Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in
Oklahoma. As of 2005 the estimate for the city population was 382,457.
[Tulsa (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau [Census Bureau]] Tulsa is the 45th largest city in the
United States and the 93rd largest city in North America. It is the
county seat of
Tulsa County. Tulsa's
Metropolitan Statistical Area, area was estimated to have a 2005 population of 887,715 and Tulsa's
Combined Statistical Area, which includes the Bartlesville Micropolitan Area was estimated to have a 2005 population of 936,864.
The part of the state in which Tulsa lies is often referred to as "
Green Country," a reference to the Oklahoma Department of Tourism's designation for Northeastern Oklahoma. Also, once coined as "America's Most Beautiful City" in the middle part of the 20th Century by magazines and as a tourism tactic, the nickname remains as a tribute to Tulsa's heritage in art (the city spends millions of dollars each year in public art), its
art deco architecture, its 6,000-acre park system, and its location in a typically-lush area of the
Ozarks foothills.
Tulsa is the cultural and arts center of Oklahoma, boasting several world-renowned art museums and the third largest instance of
art deco architecture in the country, behind
New York City and
Miami,
Florida. Many of Tulsa's downtown skyscrapers and also entire neighborhoods were constructed with
art deco architecture, and the city is often referred to as "Terra Cotta City," accordingly.
In 2005, Tulsa was selected as one of "America's Most Livable Large Cities."
What was to ultimately become Tulsa was first a part of
Indian Territory. The
Lochapoka Creek settled the current Tulsa area between 1828 and 1836 after they had been driven from their native
Alabama. Much of modern Tulsa is located in the Creek Nation, with parts located in the
Cherokee Nation and
Osage Nation.
In August 1882, the
St. Louis and San Francisco Railway, later called the Frisco, completed the extension of its line to Tulsa to serve the
cattle business, the city's first
industry. Tulsa, during this time, was referred to as "Tulsey Town."
Tulsa changed from a small
Indian town to a
boomtown with the discovery of
oil in 1901 at
Red Fork, a small community southwest of Tulsa.
Wildcatters and investors flooded into the city and the town began to take shape. In 1905, the
Glenn Pool oil field was discovered. This laid the foundation for Tulsa to become a world leader in oil and many oil and gas businesses. By the time Oklahoma achieved
statehood in 1907, Tulsa had a population of 7,298.
By 1920, the population boomed to 72,000. The second surge of oil discoveries occurred between 1915 and 1930 and firmly established Tulsa as the "Oil Capital of the World." Wealthy families poured their oil fortunes into new construction throughout the city, primarily with
art deco architecture. It is said that private organizations and wealthy families poured over $1 million a day into
art deco style building projects during Tulsa's upswing as an oil Mecca. Today, Tulsa's older business districts and neighborhoods are part of the largest collection of art deco architecture in the country. Another community that flourished in Tulsa during the oil boom was
Greenwood. Known nationally as "
Black Wall Street," the neighborhood was a hotbed of
jazz and
blues in the 1920s. In 1921, it was also the site of the
Tulsa Race Riot, one of the nation's worst acts of racial violence.
Following the "Oil Bust" of 1982-84, the title of "Oil Capital of the World" was basically relinquished to
Houston, and city leaders began working to diversify the city away from a largely petroleum-based economy. Other industries, such as
aerospace and
aviation, have taken a more prevalent role in the city's economy, especially in the years following
World War II, in which Tulsa served as a major construction port for the Air Force.
Many key families and people played important roles in the history of Tulsa, including the
Perryman Family, the Phillips family (
Frank Phillips, who founded
Phillips Petroleum Company, and his brother
Waite Phillips),
J. Paul Getty,
William G. Skelly, the Warren family, the Murphy family, the LaFortune Family, the Bartlett family,
Thomas Gilcrease, and Chef Kelly L. Crisp.
Tulsa has a
mayor-council form of government. Tulsa is also the
county seat for
Tulsa County.
The city of Tulsa covers over 181 square miles--an area roughly three times the size of
Washington DC. This large city footprint allows Tulsa's communities to take on a personality much their own.
Downtown is known for its
art deco architecture and, as expected, office buildings. At 667 ft, for example, the
BOK Tower is the tallest building in any of the 5 "plains states" (
Oklahoma,
Kansas,
Nebraska,
North Dakota and
South Dakota) and was designed in 1975 by
Minoru Yamasaki & Associates, the same architect who designed the
World Trade Center in
New York. Downtown contains Tulsa's largest entertainment and convention venues, including the multi-purpose 18,000-seat arena, the
BOK Center, currently under construction.
Midtown Tulsa is a largely residential district occupying land just south of Downtown on the east bank of the Arkansas River stretching further eastward. This area, Tulsa's historical residential core, consists mostly of large upscale homes built in the early 1900's with architecture ranging from
art deco to Greek Revival. This area is also home to the
Philbrook Museum, as well as Tulsa's premier upscale historical shopping district, Utica Square, the historical Cherry Street district, the Southroads and Promenade shopping centers, and the Brookside entertainment and dining district.
South Tulsa, a large area between 61st Street and 121st Street, was mostly undeveloped before the 1980s, but now contains Tulsa's largest shopping base (mostly in the form of chain retail stores) after 20 years of continuous construction booms. Upscale homes, malls and some of the city's most prestigious schools are located in this hilly and secluded area.
Oral Roberts University, the Creek Nation Casino,
Southern Hills Country Club, and most of the city's current river-side shopping and entertainment are located here.
West Tulsa, a largely residential area occupying the entire city area west of the Arkansas River, has some of the city's largest parks and wilderness reserves, which are the site of many of the city's annual events (including the Tulsa Oktoberfest). The area is also a testiment to Tulsa's history in the oil industry, and still contains several large oil refineries.
North Tulsa is is home to a large percentage of Tulsa's African-American community. The area's Booker T. Washington High School, Tulsa's African-American high school during the segregation era and now a magnet school, was recently judged to be the 58th best high school in the nation by Newsweek. Also included in this area is the jazzy
Greenwood Historical District, the internationally famous Gilcrease Museum, the Tulsa International Airport, the
Tulsa Zoo, the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, and the nation's third-largest municipal park, Mohawk Park.
Revitalization along the
Arkansas River and landmark projects such as Downtown's
BOK Center are parts of an ongoing massive city-wide revitalization plan.
Tulsa, located in the northeastern corner of
Oklahoma, lies between the edge of the
Great Plains and the foot of the
Ozark Mountains in a generally forested region of rolling hills.
The city serves as the gateway to "
Green Country," a popular and official designated name for northeast Oklahoma due to the region's dense green vegetation and relatively high amount of hills and lakes compared to that of Central and Western Oklahoma (which have geography similar to "
the Great Plains" region of the U.S.). Northeastern Oklahoma contains more than half of the state's registered state parks and six of Oklahoma's 11 ecosystems, as well as the state's most diversified agricultural economy and outdoor sports and recreation industry.
[[1] [Oklahoma Department of Tourism]]Tulsa is also near the heart of
Tornado Alley, a region known to experience more tornadoes on average than any other area in the world.
Tulsa's
geographic coordinates are (36.131294, -95.937332), with an elevation of 213 m (700 feet) above
sea level.According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 483.9
km² (186.8
mi²). 473.1 km² (182.6 mi²) of it is land and 10.9 km² (4.2 mi²) of it (2.24%) is water.
|
"Riverwalk Crossing" in the suburb of Jenks is the first of many developments planned or under construction along the Arkansas River in the Tulsa area. |
River and park system
The city is split by the prominent
Arkansas River, with the largest portion occupying the eastern bank. Tulsa is heavily wooded, with abundant parks and water areas including
Woodward Park, McClure Park, LaFortune Park, Florence Park,
Chandler Park, and over 6,000 acres of public park space. Mohawk Park, location of the
Tulsa Zoo, contains 11 km² (2,800 acres) and is the largest park in Tulsa and the 3rd largest municipal park in the United States.
The city's RiverParks Authority maintains an extensive park system along the
Arkansas River, housing picnic areas, playgrounds, public art and plazas, and an extensive bike and hiking trail system. In addition, the city has been enticing developers to develop along the river. The "Riverwalk Crossing," a dining, shopping and entertainment walking district aside the
Oklahoma Aquarium in
Jenks, is the most recent realization of those plans. Other river developments are currently under construction or planned from
Sand Springs on the north end of the river, to
Bixby, on the southern part of the river.
For most of the 20th century, oil refinery and oil corporations dominated Tulsa's economy. Like the rest of Oklahoma, an oil bust in the
1980s severely compromised that economic foundation. Since then, city and county officials have been leading massive undertakings to diversify Tulsa's economy.
Today, Tulsa is still an important energy and oil center, but other industries have taken the spotlight, such as,
aerospace,
banking,
telecom,
high tech, and
insurance.
The city has the nation's most inland water port, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa [5], which connects the state with international ocean trade routes through the Arkansas River and Mississippi River. Tulsa is also home to an American Airlines maintenance center, the largest airline maintenance base in the world.
Vision 2025, a comprehensive economic and tourism development initiative, was city leaders' response to an economic downturn during a national recession in the early
2000s.The initiative promised to recreate recently lost jobs and rapidly increase job development over the next decade. The crown jewel of Vision 2025 projects, the
BOK Center, the 18,000-seat arena currently under construction in downtown Tulsa, was designed to be an architectural icon of the city. Leaders hope the arena will spur downtown development.
Recently, Forbes magazine rated Tulsa as second in the nation in job income growth, and one of the best 50 cities to do business in the country.
Tulsa is currently in the midst of a significant economic development and investment surge.
 |
At the main entrance to Oral Roberts University stands the well-known praying hands sculpture (background). At 60 feet in height, it is the largest praying hands monument in the world. |
The Tulsa area has 13 school distrcits with more than 2,000 students as of Fall 2005.
Tulsa Public Schools is the largest school district in
Oklahoma. Each of the public districts in
Tulsa County has a single high school, except for Tulsa Public Schools, which has nine. The Tulsa district also includes several charter schools.
There are also multiple private elementary and middle schools in the Tulsa metropolitan area. There are Jewish, Catholic and Protestant private schools and most of the area's private schools have some degree of religious affiliation.
Colleges and Universities
Tulsa has 14 institutions of higher education. Primary universities in the city include
Oral Roberts University, founded by evangelist Oral Roberts in 1963, and the older
University of Tulsa, founded in 1882.
Tulsa Community College (TCC) and
Tulsa Technology Center (TTC) are two-year vocational schools. The University of Oklahoma has a graduate campus in Tulsa, known as the Schusterman Center, and Oklahoma State University has a fully-functioning branch of its main
Stillwater, Oklahoma campus in Tulsa:
Oklahoma State University - Tulsa.
Libraries
The
Tulsa City-County Library system is the largest in the state of
Oklahoma, containing 1.7 million volumes in 25 library facilities (
map).
The Tulsa City-County Library is very active in the community, holding
events and programs at most library locations, including free computer classes, children's storytimes, business and job assistance, and many others.The library system provides access to dozens of
online databases for reliable information on a variety of topics. Many of these are accessible from home with a valid library card number. There are many other
research tools available, including an award-winning database of
frequently-asked questions.
The
McFarlin library at the University of Tulsa is a
federal depository library holding over 3 million items. The library was founded in 1930 and is known for its collection of native american works.
[The University of Tulsa McFarlin library website, available at http://www.lib.utulsa.edu/mcfarlin.htm]With the city's interesting mix of Southern settlers, Northern oilmen, and Western ranchers and thanks to Tulsa's location in an area rich with
Native American history and culture, the city and surrounding areas are home to many unique museums and attractions.
Museums and cultural centers
 |
The Philbrook Museum of Art |
Tulsa's culture is apparent in the city's most prominent art museums, the
Philbrook Museum of Art, and
Thomas Gilcrease Museum of Art.
The Philbrook is a
fine art museum on the former estate of
oil pioneer
Waite Phillips. The museum is the largest estate in one of Tulsa's former oil baron neighborhoods noted for impressive and elaborate
art deco style mansions. Distinguished for original artwork, the museum building itself is an award winning piece of artwork. The expansive grounds of the museum are an elaborate and recently renovated garden.
Thomas Gilcrease Museum of Art houses the largest collection of
American Western and
American Indian art in the United States, and is located north of downtown Tulsa in the Osage Hills. The new
Oklahoma Aquarium is the state's only freestanding aquarium, and boasts a 500,000 gallon walk-through shark tank, located in the suburb of
Jenks, Oklahoma.
Other important museums and cultural centers include: the new
the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, the
Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, which houses the largest collection of
Judaica in the
Southwest United States, the
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, the
Tulsa Geosciences Center, the
Will Rogers Memorial in
Claremore, Oklahoma,
Tulsa Historical Center, next to the Tulsa Garden Center, the
J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum, home of the largest private gun collection in the world, and
Greenwood Cultural Center, which preserves the history of
The Black Wall Street prior to the
Tulsa Race Riot.
Parks, gardens and nature preserves
The City of Tulsa manages 140 parks covering roughly 6,000 acres, featuring nature centers, golf courses, 21 swimming pools, 156 sports fields, 115 playgrounds, 123 tennis courts, 25 water playgrounds, The River SkatePark, 60 picnic shelters, 14 community centers, fitness facilities, gymnasiums, meeting rooms and facilities, trails and more.The
Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum, north of the city in Mohawk Park, was named in 2005 as "America's Favorite Zoo" by
Microsoft Game Studios as a promotion for their "Zoo Tycoon 2" computer game.The city parks system also operates an "Urban Wilderness Area" covering a nearby mountain, featuring hiking trails and scenic vistas. It is called the "Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area" and is located on the east bank of the
Arkansas River overlooking downtown Tulsa.
Performing arts
Tulsa's performing arts community has had a significant influence in American pop culture history.
Cain's Ballroom, often considered the birthplace of
Western Swing because it was the headquarters of
Bob Wills, has played host to a number of famous musicians. The building is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.Tulsa's "
Discoveryland!," is designated as the official performance headquarters of
Rodgers & Hammerstein's "
Oklahoma", and features a western town and daily performances in summer.The
Tulsa Performing Arts Center, is the largest and primary performing arts venue in the city, but other performing arts theaters include:
The Brady Theater, listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, the
Clark Theatre, the
The Nightingale Theater, and the
Tulsa Spotlight Theatre.Theater groups in Tulsa include,
Theatre Tulsa,
Tulsa Ballet,
Tulsa Opera,
Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, and
Tulsa Oratorio Chorus.
Festivals and Events
See also: List of festivals and events in Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa's diverse culture is well represented has a wide variety of events year-round, the largest of which being the
Tulsa State Fair, ongoing in late September and early October, which attracts over 1 million people during its few-week span.
Tulsa's Oktoberfest was recently named one of the top 10 in the world by
USA Today and
Bon Appetit magazine calls it one of the top German food festivals.
Among the most popular events are, Tulsa Mayfest, Tulsa Oktoberfest, the Juneteenth Blues and Jazz Festival, the OK Mozart Festival in nearby Bartlesville, the Blue Dome Arts Festival, and the Gateway Balloon Festival.
Amusement Parks
Tulsa currently has two main amusement park attractions.
Bell's Amusement Park, a
Coney Island-style amusement park, features Oklahoma's largest wooden Roller Coaster and one of the tallest
drop-towers in the southwest.
Big Splash water park, located next door to Bell's Amusement Park, features several multi-story waterslides and a large wave pool.
Sports
Southern Hills Country Club is one of the top rated golf courses in the nation and one of a very few to host six majors. SHCC has hosted numerous national tours including 3
PGA Championships and 3
U.S. Opens, the most recent in 2001. In 2007, it will host its 4th PGA Championship and seventh major overall, the
2007 PGA Championship. SHCC also hosted the PGA TOUR Championship twice, and five amateur championships. Tulsa is also a regular
LPGA tour stop.
Corporate Challenge, located in Tulsa, is the nation's largest community-based corporate athletic competition hosting over 25,000 participants from 250 corporate teams.
Tulsa also has 2
NCAA Division 1 schools: the
University of Tulsa, and
Oral Roberts University.
Gaming
Tulsa has a large concentration of Indian gaming venues. As a result of a recent
compact with various Native American tribes, tribal gaming facilities that were previously limited to bingo now offer table games and slot machines.
Cherokee Casino and Resort,
Creek Nation Casino, and Osage Million Dollar Elm (two locations), are the largest casinos in the Tulsa Metro area.
Horse racing is also a popular gambling draw, both at
Fair Meadows race track, and at Will Rogers Downs in nearby
Claremore. Fair Meadows is also has a large Off-Track betting center.
Healthcare in Tulsa is primarily serviced by six private hospitals, the Catholic-affiliated
St. John and
St. Francis systems, the Ardent-affiliated
Hillcrest Hospital and
Tulsa Regional Medical Center, Triad's
SouthCrest[
2] and
Cancer Treatment Center of TulsaThe city of Tulsa also runs the
Tulsa Health Department.
Tulsa has a
temperate climate of the
continental variety. As is typical for the temperate zone, Tulsa's climate varies throughout the seasons and experiences occasional extremes.
Summer temperatures of 40°C (100°F) or higher are often observed from July to early September. These are usually accompanied by high humidity, caused by warm air from the
Gulf of Mexico brought in by southerly winds. Between May and September, Tulsa also experiences an "
Ozone Season", caused by a combination of factors including climate and
hydrocarbon emissions. During this season, Tulsa frequently issues "Ozone Alerts [
3]", encouraging all parties to do their part in complying with the
Clean Air Act and
E.P.A. standards.
Winter temperatures, while generally mild, also occassionally experience extremes below -20°C (0°F).
The
fall season is quite short, consisting of a brief period of pleasant, sunny days and cool nights.
Primarily during the
spring and early
summer months, the Tulsa area is often subjected to severe
thunderstorms, some of which contain large
hail, damaging winds and, not infrequently,
tornadoes. Severe weather is not limited, though, to this season. On December 5th 1975, for example, Tulsa experienced a damaging tornado.
The spring and early summer
thunderstorm pattern also provides the area with a disproportionate share of its annual
rainfall, which averages around 100 cm (39 inches). Due to frequent
flooding in past decades, Tulsa now has one of the most extensive flood control systems in the nation. In 2000,
FEMA honored Tulsa as leading the nation in flood plain management.
[FEMA News Release HQ-00-046a, 13-Sep-2000 [4]]PopulationAs of the
census of 2000, there were 393,049 people, 165,743 households, and 99,114 families residing in the city. The
population density was 830.9/km² (2,152.0/mi²). There were 179,405 housing units at an average density of 379.2/km² (982.3/mi²).
DiversityIn 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 70.09%
Caucasian, 15.47%
African American, 4.72%
Native American, 1.82%
Asian, 0.05%
Pacific Islander, 3.45% from
other races, and 4.40% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino persons of any race formed at least 7.15% of the population. with possibly more unregistered persons living within the city.
FamilyThere were 165,743 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were
married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 33.9% of all households are made up of only one person, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 people and the average family size was 2.98.
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The Arkansas River in Tulsa |
AgeIn the city, the population is spread-out with 24.8% of the population under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
IncomeThe median income for a household in the city was $35,316, and the median income for a family was $44,518. Males had a median income of $32,779 versus $25,587 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $21,534. About 10.9% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
|
Location of Tulsa, Oklahoma and suburbs |
The Tulsa
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of seven counties in northeastern
Oklahoma:
Tulsa,
Rogers,
Osage,
Wagoner,
Okmulgee,
Pawnee, and
Creek. The 2005 US Census Estimate shows the Tulsa MSA to have 887,715 residents.
The Tulsa-Bartlesville
Combined Statistical Area (CSA), is created by adding the
Bartlesville, Oklahoma micropolitan area which consists of
Washington County in Northeastern Oklahoma.
The 2005 US Census Estimate shows the Tulsa-Bartlesville CMSA to have 936,864 residents. Cities and towns in this area include (in no particular order):
*
North: Dewey,
Bartlesville,
Pawhuska,
Barnsdall,
Skiatook,
Collinsville,
Owasso,
Nowata*
West: Pawnee,
Bristow,
Cleveland,
Kellyville,
Sand Springs,
Mannford,
Sapulpa*
East: Claremore,
Catoosa,
Broken Arrow,
Wagoner,
Coweta,
Inola*
South: Jenks,
Glenpool,
Bixby,
Mounds,
Beggs,
Okmulgee,
HenryettaGreen CountryGreen Country is a popular term used in different scenarios to describe different aspects of the Greater Tulsa Region, but may also refer specifically to the official Tulsa MSA. Each usage of the term is derived from its official meaning as the tourism designation for all of Northeastern Oklahoma.
While the Tulsa MSA only officially occupies a section of
Green Country as it is defined by the
Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the entire region is sometimes referred to as the Greater Tulsa Area. On the same accord, the term "
Green Country" can apply to the immediate Tulsa urban area or the city of Tulsa proper, but neither of these are proper or official for the use of the term. (
See "Green Country")
AirTulsa is served by
Tulsa International Airport (TUL) to the north and Richard L. Jones, Jr. Airport (RVS) to the south. TUL is home to eleven commercial airlines, seven cargo carriers, and several charter airlines which serve nearly 3 million travelers annually with almost 80 departures every day. The airport is under expansion, and according to its
website is adding several restaurants and shops as well as "expanded seating areas, convenient restrooms, and real time flight information." The impact of airport operations on the surrounding community is nearly $3.2 billion annually.
[Tulsa International Airport website, available http://www.tulsaairports.com/]RVS, also known as Riverside airport, is located in
Jenks. The airport saw 285,484 takeoffs and landings in 2004, making it the busiest airport in the state of Oklahoma. Much of this traffic is from the six flights schools which operate over 500 aircraft out of the airport. RVS operations generate over $3.2 million annually.
[Richard L. Jones, Jr. Airport website, available http://www.tulsaairports.com/rljones/rljones_airport.html]More information is available on the
Tulsa Airports websiteLandImportant highways passing through Tulsa are:
*
Interstate 44 - Skelly Drive / Skelly Bypass (bypasses downtown to the South)
*
Interstate 244 - Martin Luther King Expressway - known by locals as Red Fork Expressway west of downtown and Crosstown Expressway east of downtown (serves downtown, loops back to I-44 at either terminal)
*
Interstate 444 - unsigned Interstate, but forms with I-244 the IDL (Inner Dispersal Loop) which surrounds downtown
*
U.S. Route 412*
U.S. Route 64 - Broken Arrow Expressway to the east as far as Memorial Drive, Keystone Expressway to the west; at the Memorial Drive exit, U.S. 64 follows Memorial Drive southward to the Tulsa suburb of Bixby, Oklahoma
*
U.S. Route 75 - Okmulgee Beeline to the south, where it becomes the Indian Nations Turnpike, Cherokee Expressway to the north
*
U.S. Route 169 - Mingo Valley Expressway (also called Pearl Harbor Memorial Expressway) bypassing downtown to the east, serving the airport, and wrapping around far South Tulsa before turning into the Creek Turnpike
*
State Highway 11 - Gilcrease Drive (serves Tulsa Airport)
*
State Highway 51 - alternate designation for Broken Arrow Expressway
*
Creek Turnpike - U.S. 169 turns to the west from its north-south axis and becomes the Creek Turnpike, allowing drivers to completely bypass the city on the east and south sides
It was also served by historic
Route 66, and there are numerous reminders of this by the mid-20th century era, especially
motels and
restaurants along 11th Street and Admiral Place.
Cyrus Avery, known as "The Father of Route 66," resided in Tulsa.
WaterEast of Tulsa, in
Catoosa, the
Tulsa Port of Catoosa is the head of navigation for the McClellan-Kerr
Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), connecting
barge traffic from Tulsa to the
Mississippi River. This port is the farthest inland port in the United States.
Public TransportationCitywide bus transit is provided by the
Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority.
Street NetworkTulsa follows a very systematic naming and numbering convention for all
streets falling within its municipal jurisdiction. Admiral Place is the east-west-running dividing line for "streets north" and "streets south", while
Main Street is the north-south-running dividing line for "west avenues" and "east avenues."
Avenues falling west of Main Street are named for US cities west of the
Mississippi River for one run of the alphabet, after which numbered "west avenues" are assigned. Avenues falling east of Main Street are named for US cities east of the
Mississippi River for approximately three runs of the alphabet, after which numbered "east avenues" are assigned.
Streets falling north of Admiral Place are labeled for important names in Tulsa's history for one run of the alphabet, after which numbered "streets north" are assigned. Streets falling south of Admiral Place are numbered, beginning with "1st Street" and continuing southward. Street names and numbers are consistent throughout the Tulsa jurisdiction, regardless if a particular street is contiguous/continuous.
Addresses reflect their associated hundred
block from either Admiral or Main. There are usually 16 blocks per mile as counted by avenues, and there are 10 blocks per mile as counted by streets. Other right-of-way labels (such as Place, Court, Drive, Terrace, etc.) may be used to describe an intermittent
street or
avenue, but the actual name will usually be the same as the adjacent street or avenue (such as Knoxville Avenue and its neighboring Knoxville Place, both assigned as the 3600
block east).
Major arterial streets can be found at every mile, as assigned by the
Township and Range system, resulting in a well-defined grid of thoroughfares across the Tulsa region. In the east-west direction these are streets ending with a
1, including 11th street, 21st street, etc.
Print*Local Newspapers
**
Tulsa Beacon www.tulsabeacon.com is a weekly paper aimed towards Christian conservative readers.
**
Tulsa Business Journal www.neighbor-newspapers.com**
Tulsa Daily Commerce and Legal News www.neighbor-newspapers.com**
Tulsa Free Press www.gtrnews.com, published on a monthly basis, features community news, classifieds and local information.
**
Tulsa Front Page www.tulsafrontpage.com is a recent local paper.
**
Tulsa World www.tulsaworld.com is Tulsa's daily newspaper and is the second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state.
**
Urban Tulsa www.urbantulsa.com is Tulsa's free alternative newsweekly, featuring such staples as local commentary, feature stories, classifieds, restaurant reviews and movie listings.
* Regional Newspapers
**
Dallas Morning News www.dallasnews.com**
Oklahoma Indian Times www.okit.com.
**
The Oklahoman www.newsok.com,
Oklahoma City's daily newspaper, widely circulated in the Tulsa area.
**
Pennysaver www.tulsa-pennysaver.comBroadcastAll major U.S.
television networks are represented in Tulsa.
Cable television service in the area is provided by
Cox Communications. As in most major
American cities, local
radio stations in the Tulsa area are controlled by a small handful of large
broadcasting companies.
See Broadcast Media in TulsaTulsa has also been featured or mentioned in books, film, songs, and on television.
BooksThe Outsiders, by
S. E. HintonRumble Fish, by S. E. Hinton
Tex, by S. E. Hinton
That Was Then, This Is Now", by S.E. Hinton
*The Hot Kid, by Elmore Leonard
*The Keys to Tulsa by Brian Fair Berkey, later was written into a 1992 movie The Keys to Tulsa
.
*Tulsa Burning'', by Anna Myers
MoviesKeys to Tulsa (1997) [
5], directed by
Leslie Greif*
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story (2000) (TV)[
6], directed by
Michael Wilkerson*
The Outsiders (1983)[
7], directed by
Francis Ford Coppola*
Rumble Fish (1983)[
8], directed by Francis Ford Coppola
*
Take Me Back to Tulsa (1944)[
9], directed by
Josef Berne *
Tex (1982)[
10], directed by
Tim Hunter*
Tulsa, Toyko, and the Middle of Nowhere (1997)[
11]
*
Tulsa (1949)[
12], directed by
Stuart Heisler*
The Tulsa Kid (1940)[
13], directed by
George Sherman*
Twister (1996)[
14], directed by
Jan de Bont*
UHF (1989)[
15], directed by
Jay LeveyTelevision* On
Friends, the character
Chandler Bing was sent to Tulsa for one season.
*
Rodney, the
ABC sitcom, is based in Tulsa and stars Tulsa comedian
Rodney Carrington.
Songs* "
24 Hours from Tulsa" by
Gene Pitney* "
Don't Make Me Come to Tulsa" and "
The Day She Left Tulsa" by
Wade Hayes* "
Last Trip to Tulsa" by
Neil Young* "
Tulsa Tango" by
Stewart Copeland* "
Take me Back to Tulsa" by
Bob Wills and also performed by
Asleep at the Wheel* "
Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa" by
George Strait* "
Tulsa County Blue" by
The Byrds* "
Tulsa Time" by
Don Williams and also performed by
Eric Clapton* "
Tulsa Shuffle" by
The Tractors* "
The Tulsa Trap" by
Aqueduct* "
Tampa to Tulsa" by
The Jayhawks* "
Tulsa Telephone Book" by
Calexico* "
Tulsa County" by
Taj Mahal and the Rising Sons &
Son Volt* "
Tulsa" by
Dwight Twilley* "
Streets Of Tulsa" by
Tony Romanello* "
Tulsa Calling" by
The Red Alert* "
To Tulsa and Back" by
J.J. CaleTulsa has eight
sister cities, as designated by
Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
*
Beihai,
China*
Celle,
Germany*
Kaohsiung City,
Taiwan*
San Luis Potosí,
Mexico*
Tiberias,
Israel*
Utsunomiya,
Japan*
Zelenograd,
Russia*
Amiens,
France*
List of churches in Tulsa, Oklahoma*
List of people from Tulsa, Oklahoma*
Tulsa (book)*
Official City Website*
Tulsa Chamber of Commerce*
Tulsa Convention & Visitors Bureau*
Tulsa City-County Library*
Tulsa TV Memories*
Tulsa Historical Society*
TulsaNow and Discussion Forum*
Young Professionals of Tulsa*
Urban OK Forums -- Tulsa Civic & Development Discussion*
Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council*
Living Arts of Tulsa*
Tulsa Artists' Coalition*
Vision 2025*
Tulsa River Parks*
Downtown Tulsa News, Living, and Housing Options*
Tulsa Bars & Night Clubs @ OklahomaNightLife.com
