ORIENTATION

HISTORY

The town of Tulsa was first established by the American Indians in the 1800s when they were forced to leave southeastern United States to what is now eastern Oklahoma. A mix of Indian culture and southern influences characterized the movement, giving Tulsa an eastern elegance, southern charm and western flair. Legend states that Tulsa’s original birthplace begun at the Creek Council Oak Tree where in 1836 the Lochapoka Creek Indians kindled a ceremonial fire using live coals they had brought from their Alabama homeland. This tree still lives and is a symbol of Tulsa’s original settlers’ strong spirit.

It was also during this era that the Indians gathered under the tree to start a new life and established Tulsee Town. However, the Lochapoka Creek Indians weren’t the only settlers who wanted to begin a new life in Tulsa. African-Americans also brought with them a part of their southern culture when they came to Tulsa to start new lives. Oklahoma offered African-Americans land runs and freedmen allotments, thus blacks were given an equal opportunity to become land-owners, farmers and businessmen. This gave rise to Tulsa’s Greenwood area, known as one of Oklahoma’s largest and wealthiest black communities.

Greenwood was popularized not only by busy shops, blues and jazz clubs, but also because it was the site of one of the most infamous race riots in American history. In the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, the Greenwood district was hit the hardest when thirty-five blocks of businesses and residences were burned and 300 people, mostly blacks, were left for dead. The Oklahoma State Legislature passed laws in 2001 aimed at revitalizing Greenwood, setting up a scholarship fund for college-bound descendants of riot victims and appropriating $2 million for a riot memorial. This historic incident has never been forgotten as the Greenwood Historical District honors those who were part of the riot.

The Golden Driller Photo courtesy Tulsa Visitors Bureau

Tulsa’s economy began to grow in the early 1900s when the discovery of oil turned Tulsa from a small town into a booming cosmopolitan city. In 1905, the Glenn Pool oil field was discovered, creating an excess supply of oil and gas, which eventually laid the foundation for Tulsa to become a leader in the energy sector. Along with the discovery of oil came the arrival of many businessmen from the big cities at New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut who were in search of riches. When a second surge of oil discoveries occurred between 1915 and 1930, the city was on its way to becoming the oil capital of the world. Shortly after the oil brought wealth into Tulsa, luxurious homes and extravagant hotels were being established along with a whole new generation of people who appreciated the influx of arts and culture that filled the city. To represent Tulsa as an oil-rich city, a 76-foot-tall statue of an oilfield worker was built in 1966 for the International Petroleum Exposition. It stands as one of America's tallest free-standing structure.

Tulsa is no longer the oil capital of the world, however the city is still a major energy center. Major corporations have established their headquarters in Tulsa including aerospace, insurance companies, telecom and high tech industries. The biggest industry that drives Tulsa’s economy towards profit are car rental companies such as Avis, Thrifty, Budget, Nationaland Dollar whose operations offices are all based in Tulsa. Some other major companies that contribute to Tulsa’s thriving economy are American Airlines, State Farm, Whirlpool, IBM and Metlife. Today, Tulsa is known as T-Town, which stands for Technology Town. The city continues to grow rapidly and its oil economy and future is promising.

Month Avg. Daily Temperature Average Rainfall Min Max Jan 26°F (-3 °C) 47°F (8 °C) 41 mm Feb 31°F (-1 °C) 53°F (12 °C) 50 mm Mar 40°F (4 °C) 62°F (17 °C) 91 mm Apr 50°F (10 °C) 72°F (22 °C) 100 mm May 59°F (15 °C) 80°F (27 °C) 155 mm Jun 68°F (20 °C) 88°F (31 °C) 120 mm Jul 73°F (23 °C) 94°F (34 °C) 75 mm Aug 71°F (22 °C) 93°F (34 °C) 72 mm Sep 63°F (17 °C) 84°F (29 °C) 121 mm Oct 51°F (11 °C) 74°F (23 °C) 103 mm Nov 39°F (4 °C) 60°F (16 °C) 88 mm Dec 30°F (-1 °C) 50°F (10 °C) 62 mm

Climate data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center

CLIMATE

Located along the Arkansas River, Tulsa rises 700 ft (213 m) above sea level and is far enough north to escape periods of heat in the summer yet far enough south to miss the cold during the winter. The winter months of November and December are mild and the summer months of July to early September can reach up to 100ºF (38ºC) or higher. However, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico creates a southerly breeze and high humidity in Tulsa, leaving Tulsans with sunny days and cool nights. It is during the spring and early summer months that the weather in Tulsa becomes temperamental. Thunderstorm patterns provide the Tulsa area with its annual rainfall, which averages around 42 in (1067 mm) of heavy rain, forcing Tulsa to enforce one of the most extensive flood control systems in the nation. At times, the thunderstorms contain large hail, damaging winds and on occasion, strong tornados. Local residents and visitors of Tulsa should be acquainted with the dangers of tornadoes and the precautions that needs to be taken when it does occur. Seeking indoor shelter and remaining in a low-laying area are the primary steps when a tornado is spotted. Stay away from windows and move to the center of the room where hallways or staircases are located. Most importantly, everyone should keep calm and stay tuned to the radio or television for further instructions.

TRANSPORTATION

Tulsa International Airport (TUL) is home to several charter airlines and numerous commercial airlines, including American Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines, serving millions of travelers arriving and departing the city daily. Located ten minutes from Tulsa’s downtown area, this airport is one of the busiest in the state of Oklahoma. For travelers who prefer to drive into the city, Tulsa’s connecting highways are Interstate, US 40, US 244 and US 75, linking the city to nearby towns Stillwater and Oklahoma City. The historic Route 66 was also part of Tulsa’s connecting highways and was officially dicommissioned in 1985 when it was replaced by interstate highways I-55, I-44 and I-40. Visitors also have the option of using public buses, taxis or renting a car to tour Tulsa. Franklin Transportation Services and Greyhound Lines offer both residents and visitors an affordable busing alternative to get in and around Tulsa.

	The Gilcrease Museum Photo courtesy Tulsa Visitors Bureau

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS

Museums
There are such a wide range of theaters and museums to visit when in Tulsa, that it is hard to limit oneself to one or two. Besides the Tulsa Opera and the Tulsa Ballet, the variety of theaters and museums serves to entertain and educated a wide variety of people. The Philbrook Museum of Art specializes in European American Art, American Indian Non-Western Art and 20th Century American Contemporary Art while the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art showcases some of the Southwest's finest collection of Judaica and other priceless objects.

It can be argued that Creek Indian Thomas Gilcrease had the greatest impact on Tulsa's arts and culture when he used his own money to fund The Gilcrease Museum. This museum specializes in North American history, featuring a collection of more than 10,000 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures by 400 artists from colonial times to the present. The Gilcrease also houses an archival collection of Native American art, artifacts, historical manuscripts, documents and maps.

The Gilcrease Museum also offers an interactive exhibition that highlights the art, culture and history of Mexico along with an anthropological collection spanning cultures through the 20th century. Gilcrease's anthropological collections comprise of more than 250,000 specimens that cover prehistoric and historic archaeology and ethnographic materials from a wide range of cultural traditions. The museum's founder Thomas Gilcrease had a soft spot for numerous exotic specimens, including the Southern magnolia, thus historical theme gardens have been developed on twenty-three of the museum's 460 acres. Using Gilcrease's collections as a guide, developers of the gardens managed to enhance the museum's collections by reflecting gardening styles and techniques from five time periods in the American West. The Gilcrease Museum is the only known art museum to have these educational and inspirational gardens on one site.

A Cheetah at the Tulsa Zoo Photo courtesy Tulsa Visitors Bureau

Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum
Animal lovers can't afford to miss the monkeys, lions and bears at the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum. Home to approximately 1,500 animals from over 430 species, many of the zoo's inhabitants are mostly endangered. For a more interactive experience at the zoo, kids and adults can choose to trek through rain forests and climates inhabited by penguins. Near the rain forest exhibit is the Siamang Island, a year-round habitat where langurs and siamangs can be found hanging from trees or sleeping in the shade. The zoo also offers many other fascinating exhibits such as the African Penguin Exhibit, the Tropical American Rain Forest, the Animal Kingdom and much more.