So here's my Friday contribution from the Beryl Ford collection. This photo got me thinking...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/D8361.jpg)
What changed? The above photo shows George Perryman with "early Tulsa citizens." It appears to be a diverse bunch.
By the 1950's something must have changed.
The local and inter-city transportation committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/G0876.jpg)
The public health committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/G0860.jpg)
The civic improvements committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/G0859.jpg)
The dairy development committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/G0470.jpg)
The New Industry Committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/G0911.jpg)
The Aviation Committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/G0375.jpg)
The Low Water Dam Committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/G0515.jpg)
The Metropolitan Planning Committee...
(http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/C1382.jpg)
There's more, but you get the picture...
White folk snagged the land, mineral rights, etc. from the indians. There were far more white folk moving in and breeding, and the then minority got sidelined. Plus, those who have the money time and connections can then volunteer to be on committees. White folk just overwhelmed the early native populations of "Mexican farmers" and Indians (not that there is any difference other than a line on a map between a Mexican indian and a US indian other than which group of Europeans they mixed with, they are all Native American Indians).
But, what comes around often goes around....
Tulsa was lilly white.
1990 , "About" ......White 80%, Black 13%, Native American 4.5%, hispanic 2.5%.
Projected 2013.....White 67%, Black 14%, Native American 2%, Hispanic 14.5%
Wonder what the demographics were back when that photo was taken? Wonder what its gonna be 20 years from now? My guess is that Tulsa will not be all that white.
One disturbing thing though looking at the Tulsa Chambers new 2009 stats,,, Tulsas population between 2008 to 2013 is expected to continue declining, with vacant housing going up to 15% of the total units. Though oddly they have the population density going up?
Less people, more density? We losing some land somewhere?
But some good news is that it looks like our average incomes will also continue to rise. According to their stats that is.
http://ww3.tulsachamber.com/upload/file/Economic%20Development/Tulsa%20Demographics%202009.pdf
Quote from: PonderInc on December 04, 2009, 05:30:00 PM
There's more, but you get the picture...
That's an abomination!
What are those two fe-males doing on the The Aviation Committee?
;)
Quote from: patric on December 04, 2009, 06:04:05 PM
That's an abomination!
What are those two fe-males doing on the The Aviation Committee?
;)
Crazy womens rights thing sneaking into society apparently. Either that or the husband has a LOT of money.
The land where my house is (Lortondale, 26th & Yale) was originally Creek tribal lands, alloted in 1904 to 9 year old Creek citizen Frances Perryman. Changed hands to the Lorton family, the newspaper family, and hence my subdivision name Lortondale. The land was sold by the Lortons to become the original site of Meadowbrook Country Club, a country club founded by prominent Tulsa Jewish citizens because they were blackballed and descriminated against by other Tulsa country clubs such as Southern Hills and the Tulsa CC. The property was eventually sold by Meadowbrook CC when they moved out south to Tulsa homebuilder Howard Grubb, the developer that built my wonderful mid-century-modern home in 1954.
One big difference- the Perryman group had hair. Also big hats.
The Dairy development committee? I'm guessing they failed.
Quote from: patric on December 04, 2009, 06:04:05 PM
That's an abomination!
What are those two fe-males doing on the The Aviation Committee?
;)
Presumably some groups decided it was ok to include their secretaries in the official photos.
Does anybody recognize anyone from the old Planning Committee photo?
I speak as one of the pale, male (and stale) Tulsans.
I think it is unfair to compare a random picture of people to a picture of official boards or committees to show diversity. I feel pretty sure the official committees of the first decade of the century were very similar in makeup as those in the 1950s.
Remember that women didn't have the right to vote in the first picture and we hadn't had the civil rights movement yet in the second.
What I got out of the comparison was the fashion. In the first picture, everybody wore hats and vests. They both should make a comeback.
Quote from: TheArtist on December 04, 2009, 06:19:48 PM
Crazy womens rights thing sneaking into society apparently. Either that or the husband has a LOT of money.
Someone had to make the coffee for the meetings. 8)
Quote from: RecycleMichael on December 05, 2009, 08:13:45 AM
I speak as one of the pale, male (and stale) Tulsans.
I think it is unfair to compare a random picture of people to a picture of official boards or committees to show diversity. I feel pretty sure the official committees of the first decade of the century were very similar in makeup as those in the 1950s.
Remember that women didn't have the right to vote in the first picture and we hadn't had the civil rights movement yet in the second.
What I got out of the comparison was the fashion. In the first picture, everybody wore hats and vests. They both should make a comeback.
Also...bushy mustaches and neckerchiefs...
Until William just had to wax all ethnic ;) I figured it was just grooming, fashion, and probabaly only one in ten in the newer photos were packing heat as opposed to eleven in eleven in the first pic.
Anyone notice the uncanny resemblance to Stanley Glanz to the chap in the middle row, 2nd from the right in the top photo?
Oh, since Steve brought it up, my little slice of Perryman/Lorton/Sanditen/Grubb bliss is a late '55 model. My neighbor has a giant American Elm which I imagine was there well back when it was the Lorton ranch still. Next time you drive down Yale, glance east between 27th Pl. and 27th St. There are some brick columns which look totally out of place. My understanding is that was the entrance to the Lorton ranch.
My Dad was City attorney in the late 50's and Utility Board attorney for many years afterwards...I'll see who he recognizes and get back.
Conan, the pillars may be the entrance to the ranch, but the aerial photos I have seen of the development in its early stages show nary a tree. You could cut it down and count the rings to be sure. ;)
Quote from: Conan71 on December 07, 2009, 11:37:19 AM
Until William just had to wax all ethnic ;) I figured it was just grooming, fashion, and probabaly only one in ten in the newer photos were packing heat as opposed to eleven in eleven in the first pic.
Anyone notice the uncanny resemblance to Stanley Glanz to the chap in the middle row, 2nd from the right in the top photo?
Oh, since Steve brought it up, my little slice of Perryman/Lorton/Sanditen/Grubb bliss is a late '55 model. My neighbor has a giant American Elm which I imagine was there well back when it was the Lorton ranch still. Next time you drive down Yale, glance east between 27th Pl. and 27th St. There are some brick columns which look totally out of place. My understanding is that was the entrance to the Lorton ranch.
These?
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&ll=36.122186,-95.920241&spn=0,359.991744&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=36.122607,-95.922432&panoid=QVPeYka_pP3LmfFTT638_w&cbp=12,85.55,,0,6.64
Quote from: Hoss on December 07, 2009, 02:40:20 PM
These?
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&ll=36.122186,-95.920241&spn=0,359.991744&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=36.122607,-95.922432&panoid=QVPeYka_pP3LmfFTT638_w&cbp=12,85.55,,0,6.64
That's the ones. They look curiously out of place because they aren't equidistant between the two blocks and there's nothing there connecting them, no sign, plaque, etc. I'm amazed they were never knocked down at some point in the development nor after since they really don't tie into anything. If anything, I think they helped contribute to the shabby and run-down image Lortondale had achieved by the early 1990's. Some of the corner houses along Yale are still sketchy.
Quote from: waterboy on December 07, 2009, 02:27:17 PM
Conan, the pillars may be the entrance to the ranch, but the aerial photos I have seen of the development in its early stages show nary a tree. You could cut it down and count the rings to be sure. ;)
Ironic you say that, WB. My neighbor just had his river birch cut down last week and had the American elm all trimmed up. There was still debris in that tree from the ice storm of aught-seven. I'm debating taking out my river birch, they were all planted way too close to the front of the houses that got them, though I'm concerned the root system might be one of the things that prevented settling in my foundation...LOL!
Quote from: Conan71 on December 07, 2009, 11:37:19 AM
Oh, since Steve brought it up, my little slice of Perryman/Lorton/Sanditen/Grubb bliss is a late '55 model. My neighbor has a giant American Elm which I imagine was there well back when it was the Lorton ranch still. Next time you drive down Yale, glance east between 27th Pl. and 27th St. There are some brick columns which look totally out of place. My understanding is that was the entrance to the Lorton ranch.
The four brick columns at 27th Street & Yale are indeed the original entrance to the Eugene and Maud Lorton country estate which they christened "Lortondale." Lorton built a grand country estate house on the property, which was later retained and became the first clubhouse for Meadowbrook Country Club. Just inside these four brick columns was the original Meadowbrook CC riding stables, which homebuilder Howard Grubb converted into his millwork and carpentry shop, producing all the custom mahogany woodwork and cabinetry for the Lortondale homes on site.
The 2007 Lortondale architectual survey that is being used for Lortondale's National Historic Register nomination (I have a copy), specifically cites these 4 surviving columns as a significant surviving relic from Lortondale's past. I am gratefull that the homeowner at 27th & Yale has not destroyed this historic neighborhood element and I hope these columns will still stand long after I am gone.
Steve, I'd always assumed those were on public land and not owned by a home owner. Hmmm, learn something new every day...
Quote from: Conan71 on December 08, 2009, 06:12:39 PM
Steve, I'd always assumed those were on public land and not owned by a home owner. Hmmm, learn something new every day...
Of course there is a city and utility easement on the east side of Yale just as there is on all our properties, but that land is part of the property deeds for the houses directly along Yale. As such, those homeowners are responsible for maintenance, mowing, trash pickup, etc. of that land as it is part of their property. Some "get it," too many do not. The 4 brick columns are technically owned by the homeowner on the SE corner of 27th & Yale. Lortondale restrictive covenants forbid any of these owners along Yale from constructing driveways which open directly onto Yale Avenue.
Harumph. I always daydreamed that those were the vestige of a grand old estate but cynically figured they were some kind of abortive hillbilly installation, something to skin coyotes on or a still of something. Nice to know that the more romantic idea matches reality...
Quote from: buckeye on December 09, 2009, 03:13:51 PM
Harumph. I always daydreamed that those were the vestige of a grand old estate but cynically figured they were some kind of abortive hillbilly installation, something to skin coyotes on or a still of something. Nice to know that the more romantic idea matches reality...
They are the surviving vestige of a grand old estate. In John Brooks Walton's 3rd book on historic Tulsa homes "Many More Historic Tulsa Homes," there is a section devoted to Lortondale and I recall there is a photo of the original Lorton family house. Back in the 1930's, 26th & Yale was far out in the country, and wasn't incorporated into the Tulsa city limits until 12-17-54, with the passage of city ordinance #7177, after most of the homes in the original Lortondale tract were completed.
I shall now refer to the brick columns as "Lortonhenge" ;)
Quote from: Conan71 on December 09, 2009, 10:19:16 PM
I shall know refer to the brick columns as "Lortonhinge" ;)
Kind of like Stonehenge?
Quote from: Red Arrow on December 09, 2009, 10:51:38 PM
Kind of like Stonehenge?
edited to correct my spelling errors.
Now can you picture me hosting some sort of pagan sun ritual in the midst of that with a keg of Marshall's beer and wearing a hoodie?
Steve, Mobboss, Theron, Hoodlam (aw hell, Townsend should come too, he's close enough) you guys all coming down to Lortonhenge for a winter solstice observance? 8)
Quote from: Conan71 on December 10, 2009, 12:10:52 AM
Steve, Mobboss, Theron, Hoodlam (aw hell, Townsend should come too, he's close enough) you guys all coming down to Lortonhenge for a winter solstice observance? 8)
This has block party potential. I'm in.
Quote from: Conan71 on December 09, 2009, 10:19:16 PM
I shall now refer to the brick columns as "Lortonhenge" ;)
I have never seen a photo of what these columns looked like back when they were the original entrance to the Lorton estate or the original Meadowbrook Country Club. I am sure there was fencing down Yale surrounding the property. The original entrance gate is long gone, and maybe had fancy wrought iron or such surrounding the columns. The brick columns were probably originally plastered or stuccoed over; what remarkably survives today is just the structural shell of the original feature. It is quite remarkable that they survive today.
Just been wondering what the housing development will look like where the current Meadowbrook CC exists....
Lortonadale South?
Perhaps the Lorton or Sanditen families would be so kind as to dig into their personal archives to find some footage. Perhaps even the holders of Honn or Grubb artifacts could find it.
Quote from: FOTD on December 15, 2009, 11:27:53 PM
Just been wondering what the housing development will look like where the current Meadowbrook CC exists....
Lortonadale South?
We could never be so lucky.