Friday, March 6, 2009

Tulsa Time Line

Just a few key events in the history of Tulsa.

1830
Indian Removal Act forces Native Americans from their homes East of the Mississippi.
1836
Lockapoka Creek Indians settle near Council Oak Tree.
1848
Lewis Perryman opens first trading post.
1879
First post office establishes the name of Tulsa
1882
St. Louis & San Francisco railroads come to Tulsa.
1889
Oklahoma Land Run
1898
Dawes Commission establishes allotment system of Native American land ownership.
1898
City of Tulsa Incorporated
1901
Discovery of Oil at Red Fork
1904
Tulsa builds first bridge over Arkansas River.
1905
Glennpool oil field discovered.
1908
Commercial Area of Greenwood established.
1914
Brady Theatre built
1921
Tulsa Race Riot
1924
Spavinaw Water System established
1928
Tulsa Municipal Airport built.
1932
21st Street Bridge completed by WPA.
1937
American Airlines service comes to Tulsa.
1938
Waite Phillips donates Philbrook to City
1841
Tulsa awarded Douglas Bomber Plant
1955
Gilcrease Museum Collection acquired by City of Tulsa
1956
Tulsa Ballet founded.
1966
Exposition Center built at Fairgrounds – Tulsa Driller
1970
Tulsa Port of Catoosa Opens
1980s
Oil Bust
1989
Mayor/Council system of Government replaces city commission
2003
Vision 2025 Passes

Favorite Books about Tulsa History

One of our members from the Library prepared this great bibliography about Tulsa history resources if you want to learn more after our Tour of Tulsa.

Suggested Readings In Tulsa Area History
This pathfinder provides an overview of public library resources currently available on the subject of Tulsa Area History. All of these selections should be for checkout.


CIRCULATING MATERIAL

Oklahoma: Footloose and Fancy Free, Angie Debo, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 917.66 D35 1949

Tulsa, A Guide To The Oil Capital, Compiled by workers of the Federal writers' project of the Works progress administration in the state of Oklahoma. Sponsored by the Tulsa Federation of Women's Clubs. Federal Writers' Project (Okla.), 917.662 F31 1938.

Oklahoma Memories, Anne Hodges Morgan and Rennard Strickland, editors. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 976.6 O416 1981.

Five Frontiers in Oklahoma, James M. Smallwood & Joseph A. Stout, Jr. Tulsa: Utica National Bank and Trust Co., 976.6 S635f 1978.

A Time Of Decision: The Indian Territory In The First Year Of The Civil War, August, 1861 Through Early 1862, O'Brien, William M., Jenks, OK. 976.65 O13t 1997.

Images of Oklahoma: A Pictorial History, Bob L. Blackburn. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Historical Society, 976.600222 B562i 1984.

Tulsa 75: A History of Tulsa: Commissioned By Mayor Robert J. LaFortune, Butler, William James. Tulsa, Okla.: Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, 976.686 B97 1974.

Tulsa: From Creek Town to Oil Capital, Angie Debo. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 976.686 D35 1985.

Tulsa: Where The Streets Were Paved With Gold, Clyda R. Franks. Chicago, IL: Arcadia, 976.686 F855t 2000.

Tulsa!: Biography of the American City, Danney Goble. Tulsa, OK: Council Oak Books, 976.686 G538t 1997.

Tulsa: The Great American City, John Hamill; corporate profiles by Chris Metcalf and Barrett Waller; photography by Don Wheeler. Montgomery, Ala.: Community Communications, 976.686 H18t 2000.

The Oklahoma Story, Arrell M. Gibson. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. 976.6 G621o 1978.

Way Down Yonder In The Indian Nation: Writings From America’s Heartland, Michael Wallis. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 976.6 W158w 1997.


DIGITIZED COLLECTIONS

The Beryl Ford Tulsa History Collection
This is the photographic portion of a larger and more diverse collection. With the cooperation of The Rotary Club of Tulsa and the Tulsa City-County Library System, these images are being made available to the public. What is seen at present is only a portion of the total photographic collection. The remainder will be digitized and mounted over time. www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC

The Junior League Oral History Project (1978)
This project was initiated so as to capture first person interviews with many early Tulsans. This collection is in a CD format and the detailed inventory of the interviews is available here as well. opac.tulsalibrary.org/search/t?SEARCH=historical+preservation+project

The (1921) Tulsa Race Riot Photographs
These digital images are a compilation of various sources including the Tulsa Race Riot Photographs, the Maxine Wiandt Photographs (courtesy of Al Brophy) and the Francis Schmidt Photographs. These photographs are meant to provide a basic understanding of the events that took place during and after the Tulsa Race Riot. The collection is housed at the University of Tulsa. www.lib.utulsa.edu/Speccoll/collections/RaceRiot/tulsa_race_riot.htm

The Chronicles of Oklahoma Index
In cooperation with the Oklahoma Historical Society, the Electronic Publishing Center digitized the first twenty volumes of this collection, which details and highlights the rich history of Oklahoma. Available full-text online are Volumes 1-20, 1921-1942. digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/index.html

ONLINE RESOURCES

Tulsa Area History
The mission of the Tulsa Area History website is to provide access to accurate, comprehensive, and meaningful historical information for Tulsa County communities and the surrounding area. Tulsa City-County Library. www.tulsalibrary.org/tulsahistory