Owen Park, 560 North Maybelle, Tulsa

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-21. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Owen Park, the first public park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, officially opened on June 8, Named after Chauncey and Mary Owen, who sold some of their ranch/farm land to the City of Tulsa in the 24 acre park served as the home of the first Tulsa Park Superintendent. Today, the area that was once undeveloped is surrounded by residential neighborhoods built in the and It is part of the Owen Park Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated Oklahoma Landmark. The park is an important part of the history of the early years of the Tulsa.

History: In five years before the city purchased the land from Chauncey and Mary Owen, a temporary worker for the Western Torpedo Company was transporting goods from a wagon into a building on site that was used to store nitroglycerine. The company used the highly unstable and explosive nitroglycerine to shoot oil wells. The employee was last seen entering the building about 15 minutes before a massive explosion blew the building and all of its contents into a million pieces. The explosion was heard miles away and even broke the glass of buildings located about a mile to the east. All that remained was a large crater and scattered debris. Soon after the explosion the crater filled with water and became a popular swimming hole.

Ironically, the site became a popular destination for Tulsa citizens to enjoy food, games, and fireworks on the 4th of July. After the purchase of the property in Tulsa's first Park Superintendent moved into a house in the park and park board meetings were held in a room above his garage. Today, Tulsa's oldest park has changed quite a bit from its early days of farm land with scattered trees. The 24 acre property now is home to a play ground, two sporting fields, tennis courts, a water play area, a recreation center, an outdoor basketball court, an indoor and picnic shelters. The large, water-filled crater is named Owen Park Pond.

In addition, there are several historic memorials located on site, including the Indian Memorial, the Tulsa Association of Pioneers Memorial, and Tulsa's oldest surviving house. The Indian Memorial pays homage to the Osage, Cherokee, and Creek Indian Nations and marks the spot where the three nations met in with United States government officials to discuss land appropriations for the tribes, who were being removed from their native lands in the Southeastern states. The Tulsa Association of Pioneers Memorial honors the original members of the Tulsa Association of Pioneers who lived in Indian OWEN PARK HALS NO. OK-21 PAGE 2 Territory in the late Tulsa's oldest surviving home, built in the was moved to the site in and is in the National Folk style that was common during the late century.

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-21. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Steve Eilers, May 2, West Stillwater, OK steve. eilers (alokstate.edu Dr. Charles Leider Professor and Director of the Landscape Architecture Program Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department 360 AG Hall Stillwater, OK Office: charles.leiderfalokstate.edu OWEN PARK HALS NO. OK-21 PAGE 3 jnr v" y^A&^XHW.rliKf . ^W.".'//A'.'/. ^y View overlooking Owen Park Pond (Steve Eilers, ' T J "* ^M^si.: ^ . : :,& . * .us . m a2efe. Jp5 -S *. . " . -.- -, ^' ": ' ' IV*I ^ View of the open spaces found in Owen Park (Steve Eilers,