# Tulsa: The Terracotta City



## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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52. An abandoned building in North Brady Arts. Give it 5 years and this will be revitalized and occupied. Mark my words!


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

53. Entrance to the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park. John Hope Franklin is one of the most important black figures in American history and is a native of Tulsa. This park is also built on the ruins of the Greenwood District. 100 years ago, this area would have been full of African-American businesses, barber shops, grocery stores. Now, because of racial hatred, all is gone


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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56. Built in 2010, this project is one step towards the rebuilding of the Greenwood District to its former glory.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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62. One of the biggest nails in the coffin of the Greenwood District was the backwards decision of city officials in the 1960s to build the I-244 highway (seen behind the statue) through the middle of the Greenwood District! It bysected the district and effectively destroyed any chances of a future cohesive center. 


Here's the map of Downtown Tulsa again:









See the John Hope Franklin park? It is adjacent to a very small Greenwood District. The original Greenwood District was ~2x the size and crossed into area now occupied by Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. The decision to build the Oneok Field in that location also effectively turned the Greenwood District into one little strip of shops and about a half-dozen empty blocks that 100 years after they were set on fire still lay bare. At least they named the highway the "Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Expressway" as an empty half-gesture.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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66. The details on this memorial are outstanding


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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70. A view of the 1921 Tulsa Riots and the fire that killed 300. Here's a history of the riots: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_riot


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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76. The Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of Native Americans into Oklahoma (Indian Territory) in the late 1830s. The Southern landowners eyed Native land that was rich in soil fertility and full of resources (like gold). So into Oklahoma came the 5 "Civilized" Tribes: The Choctaw, Creek, Cherokee, Seminole and Chickasha, with the Creek and Cherokee settling in Tulsa and the adjacent Green Country. Tulsa, in fact, comes from the Lochapoka and Creek word _Tallasi_, which means "old town" in Creek.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

79. A little of Tulsa's Hispanic arts influence. Tulsa is 15% Hispanic or Latino today, though the center of Hispanic culture is in East Tulsa


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

81. _Hay Que Morir Para Vivir_: One Has To Die To Learn How To Live


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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86. The Blue Dome in the picture is the one for which the Blue Dome District is named after


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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94. We are back in the Greenwood District now, having crossed from the John Hope Reconciliation Park across the street. Oneok Field is the linchpin of attempts to revive the Greenwood District and though I generally I approve of the project, I think another location might have best influenced the Greenwood District. As of now, this field (+ parking, playground, and affiliated stores) takes up a good 1/3 of the district!


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

95. Oneok Field houses the Tulsa Drillers of the AA Texas League (Oklahoma's practically Texas anyway, no? :/ ) It opened in 2010.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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102. Greenwood District street


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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104. Tulsa is America's 2nd largest aerospace manufacturing center after Wichita, Kansas and is still a major industrial town. The Port of Catoosa is one of the deepest navigable ports in the US and is situated right on the Tulsa City Limits. The city is also a major freight city, with most of the industrial areas of the city north of Downtown (and I-244)


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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106. Back into the Blue Dome District! (I left my Coca-Cola and water in the car so I had to walk all the way back since I was gonna walk a few more miles)


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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108. A little preview of the Blue Dome District


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

109. Returned to the Brady Arts now!


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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116. Girl giving me the stink eye!


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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118. Bubbles and spring weather. What more could you ask for in life?


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

119. Musician from the Sahara Desert


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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58. These are memorials from Oklahoma's centennial celebration in 2007 (Oklahoma became the 46th state in 1907)


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

65. Mile marker 1.5


66. Illegal motorcycle racing


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

67. Rebels


68. The park on the left is 'Tulsa Riverparks', the street to the right is 'Riverside Drive', the homes to the right of the street are in many different neighborhoods but people say they live on 'Riverside'


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

69. Homes 'on Riverside'


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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88. Those buildings are technically in SoBo, not Riverside. North of 21st and Riverside is SoBo, even if the Tulsa Riverparks continues for another mile or so.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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94. San Francisco meets Tulsa


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

35. Side streets. This is 'optional' Blue Dome District for the very reason that there's not much there.


36. Tulsa's Channel is actually in 3rd place right now, so the slogan isn't accurate


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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38. Uncle Kracker Tribute Band. Awful.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

39. The Blue Dome!


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

45. Libertarian Vandalism


46. Fancy organic restaurant


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

47. What you rent in the Blue Dome, stays in the Blue Dome (if you return the video)


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

63. Just like in Ghost


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

73. Another handsome guy looking at a turtle


74. Guy choking his girlfriend


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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84. Blue Dome Arts Festival from Downtown Skyscraper Bridge


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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90. "Tornadoes Bring All The Okies To The Yard" is so true haha. When the tornado sirens go off, that's when everyone gets their popcorn and camera and tries to spot the tornado first.


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And that was the Blue Dome District! This upcoming week I'll post the pictures from my little jaunt into the CBD, the [Art] Deco District and Mayfest. Thanks for browsing through my pics!


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Lovely colours, and southern, laid-back charm.....


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## Skyckcty (Jun 21, 2013)

Beautiful, you should keep on updating the photos but I prefer the less enhanced photos. The place has a lot of charm, photos does not need much enhancements. :cheers:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice updates from Tulsa


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

Skyckcty said:


> Beautiful, you should keep on updating the photos but I prefer the less enhanced photos. The place has a lot of charm, photos does not need much enhancements. :cheers:


Thank you. I'm only getting into photography now so I'm still experimenting with effects. The only effect on these pictures, actually, was batch saturation because the lighting was off (cloudy day) and I didn't have the time to go through each one to fix the dull look. So some pics do look much more colorful than they should, I agree. I also recently switched from Photoscape to FastStone image viewer and the auto-adjust feature that balances the photos are much different so I'm also under a bit of a learning curve. 

I'll be posting pics of Mayfest and the Deco District momentarily.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

PART 5: THE [ART] DECO DISTRICT AND MAYFEST, MAY 18, 2014

The [Art] Deco District is the heart of Tulsa. It's where the city began and where the city's main architectural gems are located. Tulsa's moniker, "The Terracotta City" comes from this district's appearance. I went during Mayfest which is one of the larger events in Tulsa.

Again, here's a map of Downtown Tulsa to see where the Deco District lies compared to the other districts:


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

I'll start with a quick preview cause I won't get to posting many pics today:

1. Funnel cake, my favorite



2. Fresh squeezed bacon lemonade anyone?


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

3. Hot dogs and Art Deco: 100% Americana



4. Apple pies: 100% Americana


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

5. The Earth



6. Turkey legs!


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

7. How Tulsa would have looked in the 1930s (and how most of the Deco District looks today)



8. Church exteriors in what I personally call the Chuch district. This area extends from the part of Downtown East of the Deco District and south of 4th and continues till it reaches Boston Avenue Methodist Church which is technically in the Route 66 District


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

9. Walking around



10. Really tall guy


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

11. Banjo time



12. Grooving to Rock n'Roll


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

13. Admiring the art



14. Art Deco splendors


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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I'm gonna finish on #100 today. Just 150 more pics to go!


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

Picking up again

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

111. A jumble of textures


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

113. Details


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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128. I love the industrial ornate look of these buildings. Gritty but pretty.


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

183. I love Art Deco entrances


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202. Now we're in the Church District


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

219. Our power company


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

221. 


222. The 50s never ended in Tulsa


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

223. Neither did the 20s


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

225. Atomic Era themed bar


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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228. More Deco entrances


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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232. Fallout shelter...just in case the Soviets come back


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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234. In the distance is the Boston Avenue Methodist Church. It is an Oklahoma icon that predates the Chrysler Building. 


They have their own TV channel devoted to gospel and church choir music. This is the youth group. I'll have to go sometime to see the interior


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

235. I want to say this is a synagogue but it's probably too large for that


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

237. Back towards downtown. Almost done with the tour!


238. Revitalization of some old buildings


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

241. The Philtower, built in 1928 at the peak of Tulsa's oil boom


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

I'll try to get more pics of other parts of the city soon! I start grad school next month in Bologna, Italy and have been a bit pre-occupied with the Calculus and Economics courses I have to take before I begin. Hopefully, I'll get around to exploring again pronto.


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