We had a real nice day the other day so I went on an noontime run from my gym in downtown Tulsa. First thing I ran into as a big temptation:
Don’t worry, I resisted temptation, I don’t think they were open anyway. I decided to just generally head east and see where the force moved me. I have to tell you, I’m glad they were closed. It made my decision easier. I kept on running and meandered into a not very nice part of town and came upon an abandoned storage yard with this gatepost.
Tulsa used to be the Oil Capital of the World and there are little reminders like this everywhere you turn. I’m kind of wondering if things aren’t returning a little bit. Oklahoma companies like Chesapeake, Devon, and Continental are really leading the pack in the horizontal drilling and fracturing of shale gas nationwide. Right now, I’m thinking about a drilling rig themed geocache near here. There are lots of guys (and gals) who grew up in Broken Bow, Elk City, Vici, Cheyenne, Barnsdall, Clinton, Apache, and other Oklahoma oil towns drilling wells or building pipelines all over the world. But that is another post. Lets get back on track.
I kind of veered to the left and right as the force led me and I found myself in front of this building.
I’ve never heard of Hooper Brothers Coffee Company. What drew me close was the raised brick signage. Turns out that it is a landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. This building is all over the internet. Who would know? They actually made coffee there until 1961. I don’t know what is going on now but I do know that this section of town is crying for a geocache. What do you think?
Have you ever got to a crossroads and had to make a decision? I decided to head further east into the Pearl District. A cool but depressed area just east of downtown Tulsa.
It has got some great looking store fronts. I can imagine shops, restaurants, bars,and studios.
There are some entrepreneurs who are defying the national economic downturn and trying to make things happen. ( I have to tell you that I find that brickwork above to be beautiful, and the windows and doors.)
Can’t you see a parade out front with people on the little balconies watching? I know, I’m going crazy. But I’m seeing a lot of potential.
They have a long ways to go, it will be interesting to see how far they can go. The rest of my route I veered here and there to avoid the winos, panhandlers, bums, and broken glass and eventually ended back at the gym. I decided that I need to get off my regular routes more often.
Do you ever get off your regular routes? Tell us about it.
We sure do get off the regular route often, whatever that regular route is. The brickwork in your images is very nice. It would fun to be able to see the people who were here when those buildings were built, how they were dressed, what their day was like…
You be careful out there.
The buildings are beautiful, even in their current state of disrepair.
Those are some truly amazing old buildings. I especially like the one with all the windowpanes!
Whenever we get “lost” my husband refers to it as “taking the scenic route.”
Those old buildings are just grand. Makes me wonder about the time when they were new and the people that inhabited them.
And anyone with an oil background just has to love that drill bit gate post!
Love the looks of those brick buildings and think your dreams are right on.
Terrific post and photos as always and, yes, your dreams are indeed right on. Hope your week gets better and that you’re back home with your family soon.
Sylvia
Great post. I love to read about Tulsa’s history. Tulsa is starting on an upswing, I can just feel it.
Glad I went on this run with you, Yogi – it’s my exercise for today (well, actually, I skied this morning in 14″ of new snow). I hope you didn’t succumb to temptation on the way past the bar the second time… (Running a different route than usual is a great left brain stimulator.)
I’m such a creature of habit that I rarely get off my regular routes. Thanks for the tour of the old section of Tulsa. I hope it has a renaissance of commercial and arts activities!
Wonderful tour!
Don’t be surprised, but I get lost every time I end up on that mix-mash of highways. I’m from the DFW metroplex and yet I can’t get through that stupid thing?
What wonderful brickwork. Glad you could stop to catalogue some treasures on your run!
a very interesting place to visit…visiting from My World…
would you mind visiting my entry
http://lovingoutliving.blogspot.com/2011/04/antulang-beach-resort.html
I think an old derrick design on a geocache would be just the thing for the Pearl District. The traffic seeking that geocache would bring that historic area back to life!
Hey, you were in my stomping grounds, so to speak. Our office/shop is on Troost. That one building with green doors I believe is getting ready to be an art gallery and on the corner at 6th, across from the auto shop is going to be a sandwich shop. Things are beginning to boom there. We were part of the master plan several years ago. Hopefully there will be a canal down the street if it continues. A Pearl in the rough!