October, Osage County – Signs

This past Saturday I traveled up to  Osage County, Oklahoma to run a race on Frank Phillips old ranch, Woolaroc (“Wood Lakes Rocks”). Afterward I drove over to the old oilfield town of Barnsdall. Turned out that Barnsdall had some nice old signs.

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Barnsdall is the birthplace of Anita Bryant. Everybody calm down, I know that she became controversial but she has been gone some time now. It always fascinates me where people come from. I’m always asking where people are from. Except for people from Texas. If people are from Texas that is pretty much front loaded in the conversation. They will not ask you where you are from though, they figure that if you are from Texas you’d of already told them, and they don’t want to embarrass you in case you are not from there.

Anyway, Barnsdall claims fame to the world’s only Main Street Oil Well. Here is the sign.

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And here is the well.

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I don’t want to burst anybody’s bubble. But I don’t think the well is operating any more. In fact it hasn’t produced in decades. I have access to databases that tell me that it is no longer an oil well. Also they say it is the only “Main Street” oil well. I worked in the San Andres field in the Permian Basin of Texas. They had wells drilled in several streets. That’s right, they just took over the whole street. None of the wells were on “Main Street” though.

Hey you know who else is from Barnsdall?

Yep, Clark Gable lived there for a few years when his father worked in the oil fields. I’m telling you Barnsdall is a good place to be from.

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Barnsdall turned out to be a good place for sign photos.

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The original name for Barnsdall was “Bigheart” it got changed about a hundred years ago.

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The downtown area had some old buildings and interesting signs.

Barnsdall is a nice little town with a lot of history. For one thing it is where my employer, ONEOK, got started way back on October 12, 1906 with a pipeline that moved gas from the Barnsdall area to Oklahoma City.  The company history is wild and wooly reflective of the booms and busts of the energy industry. I love it. Check out a slightly outdated version here.

Oh, by the way, Where are you from? I’m from Espanola, New Mexico originally. My parents lived closer to Santa Fe but Dad called around while Mom was expecting and Espanola was birthing babies cheaper. Kind of set the tone for my whole life. I’ve been looking for deals ever since.

Signs, Signs

15 thoughts on “October, Osage County – Signs

  1. Leedslass

    You write such an interesting and witty blog:-) Who’d have thought Clark Gable once lived in Oklahoma?
    Certainly not me.
    You ask where your readers are from. Well I’m Leeds born and bred so that makes me a Leodensian – Leeds is in Yorkshire, England by the way.

  2. Sylvia K

    I do have a hard time seeing Clark Gable as an Oklahoman, too!! Who would’ve thought indeed! I love your sense of humor and what fun captures for the day!! You do find the good ones!!

  3. Impulsive Addict

    You’re so funny! Yes, Texans are their own breed. Why is that? I lived among them for 7 years. They don’t like to accept newbies…especially Oklahomans.

    I’m from Wagoner. I know, I know. Total white trash. Now I live in Hell. It’s not much better here. If I could pick an Oklahoma town to be from, I’d pick Owasso. Or Norman. Both are pretty classy and you know I’m always looking to be more classy.

  4. Daryl

    i was born in the Bronx, grew up there and moved into Manhattan when i was in my late 20s … been there ever since … a true born and raised New Yawker

  5. P M Prescott

    The beautiful Espanola valley is a nice place to call home.
    I was born on a marine corp base in North Carolina, grew up in Pueblo, Co and have called Albuquerque home for nearly fifty years (exiled for 5 years to Texas while going to college and I know what you mean about Texans).

  6. Genie

    What a great collection. I love this post. It definitely puts a smile on my face. Like the well in the middle of the street. Nice paint job, too. Barnsdall definitely has a fine history. Oh, I am from Palm Beach, Florida. genie

  7. Martha Z

    It does seem to be a great place to find colorful signs.
    I was born in Hollywood, CA and raised in West Hollywood. West Hollywood didn’t have the reputation then that it does now but maybe no one outside of Southern California has heard of this little town.

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