More than seven years ago, I was wandering my Uncle Andy's property in Barnsdall with my mother when I came across an old restaurant sign. It piqued my curiosity, as I'd always had a fascination with brands and logos, but my aunt and uncle didn't have a lot of information about it aside from the … Continue reading A White Knight Comes Home
A day trip from Tulsa takes me into Missouri and, as usual, down Historic Route 66
Samantha and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary by spending the weekend in Medicine Park, Oklahoma. This small town is situated near the entrance to the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge in southwest Oklahoma and is known as Oklahoma's first resort town. What started as a surplus Army tent near Medicine Creek grew into a full-fledged … Continue reading Good Medicine
An old family photo leads to a little-known piece of Tulsa history
The Jefferson Highway was one of America's earliest highway systems. It connected New Orleans Louisiana to Winnipeg, Canada about a decade before the federal numbered highway system was created. Over time, it was supplanted by other highways (much like Route 66) but it still enjoys enthusiasm from dedicated fans and communities that take pride in … Continue reading Okay No Longer
In 1927, the town of Red Fork on Tulsa's southwest side was incorporated into the city. It's where Tulsa County's first oil discovery was made (Sue Bland Well No. 1) and is still home to a large, active rail yard. There were several communities in what is now Southwest Tulsa, actually; all still home to … Continue reading Tulsa’s Crystal City
This past weekend I was lucky to experience a unique journey through southwest Oklahoma. I wasn't on Route 66 this time, nor was I sitting behind the wheel of my Mustang. This journey put me in a vehicle that was altogether new to me on a path quite a bit older than any highway: the … Continue reading Speeder Excursion and the K&T Motor 9
For decades, the giant Skateland neon sign stood near the corner of 11th and Sheridan in Tulsa. The roller rink there just off Route 66 was a Tulsa mainstay for decades. Ed and Wanda Enlow, who had been teaching skating at the Continental Roller Rink near 11th and Peoria, opened the family skating rink on … Continue reading Saving Skateland’s Neon
I love trains. I'm not a "foamer" (a term used by some for die-hard train enthusiasts). I can't tell you what all the parts and pieces do or differences between one train line and the next but I can tell you how they make me feel. There's something about the sight and sound that taps … Continue reading Welcome Back, Big Boy
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
Rhys' Pieces 