Tulsa, Oklahoma – Oil Capital of the World
Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city steeped in history and resilience, stands as a testament to the ebb and flow of American fortune. Its story is one woven from Native American displacement, the black gold rush, devastating racial violence, and the enduring spirit of Route 66. From its humble beginnings as a Creek settlement to its reign as the "Oil Capital of the World," Tulsa’s narrative is as complex and captivating as the land it occupies.
The city’s roots lie deep within the soil of what was once known as Indian Territory. In 1836, the land that would become Tulsa, Oklahoma was designated as a new home for several Native American tribes who were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands east of the Mississippi River. This tragic relocation, known as the Trail of Tears, saw the Creek, Seminole, Cherokee, Quapaw, Seneca, and Shawnee nations, among others, uprooted and transplanted to this unfamiliar territory.
These tribes, each with their unique culture and traditions, were granted extensive land holdings and tasked with rebuilding their lives in a new environment. They became farmers, trappers, and ranchers, striving to create a semblance of normalcy amidst the pain of displacement. A significant gathering place for these relocated tribes was the Council Oak Tree, situated on the east bank of the Arkansas River. It was here, under the shade of its branches, that the Creek Nation, in particular, began to establish a new settlement.
The settlement was known by two names: Tallahassee, and the Creek word "Tulsy," meaning "old town." For the next quarter-century, the inhabitants of this fledgling community lived a relatively peaceful existence, coexisting with the untamed wilderness and a small number of white settlers.
In 1846, a significant event occurred that would shape the future of Tulsa, Oklahoma: Lewis Perryman, a man of Creek and European descent, established a log cabin trading post near the intersection of what is now 33rd Street and South Rockford Avenue. Perryman’s business thrived in the rugged frontier, serving as a vital hub for trade and commerce. However, the outbreak of the Civil War brought disruption and uncertainty to the region, forcing many residents to flee for safety.
The Civil War proved to be a deeply divisive conflict for the Creek Nation. With the United States military withdrawing its troops from Indian Territory to fight the Confederacy, the tribes were left to grapple with the question of which side to support. Some believed that seeking refuge in Kansas was the best course of action, but as they prepared to evacuate, they were attacked by a combined force of Texas Cavalry and Confederate Indians. The Battle of Round Mountain, fought northwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma, marked the beginning of a series of clashes that would further destabilize the region. Two additional battles, Chustenahlah and Chursto-Talasah, were fought north of Tulsa, resulting in heavy casualties and the displacement of Union-aligned Native Americans to Kansas, near Fort Scott.
Ultimately, the Creek Nation was divided, with approximately 1,575 men enlisting in the Confederate armies and 1,675 men joining the Union forces. The war’s end brought the Creek people back to their homes in the Tulsa area, but the conflict had left an indelible mark on their community. A United States census conducted in 1867 revealed that the Tulsa area had a population of only 264 Creek individuals, a stark reminder of the war’s toll.
In the aftermath of the Civil War, Indian Territory became a haven for outlaws and desperadoes seeking to evade the reach of the law. With no formal white man’s jurisdiction in place, the region descended into lawlessness, disrupting the relative peace that the civilized tribes had managed to establish. Indian Territory became known as a dangerous place where criminals felt emboldened to operate with impunity, terrorizing the local population.
The federal government sought to address this growing problem by appointing Judge Isaac Parker to oversee the federal district court for the Western District of Arkansas, which had jurisdiction over Indian Territory. Judge Parker, stationed at Fort Smith, Arkansas, was determined to restore order and bring justice to the region. His uncompromising enforcement of the law earned him the moniker "The Hanging Judge," as he worked tirelessly to bring criminals to justice and quell the lawlessness that had plagued Tulsa, Oklahoma.
As more and more white settlers began to encroach upon Indian Territory, the government increasingly violated its "permanent" agreements with the Native American tribes. The tribes were compelled to accept new treaties that further restricted their land holdings, paving the way for further settlement and development.
In the fall of 1878, the Post Office Department extended its service from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the Sac and Fox agency in Indian Territory, establishing a post office inside the Perryman Ranch. Shortly thereafter, on March 25, 1879, another post office was officially established near what would later become 41st Street and Trenton Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Josiah Perryman was appointed as the first postmaster, serving the town’s 200 residents.
The influx of white settlers continued unabated, and in 1882, the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad extended its line to Tulsa, primarily to serve the burgeoning cattle business. A stockyard, complete with cattle-loading pens and chutes, was constructed near the tracks, facilitating the shipment of cattle from the Indian Nations and Texas to markets in the North and East.
The arrival of the railroad spurred the development of streets and infrastructure around the tracks. However, because Tulsa, Oklahoma was located within the Creek Nation, it lacked a formal legal government, taxes, public schools, water systems, or street regulations. Tulsa was considered a "wide-open" town, where anything seemed possible.
In the spring of 1883, the post office was relocated from the Perryman ranch to the Perryman store, situated on what would eventually become the southwest corner of First and Main Streets. Later, in December 1885, J.M. Hall succeeded Josiah Perryman as Postmaster, moving the office to the Hall Brothers’ Store on the west side of Main Street, just south of the Frisco tracks.
The year 1889 marked a significant turning point for Indian Territory when the unassigned lands were opened to white settlers. This event triggered a massive influx of people, known as "boomers," who sought to claim land and establish new lives in the region.
By 1895, a Federal Judge of the First United States Court in Indian Territory ruled that Tulsa had the right to incorporate. Tulsa’s business leaders seized the opportunity and promptly began drafting a petition for incorporation. After some deliberation, Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a population of approximately 1,100 residents, was officially incorporated on January 18, 1898.
The transformation of Tulsa from a sleepy cow town to a bustling boomtown began in 1901 with the discovery of oil. A significant oil deposit was found in the nearby Red Fork community, attracting wildcatters and investors from far and wide. These individuals, along with their families, flocked to Tulsa, settling in the city and contributing to its rapid growth. New neighborhoods sprang up on the north side of the Arkansas River, and the town expanded in all directions from its downtown core.
Four years later, in 1905, an even larger oil discovery was made in the vicinity of Glenn Pool. This pivotal moment would usher in Tulsa’s golden age in the 1920s, earning it the coveted title of "Oil Capital of the World." Many of the early oil companies chose Tulsa as their home base, solidifying its position as the epicenter of the oil industry.
By 1920, Tulsa, Oklahoma was home to nearly 100,000 people and boasted more than 400 different oil companies. The thriving city had two daily newspapers, four telegraph companies, over 10,000 telephones, seven banks, 200 attorneys, more than 150 doctors, and a diverse array of other businesses.
Despite the promising outlook of the 1920s, the burgeoning city was soon to experience one of the most horrific and devastating race riots in U.S. history.
The Tulsa Race Riot, a dark chapter in the city’s history, began on May 30, 1921, when Dick Rowland, a young black shoeshine boy, was accused of assaulting Sarah Page, a white elevator operator in the Drexel Building. The details of the incident remain disputed, but the accusations quickly spread throughout the city’s white community, becoming increasingly exaggerated with each retelling.
The following day, Tulsa police arrested Rowland and initiated an investigation. The Tulsa Tribune published a story alleging that Rowland had attacked Page, and an editorial suggested that a lynching was being planned for that evening. Fueled by racial prejudice and the pervasive influence of the Ku Klux Klan, a white mob gathered around the courthouse, intent on taking Rowland into their own hands.
In an effort to prevent a lynching, the sheriff and his deputies barricaded the top floor of the courthouse to protect Rowland. A group of armed black men also converged on the courthouse to offer their support and defend Rowland. A confrontation ensued when a white man attempted to disarm one of the black men, resulting in a scuffle and the white man’s death. This incident ignited a full-scale riot.
Outnumbered, the black men retreated to the Greenwood Avenue business district, a thriving area known as "Black Wall Street" due to its economic prosperity. White rioters, fueled by hatred and a desire to destroy black wealth, looted and burned black-owned businesses and homes in the early morning hours of the next day.
When the violence finally subsided, after twenty-four hours, 35 city blocks lay in charred ruins. Over 800 people were treated for injuries, and almost 1,400 homes were destroyed. The losses of businesses included two theaters, three hotels, more than a dozen restaurants, several churches, and a hospital. Estimates of the death toll range up to 300.
Martial law was declared, and National Guard troops arrived in Tulsa, rounding up more than 6,000 black people and placing them in internment centers such as the baseball stadium, the Convention Hall, and the Fairgrounds. Although the violence had ceased by the following day, many of those interned were held for up to eight days.
In the wake of this tragedy, dozens of black families left Tulsa, Oklahoma, seeking refuge in more peaceful cities. Only a single block of the original buildings remains in the Greenwood district today, a somber reminder of the devastating events of 1921.
Despite the horrors of the race riot, Tulsa continued to grow as new oil fields were discovered. The arrival of automobiles led to the replacement of mud-filled streets with brick, and electric trolleys extended their lines as neighborhoods developed further from the downtown area.
One of Tulsa’s most pressing challenges was the lack of a reliable water supply. This issue was addressed with the construction of the Spavinaw Dam, which began in 1922. The dam and Lake Spavinaw State Park continue to provide water to the Tulsa area today, as well as recreational opportunities for boating, fishing, picnicking, and camping.
Tulsa played a pivotal role in the creation of America’s Mother Road, Route 66. Entrepreneurs Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and John Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri, conceived the idea of linking Chicago to Los Angeles with a new highway. Their lobbying efforts led to the federal government’s commitment to connect small towns with metropolitan capitals, designating the road as U.S. Highway 66 in the summer of 1926.
Aviation also became an important part of Tulsa’s economy, with the establishment of a municipal airport and the Spartan Aircraft Company in 1928. The discovery of the Oklahoma City Oil Field in that same year added to the region’s abundant petroleum supply, overwhelming demand during the early years of the Great Depression.
The Depression brought growth in Tulsa to a near standstill, halting construction projects and progress on Route 66. However, in 1933, thousands of unemployed men were put back to work, paving the final stretches of the Mother Road. By the mid-1930s, construction had picked up, and small houses were being built on the edge of the city limits. Streetcar lines were gradually replaced by automobiles and bus lines.
By 1938, Route 66 was continuously paved from Chicago to Los Angeles, and Tulsa witnessed the emergence of numerous cafes, service stations, and motels along the iconic highway.
During World War II, Tulsa’s oil industries were converted to defense purposes, leading to another period of growth for the city. Aviation industries adapted their factories to support the war effort, and defense workers poured into Tulsa.
After World War II, the rise of offshore drilling operations impacted the petroleum industry in Tulsa. However, the aircraft and aerospace industry began to thrive, and today, there are more than 300 aviation-related companies in the city.
On April 13, 1949, Tulsa hosted a grand premiere for the movie "Tulsa," which was filmed in and named after the city. The celebration included a parade that drew over 100,000 people and featured actors Susan Hayward, Robert Preston, and Chill Wills.
In 1970, Tulsa gained another means of transportation with the opening of the Port of Catoosa, which connected the city to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The Tulsa Port of Catoosa is now one of the largest inland ports on the Mississippi River system in the United States.
Today, Tulsa is the second-largest city in Oklahoma, with a population of nearly 400,000. Remnants of its Native American heritage, oil boom days, and Route 66 icons can still be found throughout the modern city.
Along the old route, travelers can find remnants of old motels on 10th, 11th, and Southwest Boulevard. The downtown area features many Art Deco buildings, including the Warehouse Market, built in 1929. The Art Deco 11th Street Bridge and the "East Meets West" statue are also notable landmarks. The first oil well in Tulsa County is located behind Ollie’s Restaurant at 4070 Southwest Boulevard.
Route 66 departs Tulsa just south of the I-44 turnpike along Southwest Boulevard. Between Tulsa and Depew, the old highway winds back and forth along I-44, passing by small towns, abandoned motor courts, and old cafes, many of which were built of native stone.