Since 2005, Mike at Okiedoke.com of Little Axe, Oklahoma, fame, has undertaken the arduous task of receiving nominations in 12 categories for "Okie Blog Awards." Only active Oklahoma bloggers can nominate, and only active Oklahoma bloggers get to vote in this peer-to-peer annual Oklahoma blogger event. Voting for the 2008 awards ends on February 7, 2009. Up to 10 nominees in each of the following categories are possible:
Best Overall Blog
Best Political Blog
Best Family Blog
Best Humor Blog
Best Audio Blog
Best Looking Blog
Best Unusual Blog
Best Writing Blog
Best Culture Blog
Best Commentary Blog
Best Inspirational Blog
Best Commercial Blog
Just as in prior years, the list of nominees presents at a glance some of the very best Oklahoma blogs, and, even if you can't vote, the list of nominees gives a great starting point for discovering what you may have been missing in the Oklahoma blogosphere.
Doug Dawg is pleased to have been nominated again (his 2006 and 2007 nominations flopped at the polls ... I want to see those darned exit polls and I want to see the f***ing chads!) for Best Culture Blog. I'm not sure that what I actualy do here is culture, but of the categories that exist it may be the closest description that fits this place in the list. In any event, I'm proud to have been nominated three years straight, an honor by itself, even if the "love" for an Okie Blogger award remains unrequited. Romeo, oh Romeo, where are thou Romeo ..." or something like that. Gawd, I'm listening to what I've written and it is hopelessly lost in some other world. Oh, well ... life goes on. A blogger cannot vote for his/her own blog. So, not being able to vote for myself, how did I cast my vote for Best Culture Blog?I ain't tellin' (the 1st letters are Ok and the phrase is feminine) but I did vote for someone other than me, below! Check out the list for Best Culture Blog and and vote as you think best (Okie bloggers only):
Some of my personal favorites have been nominated, too ... but I won't mention any names since I don't need to be making any more enemies ... I take that back:I will mention two:Steve Lackmeyer's OKC Central as the Best Commercial Blog (commercial since it is sponsored by the Oklahoman); and I favored Michael Bates' Batesline for the Best Overall Blog.
Batesline.com. As to the Best Overall Blog, even though 9 other great blogs were nominated, I favored Batesline, not only because it's a great blog (even though we differ when it comes down to some of the details ... I'm a reasonable liberal, he's a hopeless conservative) (just kinda kidding) but also because Michael has to put up with a shitload of crap (including pending litigation) from the successors to the once fine newspaper earlier owned by Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Sr., the Tulsa Tribune which came to be owned by the Tulsa World. (I may have this wrong ... I'm certainly not a Tulsa expert ... I'll fix the text as I learn better). Whether a person's viewpoint be "liberal" or "conservative," free speech should prevail against all comers in the United States of America. Newspapers, the Oklahoman and the Tulsa World are having hard times these days. The surviving remnant of that once noble Tulsa newspaper seems to think that lawsuits against ombudsmen like Michael will help it survive. That's ridiculous.
As far as I'm aware, Micheal stands alone in Oklahoma by (a) straightforwardly identifying himself, (b) saying exactly what he thinks, (c) even if doing so results in costly litigation, and (d) he does this all on his own without a protective umbrella of some kind.
Truth is, we have no ombudsmen in Oklahoma City that are completely independent and comparable to Micheal Bates. Steve Lackmeyer comes close but he is tied to the Oklahoman, and, hence, is not as free-to-speak as Michael is. Yes, anonymous voices at OkcTalk.com pop up but, in the main, they don't shed their anonymity, preferring, for whatever reason, to remain obscure, hidden, and protected, and, as result, nonthreatening to the status quo. I mean, who could give a squat about what "MoonJune94 says: whatever," when it gets down to the real world of putting up or shutting up. At city hall, who gives a flying fish about what some anonymous poster has to say. It's meaningless. But, when Micheal posts, it's not. Does what he say matter in Tulsa from a practical perspective? I don't know.
All I know is that when Michael Bates posts something in his blog, you know who he is and where he's coming from. He and his blog are not anonymous. Straightforward speech is found there, like it or not, and he is not shy about taking captives. You know who he is.
Can you say (with a straight face),
Lawsuits against free-thinking ombudsmen will help the Tulsa World survive.
I didn't think so ... the words will catch in your throat. Even if you can say "ombudsmen" without torquing it out of shape like GW did with the with the word "nuclear" -- a fleeting last pass for GW: it is noo-clee-ur and not noo-cu-ler. Those times, gladly, are now gone by. We may not ever have to cringe ever again when a President of the United States emaciates the word the "nuclear!" Michael may not agree.
Steve's Blog. As for Steve's blog, in less than a year since it began, Steve's blog has arguably established itself as the best place to go to find out what's going on in the "Oklahoma City history unfolding" department and if you don't go there regularly, you should!
If you want to check out the seriousness with which the Okie Blog Awards are taken (and want a good laugh), check out how Today In Idabel Oklahoma viewed its chances against its Best Commentary competition. It's a hoot!
To vote or simply peruse through the list of nominees, go here, and have a nice day.
I grant myself yet another exception to my rule ... this post isn't about Oklahoma City history or the NBA in Oklahoma City. It's about the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America.
For those of you who didn't see it, here, courtesy C-SPAN, is our President's botched swearing in (not his fault, Chief Justice Roberts flubbed the oath) and Obama's inaugural address:
I may add my unimportant comments on this later, but I mainly wanted to give those following my blog an opportunity to see and hear the event if you weren't able to see it when it occurred, as I wasn't, either. The quality of the C-Span video is good.
I promise to get back to "traditional" Oklahoma City history soon (well, the Thunder is part of Oklahoma City history, isn't it?) but I feel the need for speed in being sure that the Oklahoma City Thunder faithful know about something important that has happened in the blogosphere concerning the team. That something important would be the new Daily Thunder blog.
Rather like a wedding, the new blog is a marriage involving something old and something new. Ever since I made my OKC NBA References & Peep Shows article, it included a couple of Thunder blogs, Thunder World by Royce and Thunder Guru by Joe, both fine blogs, among others. Joe is from Oregon and he's been an avid Seattle Sonics fan for 20 years and he is one who likes to follow the team, whatever its name and wherever it lives. While not alone among SuperSonics fans in those respects, there are certainly many more former Sonics fans who don't share his perspective. On the other hand, Royce is an OU graduate with a degree in journalism. His former blog, Thunder World, was a valiant and solid effort but, earlier on, he allowed all comments to be posted however scurrilous and scumbaggy they were. Such comments were legion, so much so as to dissuade many Oklahoma City Thunder fans from participating there. Not long ago, Royce began moderating comments to get rid of the trash talkers and that worked pretty well.
But, now, those two former blogs have merged into a new blog, owned by Royce, called the Daily Thunder, and it is simply outstanding. It has a clean, crisp appearance with great content supplied locally by Royce and Joe.
Click the image below for a larger view
The new blog is an ESPN TrueHoop Network affiliate and is Oklahoma City's representative in that emerging ESPN network. From the blog, you can quickly open other TrueHoop affiliate blogs, such as the New Orleans Hornets 24/7 blog which was one of my favorites when the Hornets were in town. A Thunder fan might enjoy reading what the competition's blog has to say on the game day vs. a particular team. As you can see, below, the TrueHoops bloglist doesn't yet cover all teams, but I'm sure that will come. Those included are quality NBA blogs that talk hoops, not trash.
ESPN's NBA team pages can also be quickly opened in the blog and you can open ESPN's Thunder, or other team page, in a click.
ESPN's most recent NBA videos can be immediately viewed in the blog's right panel, as illustrated here. I've added Daily Thunder to my Thunder links as you can see above.
I encourage those of you who are Oklahoma City Thunder fans to visit, and participate, in this fine new Thunder blog. It is a class act and is more than deserving of your support.
Clicking that image takes you to the game-by-game (and occasional other Thunder events) photographs taken by this master photographer ...
Pics of each Thunder game are there for your free viewing (but you can purchase high resolution images there, if you want) ... if you want higher resolution photos than the thumbnails shown in this thread, you'll have to view and/or purchase them there. The photos are so outstanding that Thunder fans will be hard pressed not to do exactly that.
You may notice with this post that, in the OKC Thunder links at the left, Taos Action Photos has been added to the list.
What you will find at Taos Action Photos are unexcelled photographs of each Thunder home game (plus other groups than the Thunder at his home page). What I'm presenting below is a low-resolution thumbnail sampling of what Richard has to offer ... click on any pic to go to Taos Action Photos to see the photos represented by these thumbnails.
The rest is just eye candy ... Thanks to Taos Action Photos! Enjoy!
Richard is one of those nameless photographer guys who gets to sit on the floor or roam the arena when the game is afoot equipped with one of those cameras with magnificently huge and expensive lens, and who gets shots like this one from the December 19 Toronto Raptors game ...
... or this one from the January 2 Denver Nuggets game ...
... or this great wide-angle shot on January 9 vs. Houston ...
But, to me, some of the most incredible photos he takes are from the catwalk waaay up at the top of the Ford Center ceiling ... look straight up next time and see what I mean ...
From way up there he looks down on the action, zooms in and still gets exceptionally crisp photos of the action taking place waaay down below ...
November 21 vs. New Orleans Hornets
... or this one on January 2 vs. Denver Nuggets ...
... of course, overheads are not all that there is ...
... but maybe that's just me.
This gives but a taste to show you what you are missing if you don't go to Taos Action Photos and see for yourself!
You'll also see a few thumbnails of Richard's photos in my game pics article, but I try not to use very many so not to overstay my welcome. Visit his website ... you're gonna love it!
Updated 1/5/2009. I don't write many "opinion" pieces and usually just try to stick to the facts, Jack. This article is an exception. Click here to skip down to why this article is even necessary, four months after the team was officially named.
The Background. From July 2, 2008, when Professional Basketball Club, LLC, announced that its NBA team was moving from Seattle to Oklahoma City until the official unveiling of the team's name on September 3, 2008, personal preferences about the team's new name abounded and it was fun speculating about what the name would, could or should or should not be. Oklahoman sportswriter Berry Tramel advocated "Boomers" as the name of Oklahoma City's NBA team in a lengthy August 25, 2008, article on the subject. Click the image below for the fully readable text of his article or just click here:
Mets, Jets, Nets? If those hokey-at-first names can be launched in New York, why couldn’t Oklahoma City have played off Sooners and gone with Boomers? [Emphasis supplied] * * * [caption under a photo of Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade] Dwayne Wade and the Heat have made the nickname work for Miami. Now Oklahoma City’s NBA team must embrace whatever nickname it chooses. [Emphasis supplied]
I assume that he meant that the "embracing" should be done by everyone who supports the team and not just by the team itself. Before the name was announced, Doug Dawg had no problem with anyone advocating their preferences (I had mine, too), pro or con, and all of that discussion was good. Especially good, though, was Berry Trammel's implied suggestion that the name, once chosen, should be embraced -- at least, that's my interpretation of what he said, above.
On September 3 at a ceremony at Leadership Square, the expected name became official: And the winner was (and remains) ... the Oklahoma City Thunder!
So, why is this article even necessary, four months after the team's name became official? It's because Mr. Tramel didn't follow his own good advice about embracing the name once it became official and he leads at least a small group of followers who informally want the team to have a different name -- not an officially different name, just an effectively different name. The means he's chosen to accomplish that is for the "nickname" to have a "nickname."
Listen to what he had to say in the following September 11, 2008, video clip at the Oklahoman's website:
If you listened, you will have heard him say,
Some thunder cracked the other day and I got to thinking about the sound it makes. And all of the sudden I had a nickname for our nickname. * * * The Boomers were the group that petitioned the government to open the unassigned land but had the scruples to wait until the firing of a pistol, or, yes, boom of a canon, to start the land grab.
The part about hearing thunder cracking strikes me as a bit disingenuous since he'd already proposed Boomers as the team's name in his August 25, 2008, Oklahoman article, and the article didn't mention anything about his thunder-cracking epiphany even though he then expected the team's name to be the Thunder at the time.
Regardless, good reasons exist NOT to take Berry's advice about the Boomers nickname-nickname.
First, the initial advice he gave was his best -- accept the name and go on. The name has been chosen and it is NOT the Boomers. Nothing good comes from rehashing the team's name over and over ad nauseam.
Any nickname-nickname should come naturally. If a nickname-nickname does come to exist, it doesn't need to come from the bully pulpit of a sportswriter who insists on having his own way -- and for reasons that have nothing to do with the sport itself, the "sport" part being Berry Tramel's legitimate turf. We don't need sportswriters telling us what our team's nickname-nickname ought to be. The tasks of journalists are to report and interpret the news; it is not within their province to attempt to create it.
Boomers is a divisive nickname-nickname. I'll get to Oklahoma history below, but, setting that history aside for a moment, contemporary use of Boomers is associated with the University of Oklahoma. Even though Payne County is named for the initial leader of the Boomer movement, very few, if any, identify Boomers with any place other than O.U. sports. The Boomer Sooner fight song is certainly not a part of O.S.U. lore. If you want to read articles about O.U. sports, you can go to O.U.'s "BoomerBytes" ...
... of if you want the latest O.U. Sports news, you can go to O.U.'s "BoomerBlast" and get on its e-mail list ...
The Thunder is not well-served by having a nickname-nickname which stirs the divisive pot of college loyalties and/or acrimony -- not if the team is to be and remain inclusively identified as Oklahoma City's team.
The nickname-nickname appears to be unpopular. I have no scientific polls to back up such a claim, but you can read this poll at OkcThunderFans.com. At the time that this article was written, 53 fans had voted and 82% either hated or disliked Boomers as the team's nickname-nickname.
Last but not least, Berry has his Oklahoma history upside down. Yes, the Boomers were one of other groups of people who lobbied Congress to open the Unassigned Lands for settlement before the April 22, 1889, Land Run actually occurred. That part is correct. But the part about the group having "scruples to wait until the firing of a pistol, or, yes, boom of a canon," is absolutely 100% false. Nothing could be further from the truth and the 2nd part is dead wrong. While it is true that David Payne and his group did lobby Congress to open the Unassigned Lands for settlement, it is COMPLETELY FALSE that they "had the scruples to wait until the firing of a pistol ..." The Boomers made repeated illegal incursions into the Unassigned Lands BEFORE "the firing of a pistol" or the "boom of a canon." David Payne actually sold tracts of land in the Unassigned Lands to unwary buyers BEFORE the 1889 Land Run. Can you say "fraudulent land sales?" The Boomers by their forays into the Unassigned Lands BEFORE the firing of a pistol or the boom of a canon were criminals, law-breakers, and were most often forcibly removed back to Kansas by the Buffalo Soldiers (black cavalry units) stationed at Ft. Reno but on occasion some were taken to Ft. Smith for federal prosecution. See this article for much more about that. The people who DID WAIT until the firing of a pistol or boom of a canon at the start of the land run were not Boomers at all.
So, why this article today? As is evident in Berry's Oklahoman stories and in his blog, he persists in his campaign. In his newspaper stories, the Oklahoman's archives reflect the following:
September 30, 2008: But let’s be honest. This is a two-way street. If you’re one of those fans who would prefer the Hornets had stayed, you can’t be mad at any of the Boomers for lamenting leaving Seattle.
October 15, 2008: Turns out, the Boomers might have a clue on this entertainment thing.
October 26, 2008: Like those Boomers of 1889, the Promised Land has been reached. * * * Those Boomers of 1889 settled the land with the notion they would do great things. I see no reason to believe the 21st-century Boomers will do anything less.
October 29, 2008: Clay Bennett, who brought the Boomers to town, talked the other day of what the NBA can do for OKC. * * * Make us forget, for one priceless night, all our differences and focus on our commonalities, starting with the desire for the Boomers to make a basket.
October 30, 2008: Less than an hour before tipoff, NBA commissioner David Stern visited the Thunder locker room and had a message for these maiden Boomers.
November 3, 2008: These Boomers won’t get within 20 games of the postseason. * * * The Thunder’s sellout streak ended at one, with a crowd of 18,163, but apparently that is no big deal to the Boomer brass, else they would have kept selling season tickets instead of creating a waiting list.
November 26, 2008: The Boomers left believing they’ve turned a corner, not down Victory Lane just yet, but at least they’re suddenly competitive, which is major improvement. * * * Yes, the Boomers are 1-14.
December 22, 2008: Brown, whose team is 23-4, the virtual converse of the Boomers, painted a rosy picture of OKC’s future, raving about Westbrook and praising new coach Scott Brooks’ player rotation.
To their credit, Thunder beat-writers Darnell Mayberry and Mike Baldwin haven't used the term when referring to the Thunder, nor have John Rohde or Jenni Carlson or any other Oklahoman sportswriter that I could locate. At the Oklahoman thus far, Tramel is alone in this.
In Berry's blog, it is the same. In this November 29 blog post which was sort of a bulk reply upon various e-mail topics he'd received, he said,
Enough college football. Let’s talk about the NBA. Some readers inquired why I occasionally refer to the Thunder as the Boomers. Jason wrote, “I wanted to let you know that you are, in my opinion, turning off OSU fans in the process. I am guessing that one of the things you local media war lords want to do is generate excitement about the teams, but your nickname will have the opposite effect. If that nickname were to stick, OSU fans, who are currently pumped due to Mason and Lucas on the team, would become weaned off due to the obvious OU connection. I am an OSU fan, but not a rabid, Sooner hating OSU fan. So if Boomers hits me the wrong way, it will do more for the typical OSU fan.”
Doesn’t sound like you’re a rabid Thunder fan, either. Lucas was cut weeks ago. Anyway, generally speaking, OSU fans wake up looking for ways to be offended. I guess a little history lesson is necessary. Boomers are the sworn enemies of Sooners. OU fans have adopted Boomer Sooner as a slogan because of their silly fight song. But Stillwater was the Boomer capital. Payne County is named for David Payne, the leader of the Boomer movement. Boomers are a big part of our state heritage. It’s a fine secondary nickname for the Thunder.
Bill wrote, “I am making an assumption that this is some reference to Boomer Sooner or the like. Now, I have lived in OKC long enough to know that OU sports are king and everything else takes a back seat. If Oklahoma City wants to be a big-league city, it needs help to create an identity separate from OU. If, however, you are merely using the term to describe the team as young, the appearance of an OU reference still exists.”
Actually, Bill, neither is correct. Any team with a singular nickname needs a sidekick, and Boomers is perfect. Thunder booms, and Boomers are part of Oklahoma history.
Wrong again about history, Berry. Boomers were NOT the sworn enemies of Sooners. If by that he meant OU and OSU, OSU has never identified with the term "Boomers" and doubtless never will. If by that he meant history around the time of the April 22, 1889, Land Run, the Boomers and Sooners were in no way enemies of each other -- they were simply different and unrelated sets of lawbreakers who used different means to attempt to get a jump on the "pistol being fired or the cannon being boomed."
And, most lately, it looks as though a piece of Berry's campaign is to give the Ford Center itself a nickname-nickname, the "Boom Box." See his January 2, 2009 blog post and search for "boom box."
Oh, my! I guess that Thunderdome simply wouldn't do. What's next, miniature boom boxes affixed to our shoulders, or what?
Aside from this nickname issue and Berry's position on internet fan forums, I usually enjoy reading Berry Tramel's columns, even when they become far-fetched from time to time ...
But, on this Boomer thing, it's way past the time for Berry and everyone to put down the silly, divisive, and historically false statements made to support his Boomers nickname-nickname stuff and get on with just being, pure and simple, Thunder fans. At least, that's how I see it.
It is a thorough treat and honor when I have the opportunity and privilege to write an article that is wholly unique to what is available elsewhere, and this is such an occasion. Some months ago, one of this blog's principal benefactors, Mr. Dean Schirf, Corporate Secretary of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, kindly allowed me to borrow and scan what I'd like from a 1903 Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce publication which was obviously intended to be transmitted to businesses located outside Oklahoma City and Oklahoma Territory as it then existed. The truth is, I'm waaay behind on publishing some new great Oklahoma City trains articles for which Dean has provided the fodder, but that will be coming very soon.
All of the images contained in this article are courtesy of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, and I again express my thanks for the courtesy and privilege of posting those images here.
INTRODUCTION. Jump back in time to 1903, 105 years ago. Oklahoma City was only 14 years old, barely pubescent. In that day, just as now, the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce was proactively involved in attracting people and businesses to Oklahoma City. This 1903 book is essentially a 250 or so page advertisement showing off Oklahoma City to the world, inviting any who would come to settle here. The glossy-paper book represents Oklahoma City putting its best foot forward to make such an invitation. Aside from the copy which is in the possession of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, it is quite possible that no other copies of this book any longer exist, or, if they do, they are probably in private collections. In modern times, until 2005, the Chamber itself did not have a copy. It came to have one by the sharp eye and courtesy of Jim Fentriss, as described by a memo that Dean wrote which is in the inside cover to the book (click on the image below for a larger image of Dean's memo):
As this article is written, the book has not been donated to the Oklahoma Historical Society but remains in the hands and ownership of the Chamber.
The book was very well-done according to the standards and capabilities which existed in 1903. Printed on glossy paper, the images are somewhat grainy but better than the quality of images we'd see in newsprint, and, of course, some images are better than others. All images provide a marvelous look at Oklahoma City in 1903 and give occasional insight as to prevailing notions of what was socially permissible at the time.
This article contains all the images that I scanned and provides a few research notes I've done, as well, with an occasional image thrown in which is not in the book to help explain something or make it more relevant to a reader today. Each image which follows is a small version of a larger scan. Ordinarily, the 500 px wide versions I post link to 1024 px wide versions when an image is clicked. On this occasion, though, the linked images are significantly larger due to the historical value of this particular book. As usual, click on any image for a larger view which will open in a separate window or tab. Even though they will appear grainy, they should print better than an image which is 1024 px wide.
THE BOOK. As I said, the entire book is around 250 pages long (I neglected to make a note of the actual count), and I didn't scan them all. What follows are more than 60 pages that I did. Most pages are photographs but some contain text describing Oklahoma City in 1903. For the latter, to read the text, be sure to click on a the image to open a very readable view.
Aside from the inside cover (below), each page is numbered and page numbers for particular images are shown in the associated images below.
Inside Cover
Page 2, North on Broadway From the Culbertson Building
DL NOTES: Also, see page 47 (Culbertson Building) and page 139 (looking south to Culbertson Building.
Page 5, Homes In Oklahoma City
Page 10, Panorama From Emerson School at NW 6th & Walker, Looking Southeast Into the Warehouse District
DL NOTES: The cropped and marked up image below below gives perspective. Couch Drive didn't exist then -- in the larger image you can make out the railroad tracks which were in that space; the location is shown for reference.
Page 11, Colcord Park located in Delmar Garden -- roughly south of Reno and west of Western, approximately where Farmers Market is today
Pages 12, 14 & 16, About Oklahoma City
DL NOTES: A snippet from the above:
The business and residence area of the city covers about three square miles, half in the North Canadian valley and about half on the upland north of it, with the river forming almost a semi-circle around it. This area is closely covered by buildings of the best architecture and material. Main Street and Grand Avenue, running east and west, and Broadway and Robinson Streets, crossing them at right angles, comprise the principle business section, and for blocks are lined with two to six story brick buildings, the best of their kind in structure and design. Extensions are being made in every direction, and the large number of brick and stone buildings in course of erection at present add much to the substantial appearance presented by the city. The wholesale and manufacturing districts are spreading over a large territory to accommodate the new enterprises that are constantly being established in these lines. Hotels, churches, school-buildings, hospitals, etc., are a source of pride to the citizens, and the residence portions of the city display good taste and a keen appreciation of the artistic in building. The streets are laid with asphalt for a considerable distance from the business center, and work is being pushed as rapidly as possible to increase the paved area.
DL NOTES: A snippet from the above:
The population of Oklahoma City has increased for the past five years at a rate varying from thirty to forty per cent per annum. It now has a population conservatively estimated at 27,000 inhabitants. On the opening of the Territory in 1889 about 2,000 people settled here. In 1900 the federal census gave us a population of about 11,000. The latest school census shows 6,672, which is more than two and one-half times as large as in 1900, and the latest city election was three times as large as then. Hence the above estimate of about 27,000 inhabitants is a correct one. It is confidently predicted that by the year 1907 the population will easily reach 50,000.
We didn't make the 50,000, but we did reach 32,452 by the 1907 Census.
DL NOTES: A snippet from the above:
* * * Oklahoma City is without doubt one of the most favored of communities in the matter of its advantages as to ample provisions for transportation, and the importance of its railroad business increases daily with the additions made to its shipping facilities. The Santa Fe system crosses the Territory from north to south; the Choctaw from east to west; the Frisco from northeast to southwest. Upon the foundation of Oklahoma City its only railroad was the Santa Fe. The Choctaw followed, the Frisco came in 1898, and the M. K. & T. is the last to enter the city, with one line from Coffeyville, Kansas, and one from Coalgate, I. T. The Frisco has recently completed the Oklahoma City & Southwestern line from this city to Quanah, Texas, and is making plans for the construction of the Oklahoma City & Southeastern. The Ozark & Cherokee Central is building from Fayetteville to this city, and will come into the city by the end of the present year. Other lines to be projected are the Denver, Enid & Gulf, Fort Smith & Western and the Missouri Pacific. The main lines into Oklahoma City send branches in every direction throughout the Territory, and this city is now in undisputed control of a large trade area, in the Southwest and has established sure and speedy communication with the great markets throughout the entire country.
Page 13, Wheeler Park East of Western, South of SW 9th
DL NOTES: Wheeler Park has been considered part of the Delmar Garden area even though it was not. The park was the home of Oklahoma City's first zoo. For more about Wheeler Park and Delmar Garden, see this article.
Page 15, Residences
Page 17, Charles F. Colcord's Home, 421 N.W. 13th
DL NOTES: This property was destroyed to make way for the property shown below (from County Assessor photographs):
Page 18, Carnegie Library & About Oklahoma City
DL NOTES: The library was built in 1902 at the northeast corner of Northwest 3rd (now McGee) & Robinson. It was replaced by another library at the same location during 1953-54.
A snippet from pages 16-18 concerning OKC's trolley/interurban system:
Transportation within the city limits is well provided for by the electric system finished the first of this year. The power is furnished by the Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company, which has largely increased its equipment and is still improving its machinery and enlarging its capacity. The street railway is under the control of the Metropolitan Railway Company, incorporated with a stock of $500,000. The President is Anton H. Classen, Vice-President, W. W. Storm; Secretary and Purchasing Agent, J. W. Shartel; Treasurer, George H. Brauer; Superintendent, Charles W. Ford; Chief Electrician, Harry Sproull. The system is well equipped and its present trackage of about eight miles will be extended by the end of the year to fifteen miles.
Thirty miles of electric road will be built by the company newly organized to construct an interurban line from Oklahoma City to Guthrie. This is expected to be in operation within a year. Another interurban line is proposed, to run to Purcell, I. T., thirty-three miles from Oklahoma City.
There can be no hesitation in defining Oklahoma City's position as to advantages and importance in the matter of transportation. Every observer must admit that it would hardly be possible to find a record of greater progress than that presented by railway interests in this city.
Well, it turned out not to be nearly as simple as that. OG&E's supply of power proved unpredictable, resulting in the Oklahoma Railway Company building its own power plant, Belle Isle (sources vary about the date but it was between 1907-1910). The interurban line to Guthrie was done (in 1916); the line to Purcell never happened but Norman did (Moore in 1910, Norman in 1913), as did a line to El Reno (1911), not mentioned in the Chamber's text. For more on this topic, see this earlier article.
Page 19, Churches
Page 20, About Oklahoma City
DL NOTE: A snippet from the above reads,
The W.C.T.U. comprises a well organized body of faithful workers, intensely interested in the upbuilding of the city's moral standards, and they are making a strong impression on the general life of the community.
About this, I had to chuckle, given the other pages which touted Oklahoma City's liquor industry, as well as the Southern Club Bar! See pages 44, 48, and 184, below.
Page 21, Schools
Page 23, City Hall, Northwest Corner of Grand (Sheridan) and Broadway
DL NOTES: This property remained City Hall until the current City Hall was constructed during the WPA days as part of Oklahoma City's "Civic Center" project in the mid-1930s.
Page 25, India Temple, 101 W. 2nd (now Kerr) Northwest corner of Broadway & Kerr
DL NOTES: The India Temple was built in 1902 and later became the Wright Building. This building still stands but is presently hidden under a false exterior at the the southeast corner of the SandRidge (formerly Kerr-McGee) campus. It served as the temporary location for the state legislature between 1913-1917, until the the State Capitol was completed. Hopefully, SandRidge will see the need to preserve and restore this very historic property.
Page 27, OKC Chamber of Commerce
Page 29, Wholesalers
Page 35, Wholesale Grocers
Page 39, Alexander Drug, NW 1st & Robinson
Page 44, McCarthy Wholesale Liquor, 26 W. Main
Page 47, Culbertson Building, built in 1902 at the "jog" on Broadway and Grand (now Sheridan)
DL NOTES: Because it sat in the middle of southbound Broadway, the Culbertson Building was a favorite spot for photographs looking north. In photographs before the 1970s, it was seen with a Phillips 66 neon shield on its top. Also, see page 2 (top of Culbertson) and page 139 (looking south to Culbertson).
Page 48, Marrinan Wholesale Liquors & Cigars, 133 W. Grand
Page 53, Oklahoma Commerce Co., Reno by Santa Fe Tracks
Page 65, Western Union, 21 N. Broadway
DL NOTES: This property was sandwiched in between the Herskowitz building to the south and the Patterson Building to the north ...
Page 76, Oklahoma Ice & Brewing Company (1902) West of Santa Fe RR tracks on 2nd Street (R.S. Kerr Ave)
Page 88, Sherman Machinery, 18-32 E. Main
Page 96, Oklahoma Gas & Electric around Noble & Chickasaw by Santa Fe RR
Page 102, Lee Building, Northeast Corner of Robinson & Main, but this 1903 drawing isn't exactly the way the building turned out.
DL NOTES: Instead of the plans, the real Lee Building was 5 stories and wasn't built until a few years after 1903. The building which occupied the space burned down in late 1902 or early 1903 and housed the Lion Store before it moved to its 1903 location (see page 215, below). The actual building constructed, from another source, is shown below. The Lee Building later became the Oil & Gas Building and still stands although it is not recognizable from either of the images shown here. Today, the exterior is red brick and it houses Quiznos, among other tenants. Neil Horton saved this property from the Urban Renewal onslaught in the 1960s & 1970s. It was built by and named for Oscar G. Lee, OKC Police Chief (4/25/1892-4/12/1893) (only one of his many credentials -- see Page 153, Lee Hotel, below).
Page 107, Western National Bank, 101 W. Main At the northwest corner of Broadway & Main, it was originally the Masonic Temple built in 1893.
DL NOTE: For those who try to figure out "where buildings are" in early-day photos, this one is an important point of reference since it's the only building containing the distinctive turret shown above.
Page 116, Bank of Commerce, 100-104 W. Main Southwest Corner of Main and Broadway
Page 120, Residences
Page 131, St. Anthony's Hospital, 1899 at 1000 N. Lee
For much more about St. Anthony's Hospital, go here.
Page 139, Looking South on Broadway To Culbertson Bldg. The Lee Hotel is seen at the left.
DL NOTE: Also, see page 2 (top of Culbertson) and page 47 (Culbertson Building).
DL NOTES: Built in 1903, the Illinois Hotel became part of Brock's Dry Goods in 1914 or so, and, eventually, became part of the John A. Brown Department Store. See this article for the full story about that.
Page 149, Hanson Plumbing Ad., 213-215 W. Main
DL NOTE: What guy wouldn't rush right on down to Hanson's and buy a tub? The inclusion of a nude voluptuous lady in the Chamber's book speaks at least a little as to what was considered, "OK," in 1903! Don't bother to look for an ad like this in tomorrow's Oklahoman!
Page 150, Southern Hotel, Northeast Corner of Broadway and 2nd (now R.S. Kerr)
DL NOTES: Announced in 1903, this is another drawing that turned out differently than the completed product. When it opened in April 1904, it had 4 stories instead of 5 and was named for its owner, Dr. John Threadgill, as Hotel Threadgill. Later, it became the Hotel Bristol and survived under that name until early 1957 when it was razed to become a parking lot. In its early days, it was one of Oklahoma City's better hotels.
Page 151, Saratoga Hotel, 15-17 S. Broadway Approximately where the Courtyard Marriott is today
DL NOTES: This 45-room hotel doesn't appear to have ever been anything special; by the late 1940s it seems to have become the venue for several bootlegger arrests. It existed until at least 1975.
Page 153, Lee Hotel, 22 N. Broadway, Northwest Corner of Broadway & Main
DL NOTES: The above was built by Oscar G. Lee in 1900. It was totally destroyed by fire in 1908 but was built anew as the 1910 Lee-Huckins Hotel at the same location. The Lee Hotel contained the city's 1st electric elevator and both Buffalo Bill Cody and Theodore Roosevelt were guests there. For much more about the Lee and its successors, go here.
Page 158, Overholser Opera House Under Construction in 1903
DL NOTES: Located at 217 W. Grand (a couple of buildings west of today's Colcord Hotel), notables as Sarah Bernhardt and Lillian Russell performed there. New owners acquired the building in 1917 and rebuilt it to become the Orpheum Theatre, opening as such in 1921. In 1928, being acquired by Warner Brothers, it became the Warner. In the mid-1950s, Warner Bros. renovated the building to become Oklahoma City's first Cinerama theater. It was destroyed in the mid-1960s. For a fuller story, go here.
Page 169, Robinson Avenue
Page 171, Baptist Sanitarium, 227 E. 4th Street
Page 177, Main Street, East From Harvey
Page 184, The Southern Club Bar, 28 W. Grand
DL NOTES: Click on the above image to read all of the text, but a couple of excerpts read,
METROPOLITAN in all things is Oklahoma City—in its professions, trades, commerce, arts, science, and last, but not least, its bar rooms. First and foremost among the elegant and high class resorts of this kind for the convenience of business men ranks the beautiful place of Barnes & Stout, known as the Southern Club Bar, at 28 West Grand Avenue. It was established February the first of the whole of a two-story and basement brick building twenty-five by one hundred and forty feet in dimensions.
Ever since its inception this house has made a record for excellent management, superior quality of goods and eminent respectability, which have gained for it the large and popular patronage it enjoys. The apartments occupied are elegant and luxurious, the bar being carved and finished in mahogany. The floor is of tile, and the shelving handsomely fitted with large mirrors of French plate glass and handsome decorations, the finest glassware, and only the finest qualities of wines, liquors, whiskies, brandies, ale, mineral water and cigars are kept on hand. * * * The firm [that owns the business] are members of our Chamber of Commerce, and are men of business ability and are prominent among those who promote our business interests as a city.
You may know that the Southern Club was reputed to be one of the city's more elegant locations for vice, in those days gone by. One wonders how today's Chamber would describe such a gentleman's club, if at all!
Page 189, Crescent Grocery, 207 W. Main
DL NOTE: When Plaza Court opened at Northwest 10th & Walker in 1927, Crescent Market became one of its initial tenants. See this article for more about that.
Page 193, Hartwell Jewelry, 127 W. Main
Page 194, Haleys Confectionary, 211 W. Main
Page 197, Grand Avenue From Opera House
Page 215, The Lion Store, 124-126 W. Main
DL NOTES: The Lion Store was an early-day large dry goods store in Oklahoma City, operating between 1889 and 1937 under one owner or another. Following a fire at its location on the northeast corner of Main and Robinson (where the Lee Building would be built), the Lion Store moved into the above property. Later and by 1909, it moved to the corner of Broadway & Grand (Sheridan), the Culbertson Building, I'm rather certain. By 1909, the above building came to be known as the Empire Building, a couple of doors west of the Criterion Theater. A poor graphic from the April 22, 1910, Oklahoman shows the changed name but the picture after it of the Criterion shows it better:
Page 217, Main Street From Broadway
Page 224, Frisco Ad For The Ozark Route
Page 225, Frisco Depot West of Hudson & Around What Is Couch Drive Today
Page 227, Oklahoma State Military Institute
DL NOTES: I'll say more about this item since obscure puzzles interest me and, on research, I quickly discovered that this was precisely such a thing. As of this revision, I think that I've pretty well figured out most of the pieces.
The OSMI was located approximately a mile north of Epworth University upon a 10-acre tract of land ... this page at the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library System places the location at NW 35th & McKinley but does not give a more precise location ... Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaways' Vanished Splendor (I), image 137, shows the location as NW 36th & McKinley. It was quickly put together in 1903 through the efforts and financial backing of several prominent Oklahoma Citians, including Dr. John Threadgill, C.F. Colcord, I.M. Putnam, C.G. Jones, and others. From the above sources, it was located within the circled area of a crop from a 1922 Sanborn Map Company map shown below:
Notice that "Military Park Addition" spreads through this area and that Military Avenue exists as a north/south street. Perhaps you've wondered, "Why those names?" – the reason is doubtless the existence, though short-lived, of the Oklahoma State Military Institute.
When it opened, it was a true military institute, apparently a college-or-life preparatory school, for men only. It had its own canon and the cadets were equipped with Springfield rifles. Its commandant was appointed to serve by orders from the War Department. It was a self-contained facility which included a chapel, dining hall, sleeping rooms, gymnasium, and other elements appropriate for a boarding school. Cadets in the inaugural fall 1903 school term were reported by the Oklahoman to have come from 15 towns in Oklahoma and Indian Territories, one from Texas and another from Havana, Cuba. Its football team played at least one game (but I'd suppose more) as shown by this page from SoonerStats.com, winning 71-4. A March 12, 1939, Oklahoman article shows a picture of the 1904 OSMI team ...
But, something happened – I haven't figured out what – and the auspicious beginnings of OSMI came to an end before the 1905 fall season. I did find a September 12, 1905, "Notice of Sheriff's Sale" in litigation by a judgment creditor (Wise-Moist Coal and Lumber Company) against OSMI for $714.71, but one wouldn't think that the likes of C.G. Jones and C.F. Colcord would have any trouble with that sum of money. The demise of OSMI must have been for some other reason, I'd suppose. (As a side note, I considered the possibility that OSMI might have been the predecessor to the Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore as was said in the same article containing the picture of the 1904 football team, above. But, that does not appear to have been the case. Claremore's Oklahoma Military Academy was founded in 1919 and no connection between the two schools seems to have existed. See this page at Rogers State University.)
In any event, on August 6, 1905, an announcement in the Oklahoman stated that the successor institution to OSMI was "Capital University." Here's the August 1905 advertisement:
What's that? You never heard of "Capital University?" Neither had I until doing research through the Oklahoman's archives. It actually did exist but only for one year. I found no report of its demise in the Oklahoman's archives – the last reference I located mentioning this school was a January 4, 1906, snippet saying that its Chancellor, Rev. Ira Holbrook, was conducting a religious meeting in Wellston. After that, I found nothing about Capital University.
Instead of an article discussing Capital University, I located the July 4, 1906, advertisement below:
So, in July 1906, the building's occupant changed a third time, this time to an all-girls school. A postcard in Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaways' Vanished Splendor (I), image 137, shows "Oklahoma College For Young Ladies, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma" on the face of the card. The text associated with the card says that the school burned down in 1909. This page at MLS says that it burned down in 1909, but the source is the same volume of Vanished Splendor. A November 1, 1986, Oklahoman article, discussing the history of Putnam Heights Addition, contained a statement attributed to Warren Edwards, who, the article said, "saw the Oklahoma Military Institute near NW 35 and Classen burn in 1910." An August 14, 1936, Oklahoman obituary about Dr. G.C. Jones, founder of this school, said that the school was destroyed by a 1910 fire. Since I was unable to find any Oklahoman article describing a fire to this building, all that I can objectively say is that the fire occurred in 1909 or 1910.
A real photo from the Oklahoma Historical Society
If and when I learn more about this not completely solved OSMI/Capital University/Oklahoma College For Young Ladies puzzle, I'll update this article.
Page 229, Oklahoma City Business College, 6 (?) West Grand
Page 231, Empire Laundry, 24 W. Main
Page 239, St. Joseph's Cathedral Under Construction
That's all the scans I made and comments that I have, and I hope you enjoyed looking through this rare and excellent book and the various comments made along the way.
Operation Scissortail - Our Latest Book!
-
[image: devon book cover]
We are very happy to announce the release of our latest book, "Operation
Scissortail," a narative history of the construction o...
Saturday in the Park..on a 113 degree day
-
For those who don't know, there is a reason I've gone very quiet at such a
pivotal moment for Downtown OKC. I accepted a position in Cleveland, Ohio
and I...
Since 2005, Mike at Okiedoke.com of Little Axe, Oklahoma, fame, has undertaken the arduous task of receiving nominations in 12 categories for "Okie Blog Awards." Only active Oklahoma bloggers can nominate, and only active Oklahoma bloggers get to vote in this peer-to-peer annual Oklahoma blogger event. Voting for the 2008 awards ends on February 7, 2009. Up to 10 nominees in each of the following categories are possible:
ESPN's most recent NBA videos can be immediately viewed in the blog's right panel, as illustrated here. I've added Daily Thunder to my Thunder links as you can see above.
Posts
