7 Wonders of Tulsa

[cannon_fodder]

The "New" 7 wonders of the ancient world have been announced:
http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=633

Of course, since this was a 'global election' the results are a bit strange.  Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Jordan, India, and China all had government sponsored vote drives (Mexico even had voting instructions on Coke cans!) so the results are subject to criticism.  In any event, a find list of attractions to be sure.

What I was wondering, is what are the 7 Wonders of the Tulsa area?  When someone from out of town comes to Tulsa, what should they see or do?

For that matter - what are the 7 wonders of Oklahoma?

Or the country, world?  

Let me know what list you are compiling, but I figured this is great discussion material!

[cannon_fodder]

7 Wonders of Tulsa:

(in no particular order)

1) Oklahoma Aquarium (or Zoo, depends on the weather)
2) Philbrook (including gardens)
3) Gilcrease (including grounds)
4) Oktoberfest (maybe not a structure, but it counts in my book!)
5) The Tulsa Skyline (usually strategically happened upon on the way to somewhere - River's Edge)
6) Rosebud Nature Preserve
7) The Center of the Universe (coupled with a show at the PAC, some art or music in the Brady, and/or some beers in the Blue Dome)

[Conan71]

The 8th wonder is how did Kid Rock ever get a record contract?

[sgrizzle]

I would take oktoberfest off. The rain a few years back killed it. I would put the fair or Mayfest in it's place. Both have many more people.

Second thoght, the IPE building. Largest clearspan building on the planet.

[NellieBly]

The hands. We have to include the praying hands at ORU -- a wondrous thing indeed!

Other nominees --
Coney Island-ers
Expo IPE building
The Broken Arrow, Keystone Expressway interchange on the IDL -- It's wonderful to make it alive through there.

[grahambino]

here's my list in no particular order.

1.  cain's ballroom
2.  boston ave. methodist
3.  downtown skyline
4.  philbrook
5.  gilcrease
6.  center of the universe (coupled with 1 & 7)
7.  brady theatre

[Breadburner]

Sorry...... Chilli Bowl cannot be left out.....

[restored2x]

Yes - the hands. And the entire ORU complex. (Didn't ORU used to be the largest tourist attraction in OK? - just a few years back?)

Whatever your opinion of the theology of Oral Roberts or ORU - the place is pretty incredible.

Also what about the "Jetson's Building" - that apartment/condo round thing down by the river?

[cannon_fodder]

Rain killed it, are you kidding?  200,000+ people showed up last year and a record amount of beer consumed.  Seems to be rolling strong.  I may have 4 or 5 people in town just for Oktoberfest this year from Des Moines and Minneapolis.

Damn I feel like chicken dancing.

- - - -

The Boston Ave. church is usually on my skyline tower of downtown.  The IPE building along with the Golden Driller is unavoidable where I live (What happened to the lights on the building?  I miss the neon!) and I often drive by the hands on my way out to a friends house (drive down riverside).

All good additions.

[Conan71]

Well if we are including Oklahoma in the survey, the Pensacola Dam is the world's longest multiple arch dam.

[tulsa1603]

1) Downtown skyline - few cities our size have anything nearly as nice as ours.
2) Philbrook
3) Blair Mansion (house on Riverside with the HUGE front yard).
4) Boston Ave. methodist church
5) BOK Tower (ok, it goes in #1, but it's practically a 1/4 scale replica of the World Trade Center, designed by the same architect)
6) The Tulsa State Fair - een though I never go - i'm not into crowds of spandex clad masses munching on turkey legs...
7) Reservoir Hill - views and houses most people would never know existed simply because it's "north" of the comfort zone.

I've had many out of town guests comment on how gorgeous our neighborhods are.  I think this is something a lot of us take for granted.  We're lucky Tulsa was such a booming place in the 1920's and 30's.

[cannon_fodder]

Good call Tulsa1603... I often drive from my house at 28th and Harvard to the river through those 1920's mansions with visitors.  They are not as big or glamorous as some, but certainly the style points take them over the top.  And without a doubt they take the cake from the McMansions of most of middle America.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

7 Wonders of Tulsa:

(in no particular order)

1) Oklahoma Aquarium (or Zoo, depends on the weather)
2) Philbrook (including gardens)
3) Gilcrease (including grounds)
4) Oktoberfest (maybe not a structure, but it counts in my book!)
5) The Tulsa Skyline (usually strategically happened upon on the way to somewhere - River's Edge)
6) Rosebud Nature Preserve
7) The Center of the Universe (coupled with a show at the PAC, some art or music in the Brady, and/or some beers in the Blue Dome)

quote:Originally posted by grahambino

here's my list in no particular order.

1.  cain's ballroom
2.  boston ave. methodist
3.  downtown skyline
4.  philbrook
5.  gilcrease
6.  center of the universe (coupled with 1 & 7)
7.  brady theatre

quote:Originally posted by tulsa1603

1) Downtown skyline - few cities our size have anything nearly as nice as ours.
2) Philbrook
3) Blair Mansion (house on Riverside with the HUGE front yard).
4) Boston Ave. methodist church
5) BOK Tower (ok, it goes in #1, but it's practically a 1/4 scale replica of the World Trade Center, designed by the same architect)
6) The Tulsa State Fair - een though I never go - i'm not into crowds of spandex clad masses munching on turkey legs...
7) Reservoir Hill - views and houses most people would never know existed simply because it's "north" of the comfort zone.

I've had many out of town guests comment on how gorgeous our neighborhods are.  I think this is something a lot of us take for granted.  We're lucky Tulsa was such a booming place in the 1920's and 30's.

What, no mention of the Golden Driller? Why, when I lived in the Tulsa area, I'd regularly genuflect before that most sacred of all Tulsa edifices!

quote:Originally posted by restored2x

Yes - the hands. And the entire ORU complex. (Didn't ORU used to be the largest tourist attraction in OK? - just a few years back?)

Whatever your opinion of the theology of Oral Roberts or ORU - the place is pretty incredible.

Ah yes, Babylon on the Arkansas!

[TheArtist]

1. Boston Avenue Church
2. Villa Philbrook
3. Gilcrease
In that order

Other contenders to fill out the list, in no particular order.

Philtower, 1st Methodist, ORU campus, Cains Ballroom, BOK tower, Golden Driller

BTW events like Octoberfest and the Fair shouldn't really qualify IMHO.[8D] Perhaps a different list.

[Wrinkle]

The Walter B. Hall Resource Recovery Center

(monument to the biggest boondoggle ever committed by a local government)