Tulsa County County Seat - Tulsa
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HISTORY
Some links to get some different views about Tulsa History

A Chronological history of Tulsa, 1836-1950
The efforts of Lori Beckett POWNALL are greatly appreciated for acquiring the information and setting up this History Page of Tulsa County.

1836- The first settlers, a band of Creek Indians known as the Lachapokas, ended their forced march from Alabama under the Council Oak Tree. A ceremonial fire was lit to mark the beginning of a new life in Indian Territory.
1879- George Perryman's ranch house, located at 38th & Trenton Avenue, is pressed into service as the area's first post office and officially given the name Tulsa. Josiah Choteau Perryman, George's brother, was the first postmaster.
1882- Arrival of the founder of Tulsa, H. C. Hall. Tulsa's first buildings were erected, a roundhouse, a depot & a section house. A store, a hotel and a residence went up later that same year, along with a coal mine, a barber shop, and a cemetery. They even acquired a doctor.
1883- The first water well was dug and the Arkansas River Railway Bridge was built. The first man to be killed in Tulsa was killed this year.
1884- Tulsa's first school was organized and its first school teacher turned out to be a professional gambler. The first Fourth of July celebration was held. The first blacksmith shop was opened by Ed Crowell.
1885- Tulsa had it's first organized church, a Presbyterian. It's first minister, Rev. William Penn Haworth only lasted three years. In 1888, the day after a fiery sermon on the evils of alcohol, he was mugged and left unconscious. He resigned and moved to California.
1887- Tulsa's second sanctuary was the first Methodist Episcopal Church to be dedicated in Indian Territory. The Rev. George Mowbray, who would later serve as Tulsa's undertaker and mayor, was the first permanent preacher.
1889- Tulsa's first Missionary Society was formed.
1890- Tulsa's first Roman Catholic church is organized, but services initially are held in homes of parishioners.
1893- Tulsa built a mill and an ice plant. A Masonic Lodge was organized this year.
1894- Tulsa's first two-story stone building was completed by Robert E. Lynch. The stone used was quarried in Dawson, now a part of north Tulsa.
1895- Tulsa's first bank, Tulsa Banking Co. opened. It would later be known as First National Bank & Trust.
1897- Fire destroys half of downtown six weeks before the city was incorporated. The blaze consumed Tulsa's first three masonry buildings and 12 wooden structures.
1898- Tulsa becomes an incorporated city on January 18. Tulsa elects it's first mayor, Col. Edward Calkins.
1901- Oil discovered at Red Fork. Tulsa's first oil well, the Sue Bland No. 1, was completed on June 25 by Drs. J.C.W. Bland & Fred S. Clinton.
1902- In 1902 city workers paved First and Second streets with brick. Although there were ten such avenues by 1904, 1904- Citizen's Gas Company was founded. Bank of Commerce founded by J.H. McBirney, a bookkeeper from Tipperary Co. Ireland.
1905- Oil discovered in Glen Pool on November 22 by Robert Galbreath & Frank Chesley. The well, named the Ida E. Glenn No. 1, began the great growth of the oil industry in the City of Tulsa & the State of Oklahoma.
1906- Tulsa's first hospital is opened by Dr. Fred S. Clinton. The building, originally built as a 19-room private home was located at Fifth Street and Lawton Avenue. Tulsa's first fire station opens at 211 W. Second St. It also served as city hall and the police station, complete with a jail in the basement. 
1907- Tulsa's population is 13,080; 
March-an influx of gamblers hit the new oil capital; 
September- Henry Kendall College came to Tulsa from Muskogee. Today, it's known as the University of Tulsa.
Paving of streets started.
1908- January-Orcutt Lake Park(now Swan Lake) built. It was the first in-town playground and included facilities for swimming, boating, picnicking and dancing. 
February- Fire at Katy Station. 
December- Oklahoma went entirely dry, abolishing alcoholic beverages even for medicinal purposes.
1909- Tulsa now has 12 more churches and eight public schools.
August- Sixth convention of Oklahoma State Federation of Labor held. 130 delegates attend largest meeting in history to discuss women's suffrage and state owned public utilities.
1911- Orcutt Park provided thrill seeking Tulsans with their first roller coaster. 
February- There are 27 bridges under construction. 
March- "Unallocated Indian lands " to be sold. 
July- An epidemic of typhoid fever crippled the city. 
November- Diphtheria closed the public schools for a week.
1912- April- Largest voter turnout in city officers election. Socialists force a second election. 
July- Sand Springs Interurban Line wrecks, injuring 30 persons. 
December- 280 cases of whiskey and 40 barrels of beer were confiscated by Tulsa police from railroad stations and the Oklahoma State Bank Building at Main and Archer.
1914- Tulsa Philharmonic society was organized. 
August- It was announced that Tulsa and Kendall communities would be combined.
November- Tulsa Symphony Orchestra was founded.
1915- Tulsa's population was 28,240. 
August- Tulsa's first motion picture company was founded.
1916- February- The Sand Springs zoo burned. 
June- Tulsa's first World War I military unit was organized.
1917- Tulsa felt the war with a food shortage. 
November- War price controls went into effect & wheat less Wednesdays were common. Central High School opened.
1918- Summer- Lightless Mondays & Tuesdays during the war. 
September- Reunion of Civil War soldiers held. 
Fall- Spanish influenza epidemic.
1920- September- The Spavinaw Water project began. 
October- The Grand Opera House burned.
1921- June- The Tulsa Race Riot occurred
1922- Beginning of Tulsa's Little Theater. Holland Hall opens in September.
1923- Frank M. Boyer called for the division of Oklahoma into two states.
August- The Arkansas river flooded.
1925- March- The University of Tulsa Law School was official. 
December- St. John's Hospital was nearing completion.
1927- April- Ground was broken for Hillcrest Hospital.
1928- Crystal City amusement park was built.
(Amended by Tulsa Assoc. of Pioneers)
1930- January- A plan to make Sand Springs a part of Tulsa is started. Temperatures fall to 16 below and doctors warn Tulsans of the dangers of frozen toes and fingers.
1931- September- a railroad-airline interchange was set up at the intersection of Sheridan Road & the Frisco tracks near Dawson.
1932- February- A Tulsa police detective was wounded in a machine gun battle with Pretty Boy Floyd on Peoria Avenue near Apache.
1933- December- Tulsa had a professional football team.
1934- July- there was a severe drought and a dust storm.
1936- The average summer temperature was 105.3. The Arkansas River caught fire due to a lot of drift wood and no water.
1937- July-American Airlines expanded service to Tulsa.
1938- January- Largest dust storm in years hits Tulsa.
1939- May- National Guard troops evacuated military installation in West Tulsa, established there following earlier violent labor dispute.
1941- January- Tulsa was awarded a huge Douglas bomber plant.
1942- November- Tulsa County farmers threatened a strike unless gas rationing was relieved; National Defense Department okayed increase in farm gas consumption.
1944- December- Due to war debts, rising costs & little revenue, Tulsa Commission warned the public of the city's impending bankruptcy.
1945- May- War department ordered Douglas Aircraft to stop manufacturing army planes; 2,500 Tulsans out of work.
1947- Tulsans organized the Society of Mayflower descendants.
1949- July- Town of Dawson annexed by Tulsa.
1950- July- Tulsa units of the 4th division and members of Company B, 20th Marine reserve Battalion were ordered to active duty; 36 were drafted into the Korean war conflict.

This page was last updated on 01/16/10
 

 

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