Tulsa Historical Society

Tulsa History Museum to OPEN Spring 2005
“19th Century Tulsa: Purchase to Pioneers” opens at the Tulsa Historical Society Museum in the spring of 2005. Artifacts, photographs, and supporting material will be showcased. Displays in the Exhibit Hall will cover the period 1803 to early 1898.

The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 more than doubled the size of the United States. This purchase was negotiated between President Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte of France and included what was to become Oklahoma. Tulsa incorporated in January 1898.

The premier exhibition will tell the story of the area now known as Tulsa. It will convey information relating to white exploration of eastern Oklahoma and the Indians who roamed therein. The display will also feature the U.S. establishment of Indian Territory and the Native American migration into the state. Additional components include the start of a thriving cattle industry and the settlement of both Indian and white people along the banks of the Arkansas River. These settlers would make Tulsa their home and eventually a city. The stories of Tulsa’s railroad, gunslingers, and faith communities will be portrayed.

Plans call for the Early Tulsa exhibit to be replaced in 2006 by a Centennial Exhibition to cover Tulsa’s incorporation in 1898 through the first oil strike in 1901 and the strike at Glenn Pool in 1905 and on to statehood in 1907.

The Glenn Pool strike changed the region forever, establishing Tulsa as the Oil Capital of the World and setting the stage for statehood.

Message from Sharon King Davis, President

2005 shapes up as a wonderful year for the Society, for Tulsa, and for Oklahoma. Tulsa’s participation in the state Centennial the last few months showed me how much Tulsans care about their history and heritage. First of all, I’m delighted that the Society effort to finish construction of the Tulsa History Museum by the renovation of the Travis Mansion interior is high on the Centennial list. That, along with the implementation of the Five Moons statuary project, makes the Society one of the key Centennial players. But there were dozens of ideas and proposals made, all aimed at showing Tulsa’s place in the history of Oklahoma’s first hundred years. From parks to memorials to fountains to assistance with larger projects such as the Botanical Garden, the spirit of Tulsa shined through. It would have been wonderful if all the projects proposed could have been set up for funding, but even those that weren’t showed the enthusiasm and the creativity and the love Tulsans have for their community. It’s going to pay off well before November of 2006, when the state observance of the Centennial begins here in Tulsa. It’s a work in progress, but it’s work that will show Oklahoma and the world the special place we call Tulsa, and home.

The temptation is to look both ways at year’s end, to see how it’s been and how it might be. The remarkable thing about the Society is that it can be anything the community wants, because right now the potential is wide open. It will be a history museum, surely. It will be a research and education resource open to all. But it should also be a meeting place, a center of activity to develop initiatives and public and private partnerships to continue to build our community. The Society remains focused in the short term on completing construction and establishing a museum. The longer view promises much more, the creation of an institution that can tell us who we were, remind us of who we are, and inspire us to rise to all we might be.

Tulsa’s first music club, the Hyechka Society, celebrated its 100th Anniversary in October at the Tulsa History Museum. The event featured a re-creation of the 1914 concert of the great contralto of the times, Louise Homer. That performance was the first of its kind at the brand new Convention Hall, considered Tulsa's first performing arts center and now known as the "Old Lady on Brady." Renowned opera star Barbara McAlister of New York sang excerpts from the 1914 concert, accompanied by Metropolitan Opera staff pianist and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra assistant conductor Linda Hall. The other star of the evening was the Jane Heard Clinton 1915 Steinway Grand piano in its debut performance after being donated to the Tulsa Historical Society and refurbished by Steinway technicians. Jane Heard Clinton was one of the founders of Hyechka and was its lifetime president until her death in 1945. She was known as “a pioneer in building the soul of the city.” The Hyechka Society was dearest to her as she loved music and was an accomplished musician in her own right. Bonnie Zwart and Family donated the piano to the Historical Society, and Hyechka provided funds for its restoration under the direction of ABC Music of Tulsa. “Hyechka” means “music” in the Creek Indian language.
THS is grateful to Frankie and Carleton James who organized the efforts to preserve this invaluable piece of Tulsa’s history and culture for future generations.

Society Director Jimmie Saied died in December. He was 89, and Tulsa's "music man" to the end. Saied founded Saied Music Co., now operated by his son, but he was best known as an educator and conductor. For the past quarter century, Saied portrayed John Philip Sousa many times in concerts across the U.S. Sousa was America’s "March King” who made rousing band and march music famous. Saied had a remarkable physical resemblance to Sousa and perfectly mimicked his conducting style. Saied also led the successful effort to get Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" named as the nation's official national march. A commemorative brick memorializing Saied is being placed in the “Walk of Fame” at the Society.

Latest Acquisitions are from the Beryl Ford Collection
The Society recently acquired three large concrete friezes that adorned the fronts of the former Abdo, Archer, and Hall buildings from the Beryl Ford and Rotary Club of Tulsa Collection. Many photographs, documents, and books have also been acquired, including a new book co-authored by Society volunteer Marian Clark called Hogs on 66, Best Feed and Hangouts for Roadtrips on Route 66. Every item received helps the Society bring Tulsa’s history to life.

The curatorial and exhibition staff is working on the first major exhibit, 19th Century Tulsa: Purchase to Pioneers. A list of objects to be displayed is being compiled, and research on these items will reveal their roles in the early history of Tulsa. Meanwhile, cataloging and preserving the collection continues.

There are items that would greatly add to the Society collection and this first major exhibit. Items pertaining to life in Tulsa at the turn of the 20th Century such as clothing, household goods, books, and saddles would help tell the story of early Tulsa. Clothing such as fireman, police, and streetcar worker uniforms would also be useful. If you or someone you know has artifacts to donate, please contact Curator Amanda Lett.

2004 Hall of Fame at the Historic Cain’s Ballroom
Strains of the western swing music that earned the Cain’s Ballroom a prominent place in Tulsa history wafted through the remodeled dance hall in late October for the 2004 Tulsa Hall of Fame. Dress remained black tie and hundreds arrived to a tented entrance to witness the 18th annual recognition of Tulsans honored as community leaders.

The inductees were the late Cyrus Avery, the “Father of Route 66;” John E. Barry, attorney and community leader; Michael D. Case, realtor and philanthropist; David Halpern, teacher and photographer noted for his work on Tulsa’s Art Deco and with the National Park Service; the late P. C. Lauinger, long-time Tulsa business leader and publisher of the Oil & Gas Journal; and Paula Marshall-Chapman, community leader and CEO of the Bama Companies.

Tulsa Historical Society President Sharon King Davis welcomed the crowd, noting that after meeting in the Mayo last year, the gathering marked the second year in a row to hold the Hall of Fame in a venue on the National Register of Historic Places. Davis led the crowd in appreciative applause to thank the new owners of the Cain’s, Dr. James Rodgers and his wife Alice, for their contribution to preserving an important part of Tulsa history and culture.

Davis also noted the deaths of four Tulsa Hall of Fame members in the past year. They were philanthropist and arts and civic patron Ruth G. Hardman, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Daniel J. Boorstin, and two other Hall of Famers Davis called the “White Knight” and Guardian Angel” of the Society, Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Sr. and his sister Florence L.J. "Bisser" Barnett. Both were Directors Emeritus of the Society, and named Society Founders. The Jones and Barnett families were instrumental in the acquisition of the Tulsa Historical Society's new home. Davis led the crowd in a moment of silence in memory of the four Hall of Famers.

Monsignor Gregory A. Gier of Holy Family Cathedral offered an invocation. Dinner was served with a showing of a special video created by Larry Hoar, THS Volunteer. The video included candid pictures of the inductees, photos of early Tulsa from the Society collection, and some of the Tulsa’s Art Deco wonders photographed by Halpern. The dinner accompaniment also included recorded western swing music provided by Tulsa World entertainment writer John Wooley, host of the weekly K-W-G-S radio program “Swing on This.” A rousing rendition of “Take Me Back To Tulsa” led off the dinner hour.

The Society recognizes and appreciates those donors whose contributions came in after the program deadline. They are Pillar John Steel Zink Foundation; Sponsors Frances W. O’Hornett, Jon R. Stuart, and Winnercom; and Contributors Joseph and Patricia Cappy, Nancy and Peter Meinig, Sid and Beverly Patterson, Sherman Smith, and Steadman & Peggy Upham.

Icons include: the Cyrus Avery Bridge, giraffe rock in Kellyville, the “shoe tree” near Stroud, replicas of the Burma Shave signs outside Davenport, the round barn at Arcadia,
lunch at the Tres Sueno Winery, and much more…
Tour led by author, Marian Clark
Activity Level #4 (Lots of Walking)

10:00 Membership Meeting, Board of Directors Meeting, and
“The History of the Skelly Mansion” by John Brooks Walton

Door Prizes provided by:
John Brooks Walton, Steve Ervin, and the Tulsa Historical Society

In case if inclement weather, join us Saturday, January 29th - same schedule
(Enter on cobblestone drive off Peoria-parking on east side of property)

It will be a fun and informative morning, with coffee, music, mystery pictures, a brief business session, a program by John Brooks Walton on The History of the Skelly Mansion and, to keep you in suspense and in your seat to the end of the hour, door prizes. John is donating a three-volume boxed set of his Tulsa Historic Homes. Steve Ervin of Ervin Photography is donating his new color 24-by-18-inch poster Evening in T-Town with 22 landmarks combined to form a moonlit Tulsa plaza. And the Society will add one of the classic line drawings of the Tulsa Union Depot.

A short reception starts at 9:30 a.m., with music provided by Rick Fortner on the Clinton piano which figured prominently in the history of the Hyechka Club. It’s on display and in use and you’ll love its sound at the hands of a professional.
You’ll have a chance to help identify pictures of Tulsa people and events from photos we can’t quite figure out as we continue to archive the collection.

At the short membership meeting, you’ll be brought up to date with all the changes in 2004, and what’s ahead for 2005 as the museum opens and construction resumes. Directors will be elected and a decision made on a proposed by-law change to allow the board to make by-law changes. Copies of the proposed change are available at the Society office. The Membership meeting will be followed by a brief Directors’ meeting to elect officers.

Mark Saturday, January 22nd at 9:30 a.m. on your calendar. We’re hoping for good weather, but if there is too much snow (It is January and we are in Oklahoma) the meeting will be moved to the following Saturday, January 29th.

Date	Topic	Location
March 3rd	The Trial of Susan B. Anthony Drama presented by Council Oak/Johnson Sontag Inns of Court	TU Law School Court Room John Rogers Hall-3120 E. 4th Place (parking north of the building)
March 10th	Quilts: Creative Reflections of History Lynn Doyle, THS Dir. Of Education & Exhibits	Tulsa Historical Society*
March 17th	So this is Tulsa? Let’s Get Started!! Sharon King Davis, THS Board President	Tulsa Historical Society*
March 24th	No program-spring break	Tulsa Historical Society*
March 31st	Women's Eyes, Women’s Words Female writers of the American West, 1803 - 1898 Nancy Christy, “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire” Only Female Winner & Tulsa Carver Middle School Teacher	Tulsa Historical Society*

*2445 S. Peoria Avenue
(Enter on cobblestone drive off Peoria - parking on east side of property)

The program features Chuck and Maxine Tichenor
teaching lasso twirling and brand making

Society Exhibits and Education Director Lynn Doyle finished work in December on her Masters degree in Liberal Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Her interdisciplinary study covered natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. Lynn’s thesis focused on the creative components of quilts created by two Louisiana women within the social contexts of their 20th century plantation. One of the quilt makers was an educator and local historian, while the other was a domestic laborer who later became an internationally known folk artist.

THS Staff
Clayton Vaughn, Executive Director
Michelle Place, Business Manager
Lynn Doyle, Director of Exhibits and Education
Amanda Lett, Curator
phone: 918.712.9484 fax: 918.712.1939
email: ths@tulsahistory.org
2445 South Peoria
Tulsa, OK 74114-1326

Events

January 2005 Newsletter