooded the city's waterworks. This flood caused the city to move the waterworks to Mohawk Park. The pipeline started working in 1924. It was the longest such pipeline in the U.S. at that time. Five years later, the city finished the Mohawk Water Treating Plant. This has been Tulsa's main source of drinking water ever since. Tulsa built a second pipeline in 1954, doubling the water capacity.

In 1952, Lake Eucha was created by finishing the Eucha dam. This lake stores more water and helps control the flow for Lake Spavinaw. W. R. Holway is known for designing and building both projects.

City Growth in the 1920s

Tulsa added the community of Red Fork across the Arkansas River in 1927. In 1928, Tulsa added the community of Carbondale. Both are now considered neighborhoods in West Tulsa.

The Great Depression (1930-1940)

In 1930, Tulsa's population was over 140,000 people. This was about double the number from the 1920 census. Some important projects from earlier years continued. The Tulsa Union Depot, finished in 1931, brought all passenger train traffic to one place. Passenger service stopped in 1967. The building was empty for 14 years. In 1982, it was turned into offices.

The Philcade Building, ordered by Waite Phillips, was finished in 1931. It was the last tall Art Deco office building built downtown. For many years, the Philcade was also called the Stanolind Building or the BP Building. A new terminal building was completed for the Tulsa Municipal Airport in 1932.

The Great Depression slowed down Tulsa's population growth. The population barely changed between the 1930 and 1940 censuses. However, Tulsa's economy was not hit as hard as much of the rest of the Midwest.

"America's Most Beautiful City" (1940-2007)

Tulsa added the town of Dawson on July 7, 1949. This added 3,500 residents and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) to the city.

For most people in Tulsa, the mid-1900s was a time of continued success. The money from the early oil industry also helped Tulsa become a leader in the aviation industry. During World War II, the Spartan School of Aeronautics trained hundreds of Allied pilots. In 1942, Douglas Aircraft built its very long Air Force Plant No. 3 to build bombers. After the war, Tulsa became an important maintenance center for American Airlines. Many other aviation businesses also grew there.

A city plan led to many parks, oil mansions, beautiful churches, museums, and rose gardens. This caused Tulsa to be called "America's Most Beautiful City" in the 1950s.

In 1957, a brand new 1957 Plymouth Belvedere car was buried underground. It was nicknamed Miss Belvedere. It was placed in a concrete tomb to celebrate Oklahoma's 50th anniversary. A plaque said the car would be dug up in 2007 for Oklahoma's 100th anniversary. A time capsule was also buried with the car. It held items like an American flag and city announcements. When the car was dug up in 2007, the concrete tomb had leaked. The car's engine had become a pile of rust. But the time capsule was still safe. In 2015, it was announced that the rust had been removed from Miss Belvedere. She would be shown at the Historic Auto Attractions Museum in Roscoe, Illinois.

During the 1950s, Tulsa added 25.80 square miles (66.8 km2) to its area. This increased its total size to 49.93 square miles (129.3 km2). One area added was Highland Park, a square-mile suburb, in 1956.

City Changes (1960-1980)

Tulsa was the first major Oklahoma city to start an urban renewal program. The Tulsa Urban Renewal Authority was formed in July 1959. Its first project was the Seminole Hills Project, a public housing facility. It started in 1961 and finished in 1968. The Tulsa Urban Renewal Authority was renamed the Tulsa Development Authority (TDA) in 1976. TDA buys old or unwanted properties in special urban renewal areas. This helps encourage new and better building. The Mayor appoints members to the TDA Board. The City Council confirms them. City staff employees support the board. As a public trust, TDA can use the right of eminent domain (taking private property for public use).

One of the first big urban renewal projects was the Williams Center. The most famous part of this project is the BOK Tower. This project required clearing several blocks in downtown Tulsa. Many of the city's oldest buildings were torn down. In total, nine city blocks were cleared. Important historic buildings lost included the Daniel Building, Hotel Tulsa, the old Grand Opera House, and Tulsa's first bank building. The only building from before 1910 still standing downtown is the Pierce Block at Third and Detroit.

Building the Tulsa Civic Center also meant tearing down many downtown properties. The city bought six square blocks. It started developing this area over time. It began with the new Tulsa County Court House.

Oil Bust and Recovery (1982-Present)

Tulsa's skyline from Central Park in 2008.

Downtown Tulsa with the Mid-Continent Tower in the middle, behind the Philtower Building.

After the "Oil Bust" of 1982-84, Tulsa gave up its title of "Oil Capital of the World" to Houston. City leaders worked to make the city's economy more diverse. They wanted it to rely less on oil. They brought blue collar factory jobs to Tulsa in the 1990s. They also brought Internet and telecommunications companies. They improved the already important aviation industry. During this time, customer service and reservations call centers became a big part of the local economy. Oil is still important, and a lot of natural gas also helped with recovery.

Centennial Time Capsule

In 1998, Tulsa celebrated its first 100 years as a city. The city sealed a Plymouth Prowler car in a time capsule. It was buried in Centennial Park (formerly Central Park) at 6th Street and Peoria Avenue. The city plans to open it in 2048. This time, the car was put in a special plastic box. This box was then placed in an above-ground concrete vault. The Rotary Club added other items to the time capsule.

21st Century Developments

In the early 2000s, Tulsa's economy, like the national economy, faced another downturn and job losses. However, recovery began as early as 2004. By 2006, the total number of jobs in Tulsa was higher than before the downturn. Housing prices were relatively low, which helped Tulsa remain an attractive place for businesses to grow.

City leaders worked to pass the "Vision 2025" program in 2003. Its goal was to improve and refresh Tulsa's infrastructure. The main project of Vision 2025 was building the BOK Center downtown. This multi-purpose arena was designed by famous architect Cesar Pelli. It is home to the city's minor league hockey team. It also hosts major concerts and conventions. Construction began in 2005 and the building was finished in 2009.

In June 2007, the City of Tulsa officially agreed to support a plan for River development. This plan was made by the Indian Nations Council of Government (INCOG). The plan calls for more low-water dams to keep water in the river. It also includes improving recreation areas and pedestrian crossings. It aims to make the river bank and nearby shopping areas easier to reach. The plan also includes making existing buildings look better. It adds more shops and food vendors within the River Parks. There will be more mixed-use buildings on the west bank of the river. Trails, lighting, and signs will also be updated.

In 2014, construction began on "A Gathering Place for Tulsa." This is a major expansion and renovation of the Tulsa River Parks area. It is near 31st Street and Riverside Parkway. Phase I covers 66.5 acres and was finished in 2017. The Gathering Place is a project of the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The total cost is estimated at $350 Million. It is paid for by private and company donations, including $200 Million from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The Kaiser Family Foundation also paid for and runs the Guthrie Green. This is an urban park and entertainment space in the Brady Arts District. It is between Brady & Cameron and Boston Avenue & MLK Blvd. Guthrie Green hosts many free events, concerts, movies, and fitness classes for the public. Guthrie Green opened with a three-day festival starting September 7, 2012. The Green is near the Woody Guthrie Center. This museum focuses on the Oklahoma native and the power of creativity. It is also near the Philbrook Museum's downtown location. This location shows the museum's modern and Native American art. The University of Tulsa's Henry Zarrow Center for Art & Education is also nearby. All three opened in 2013. They are all in the renovated former Tulsa Paper Co. Building, built in 1922.

Images for kids

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  First Tulsa post office (1879), located on Perryman ranch

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  T. J. Archer General Store on First Street, 1893

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  Tulsa High School - first high school, built in 1905 and replaced by Central High School in 1917.

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  Map of Tulsa in 1920