Battle of Cabin Creek The First Battle at Cabin Creek was nothing more than a small skirmish in the grand scheme of the American Civil War, but even this short battle led the way for Union control over Arkansas and Indian Territory. The Union traveled down the old Texas Road in an orderly line. The […]
Category: History
Historical stories and facts
Native America and a Civil War Tale: The Fascinating Story of Indian City in Anadarko, Oklahoma
Indian City, USA was founded on the very site of the massacre of the Tonkawa Indians by the Shawnees and other mercenaries during the Civil War. Due to their loyalty to the Confederacy, the tribe was nearly exterminated by pro-Union Indians. In October of 1862, warriors from the Delaware, Shawnee, and Caddo tribes united to […]
Buried treasure in Oklahoma: The Strange Tale of Standing Rock
The Tale of Standing Rock Treasure From buried Spanish gold to ill-gotten gains of outlaw loot, Oklahoma has a fantastic history of producing treasure tales. Some of these stories border on the absurd, while others are deeply rooted in historical fact. The tale of Standing Rock contains a bit of flavor from both. On one […]
The man behind the Thomas Gilcrease Museum: The Savior of Western Art
Lady Luck was smiling down on Thomas Gilcrease the day that the Indian Territories were formally dissolved. A series of fortunate events lead this humble man to become one of the wealthiest millionaires in the country. Of course, wealth doesn’t come from luck alone, but requires hard work and dedication. Thomas Gilcrease was a stranger […]
Showmen’s Rest: The Legendary Circus City in Hugo, Oklahoma
The Day the Music Died The clowns no longer laugh, the acrobats no longer soar, and the musicians no longer play. All is quiet under the big top, and yet, in immortal life, the circus lives on. In Hugo, Oklahoma, in a place known as Showman’s Rest, the bones of great legendary circus performers lie […]
Frank Lloyd Wright in Oklahoma: The Price Tower
The Realization of a Dream The Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma is the realization of a dream for famed architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright. First conceived in the mid-twenties, it would take nearly thirty years before Wright would have a chance to build his first and only skyscraper. Frank Lloyd Wright was a visionary. […]
Philbrook Museum of Art: An Architectural Masterpiece
Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art: A mastery of Design The mastery of architecture in Tulsa takes no greater form than in Villa Philbrook. This mastery can be seen in every small detail; from the sweeping lines of the grand vestibule to the highly stylized chimera scattered throughout the villa. Highly ornate columns straddle the upstairs […]
Oklahoma Civil War Naval Battle: Recovering the J.R. Williams
Oklahoma’s Civil War Naval Battle In 1862, the Union Navy confiscated the J.R. Williams under the premise that the steamboat was being used to carry military contraband into the Confederate ports. After the Union Navy took possession of the J. R. Williams, the steam-wheeler was sent to Cairo, Illinois, for outfitting as a supply boat […]
Vikings in Oklahoma: Norsemen and the Heavener Runestone
From Europe to America The Vikings have landed in Oklahoma. To be more specific, they have landed in Heavener, Oklahoma. We can only speculate as to why they came, but many archeologists agree that there were, in fact, Vikings in Oklahoma. It has been proven that Vikings have visited North American several times in our […]
Medieval Castles in Oklahoma: Historic Information and Fun Facts
Yes, There Are Castles in Oklahoma When most people think of Oklahoma, they think of cowboys and Indians or of oil and large cornfields. But castles in Oklahoma? It’s hard to even put those two words together—Oklahoma Castle. It just sounds wrong. But yes, there are indeed castles in Oklahoma. If you’re disappointed that this […]