In February of 2015, a terrible fire ravaged downtown Barnsdall, Oklahoma. It wasn't the first time - many buildings in town have been lost to fire over the years, actually - but this one had a very specific family connection. My great-aunt Estelle ran a beauty parlor in town for most of her life. Her … Continue reading The Barnsdall Letterpresses
I love it when I come across an unusual postcard; it always encourages me to look a little closer. Sometimes, it is tied to quite a story. Such as this postcard for a grocery store in north Tulsa: I'd never seen a postcard for a grocery store before. The cars in the image are quite … Continue reading Mann’s Grocery
The eastern portions of 11th Street in Tulsa (also known as Route 66) resemble more of a rural highway than a city road. Homes and empty fields make up most of the landscape with an occasional church or small business hanging on to life. Near 133rd East Avenue, a sign on the south side of … Continue reading The Story of Thrifty
While researching my book, Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, I met and interviewed a lot of people. During that process, I learned a lot about various family histories tied to eateries of the city's past. One of my favorite stories is that of the Eng Family. Their journey weaves in and around generations of family, friends, … Continue reading The Eng Family
In August of 2016, I wrote a blog post that would have a greater impact on my life than I could ever have imagined. Two months after that visit to the Charcoal Oven in Oklahoma City, I received a call from a publishing company in Chicago; they'd come across what I'd written. A short time … Continue reading A Successful Launch
Hello friends! This is a short post to let everyone know that my book, Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, has a release date! It will be available for sale on December 3rd at a variety of local shops in the city (Magic City Books, Ida Red, etc.) as well as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Amazon … Continue reading Lost Restaurants of Tulsa – Release Info
There's a new mural along Route 66 in Tulsa. Many travelers and locals know of the Meadow Gold sign near 11th and Peoria. Right next to the brick pavilion that serves as a home to that iconic neon structure, on the east side of the building that houses the Corner Cafe, a colorful artistic work … Continue reading You Said We Couldn’t Do It, But We Did
On the last weekend of April, I headed west to attend a few events as the Tulsa County Representative for the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. I had to be in Clinton on Saturday and Weatherford on Sunday, so I figured I'd stay overnight and do a little exploring. As luck would have it, my friend … Continue reading A Western Oklahoma Ramble
(other installments of this series here) Sunday was another gloriously slow morning. I drank coffee & ate the last two donuts from the Donut Drive-In while I looked out my window at the flower bed. I checked the news, did a little writing, and generally lazed about until about 10:00. I was pleased to see … Continue reading On the Road with Michael – St Louis II
Today I thought I'd do something a little different. I was recently made aware of an article written back in 1995 for the Oklahoma Today magazine about the origins of the hamburger. Considering the subject matter and Tulsa's place in history, I thought you all might be interested. I was unable to include the photographs … Continue reading Tulsa: Birthplace of the Hamburger
