bmonthly June 2023

upfront

Welcome to June friends and the start of summer! June 21st to be exact. I can’t believe the year is halfway over. It really seems like we just printed the Best of Pets Issue. The feature story this month is on Cities Service which has been headquartered here in Bartlesville. Its home office was built in 1917 in what today we call the Roger State University building. At one time you had some of the biggest oil tycoons in the country - Phillips brothers, William Skelly, Harry Sinclair, George Getty, and Ernest Marlandtraveling to Pawhuska to bid on leases in the rich, fertile land with rich blackgold. All this took place under the famous Million Dollar Elm tree.

We just completed another successful Gracefest on the Green a few days ago. I’m writing this Upfront on Tuesday the 16th - a day before we go to print. What a week we had! Each year the week before Gracefest, the Enemy loves to attack us with his deceitful and cunning ways. This year was no different. All through the week he would come after us. One encounter I want to share with you is while I was shopping in Walmart a young man came up in the middle of the aisle. He said he saw the video Christy and I didnot the Gracefest promotional video, but our testimony video. He said while he started watching it he was doing meth. Okay. If you read any of my stories, you know I was addicted to cocaine. When someone shares a story like this with me, I’m left in a puddle because I understand their struggle. This encounter took me by surprise. After we spoke, I went back to shopping but immediately turned around to find him but he was gone. I was shaken, but I started looking for him knowing that the Holy Spirit was telling me to find him. I found him and asked if I could pray with him. So right there in Walmart, we prayed. That day he was 5 days clean from meth on this encounter. I pray right now that God will take every craving and urge from him. I pray the blood of Jesus will cover him for protection. Through the week these were the attacks being thrown at us. But by the start of Gracefest, we were ready to relax and listen to some great music and fellowship, Did we ever! We know for a fact that 4 lives gave their hearts to Jesus and many more rededicated their lives to HIM. No amount of money raised is worth more to us than someone giving their life to our Savior Jesus Christ.

This year we created our non-profit, B the Light Mission which is the beneficiary of the money raised at the concert. We don’t have an exact number yet, but we believe the total raised will be close to $10,000. The week of the concert Ascension St. John asked us to speak to the board about our plans for our mission. On Friday Mike

Moore, CEO of Ascension Jane Phillips, called to say the board voted unanimously to donate the old Nipper building on Virginia to B the Light! For the last year Christy and I have been looking for a building for our warming shelter. Through that year we decided to jump in and help our desperate homeless community with a concept we took from (with their permission) Watered Gardens in Joplin, Missouri. What they have been doing for the last 22 years is amazing, and we believe we can do the same thing here in Bartlesville. This building is a little bit like Noah’s Ark to us. It is 64,000 square feet. The layout is a God thing because it is exactly what we needed, and like the Arc God has entrusted us to be the stewards of this amazing building. Next month I’m going to write a story on our plans and how this will affect so many people, who are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Our homeless population has doubled over the last 2 years, and it’s not slowing down. It is a community problem and one that we need your help through giving - donations, prayers, and volunteers - to make this work for our beautiful city. Together as a community we can give Hope to the Hopeless, Love to the Lost, Food to the Hungry, Healing to the Broken, and Shelter to the Struggling! This is our mission statement. Please go to our website b-thelight.org to sign up to volunteer or to donate. We can help these people start a new life and give them purpose.

Finally, today was Grace’s last day of school, so our Gracie girl is now a senior… UGH! I can’t believe it’s happening. This time next year she will graduate. She will start her new adventure and part 2 of her life playing basketball and making a difference in others. There will be stories about Grace later next year that I will write and cry through, but for us it is a somber day because we know that day will be here sooner than we want. Please slow down time…please. God bless, Keith and Christy

Volume XIV Issue VI

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by ENGEL PUBLISHING

Offices located in Downtown Bartlesville in the historic Price Tower 510 Dewey Ave, Suite 400, Bartlesville, OK 74003 P.O. Box 603, Bartlesville, OK 74005 www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Graphics

Copper Cup Images design@coppercupimages.com

Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Community Liaison

Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Project Manager Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Administration

Shelley Greene Stewart

Delivery and Distribution Tim Hudson

Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Contributing Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd, Lori Kroh, Jay Hastings, Jacqulyn Ellis (Shreve), Sarah Leslie Gagan, Brent Taylor, Joe Todd, Lori Just, Keith McPhail, Maria Gus

Contributing Photographers

Bartlesville Area History Musuem, Amanda Stratford photography, Kristine Branch, Teresa Watson, Josh Wright, Robin Mackey, Elizabeth Herr

Kids Calendar Jessica Smith

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail

Design by Copper Cup Images

Managing Editors Keith & Christy McPhail with Consumed by Fire at GraceFest 2023.

We live, work, and play in Bartlesville, and we’re proud to serve our neighbors with integrity

Experienced, Honest, Local

Dr. Jon Lindblom DDS

Local Dentist Shares His Community Vision

by Sarah Leslie Gagan

From his earliest memories, pediatric dentist Jon Lindblom knew Bartlesville as home, despite being born in Old Ocean, Texas. It was his father’s employment as an accountant with Phillips Petroleum that brought the Lindblom family to Bartlesville all those years ago. The family of five set up permanent residence in the community, and still reside here today.

After graduating from Bartlesville Senior High, Jon attended Oklahoma State University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, with plans on becoming a mechanical engineer. It was also at OSU that Jon met his future wife, Michal. The couple will celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary this month of June, 2023.

Regarding his change in career focus, Jon says, “I decided that there wasn’t enough human to human interaction in engineering.  I had interned with some

engineers and thought to myself, I just can’t do it. I need to interact with more people and not sit behind a desk all day. My roommate at the time was Dr. Jeffery Ahlert’s stepson, and he told me his dad was a dentist. I was like, oh, yeah, that sounds like a good idea, so I just randomly switched. And when I told my parents that, they’re like, oh, that makes sense. And I had never talked about wanting to be a dentist. Ever. And they’re like, yeah, but don’t you remember when your brother and sister were little, you literally pulled out all their baby because they didn’t want to wiggle it out? And I remembered that and was like, oh, you’re right. I did. Maybe this is some sort of divine plan.”

After research, he knew he made the right switch and has grown to love the profession, especially working with pediatrics. And the community of Bartlesville has certainly benefitted from Jon’s divine career switch.

Jon and Michal have three children, daughter Mason who will be a freshman next year, 10 year old daughter Emmy, and their youngest child, son Dutch who is almost 7 years old.

After attending OSU, Jon made the random decision to go into dentistry and was accepted into OU Dental School. After graduating, the Lindbloms lived in Denver, Colorado where Jon applied for a pediatric dental residency and was accepted at the Children’s Hospital of Colorado. There they had their first child.

After completing the Denver residency, Jon and Michal spent some time considering where to call home and decided to move back to Jon’s childhood home of Bartlesville, where he had a job offer waiting. Jon entered into practice with Dr. Jeffery Alhert DDS before eventually opening his private pediatric practice, Safari Smiles in Bartlesville. Today, Safari Smiles is a thriving and growing pediatric dental practice well known throughout the community.

Several things drew them back to Bartlesville such as the school system, the size of the town, not having have to worry about “big city issues” as they did in Denver and Oklahoma City, and the people and

the sense of community. They love living in Bartlesville and calling it home. He hopes it will be a place his own children will be proud to return to as adults and call it home too.

Jon has two siblings, who both moved back to Bartlesville after college. His younger brother Josh Lindblom is the Director of Physical Therapy at Eldercare, and his younger sister Angela is a dental hygienist who serves as the practice manager at Safari Smiles. Jon’s parents still reside in Bartlesville, in the house Jon grew up in, and are enjoying retirement and spending time with their eight grandchildren.

Michal stays busy managing the Lindblom household and getting the children to their varied activities. Both she and Jon share a love of art and are both artists. Jon has become known for creating and donating his paintings to various area non-profit auctions to raise money for a variety of causes.

In January 2024, Jon will have his first exhibit on display at the Price Tower where participants will have the opportunity to purchase his art for the first time, as opposed to bidding at an auction. He plans on donating his share of the proceeds to the Bartlesville Art Association.

Through his dental practice, he has been able to sponsor many various non-profit organizations here in Bartlesville. Jon is also very active with the Bartlesville disc golf community, which is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. He shares, “We have a club that hosts regional tournaments and weekly rounds, and we do fundraisers. We’ve got a fundraiser coming up that’s going raise money for the Special Olympics. We also have put in our newest disc golf course, the Safari Smiles Disc Golf Park. It opened in 2021 at Lee Lake. It is a championship pro level disc golf course, rated one of the best in the state and so it’s pretty exciting to have that in Bartlesville. We have around 100 members and they all put in time planting trees, pouring concrete and doing all kinds of stuff. It’s been a major labor of love.”

Another passion of Jon’s is serving on the board for Oklahoman’s for Equality, Bartlesville Chapter. This is his fifth year of service with the organization that serves as an advocacy support group for the LGBTQ community. He emphasizes that the group stands for advocating for equal treatment for all citizens in our community, without any secret agenda or divisive plan. He says simply, it’s the group’s aim to make Bartlesville a little more inclusive for all people.

Jon also serves on the board of the Bartlesville Parks and Recreation.

Another passion of Jon’s is art, specifically painting. He has donated approximately 50 paintings over the past 5 years to area non-profit organizations as a means of fundraising. Painting supports two of his goals; supporting the nonprofit community in Bartlesville, especially the organizations that he really cares

about, and allows stress relief too.

Jon considers his greatest accomplishment is convincing his wife to go on a date with him all those years ago. He emphasizes that she is the rock he relies on and that he would not be the man he is today without her. He claims his success in all his endeavors is due to her undying love and support and dedication to their family. He admits she makes him a better person and is often his voice of reason in many different ways. She is his biggest supporter and he cannot imagine accomplishing all he has done without her in his life. He gives her the majority of all the credit for who he is today.

Jon realizes going to the dentist is something most adults don’t like to do and feels that if he can make it a fun experience beginning in childhood, that he can make an impact in this patients lives even when they are adults by allowing them to experience less dental fear.

Jon shares his vision for Bartlesville, “If we work at making our community just a little bit better and a little less divisive every day, we can accomplish like great things. And that’s just what I want to instill in Bartlesville. I want to exude positivity and really work towards making Bartlesville the best community that it can be. And I know we’re moving in the right direction. If we can just make Bartlesville a place that people feel welcome moving to and then once they move here, continue to be welcomed and included and valued, like that’s my goal for Bartlesville.”

Jon, we appreciate and share your vision for our community. We thank you for all you’ve accomplished, and we strive with you to make our community a little better, each and every day.

Students of the Year

Dylon is a senior at Caney Valley High School and a student in the Energy and Power program at Tri County Tech. He chose Tri County Tech because he was interested in the solar field and wanted to learn skills to help him in the future. Upon graduation, he’s looking forward to starting a career in the solar field or possibly as an A&P Mechanic. Dylon would like to thank his Dad for working hard, always being involved, and setting a great example for him.

Congratulations, Dylon!

ADULT STUDENT

Bethany Day is an adult student in the Practical Nursing program at Tri County Tech. She chose Tri County Tech to have a solid foundation for moving forward in her nursing career. Bethany is currently applying to colleges to obtain her BSN and hopes to become a NICU nurse as well as serve on mission trips to provide medical care to children in thirdworld countries. She would like to thank her brother, Seth, for being her best friend and biggest supporter.

Congratulations, Bethany!

Dylon Huber Energy & Power

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT

Taming Oklahoma’s Oily Frontier

By Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Way out yonder where railroads had not ventured and dusty roads often lead to nowhere towns, the smell of crude oil burrowed into the nostrils of men with visions of wealth until death they did part, which happened sooner than later for some. This was the setting of a business meeting between the Osage Nation and Henry Foster which evolved into one of the most influential oil and natural gas empires in American history.

The fortuitous Osage people stood as one Nation when the U.S. government began assigning Indian Territory allotments. Retaining their subsurface mineral rights, and the Osage Nation as a whole, proved to be one of the wisest and wealthiest moves in history. Although the Osage Tribal Council feared a white invasion, John Newton Florer was a licensed and trusted Osage trader who had the ear of Principal Chief James Bigheart and the Osage Council. Florer had seen a rainbow oil slick on Sand Creek in the Nation and encouraged the Osage elders to lease the entire 1.5-million-acre Osage Nation to one person versus many individuals. This resulted in Florer becoming an unsung hero in the development of oil in the Osage Nation as a commercial commodity.

When the Osage Tribe purchased their reservation, the transaction was, in the oil and gas world, a fee simple mineral estate. Simply stated, the Osage held complete ownership of all surface and subsurface mineral rights with the privilege of granting oil and gas leases at will

Reservation. However, as negotiations were being finalized with the U.S. Department of Interior, Henry died in New York on February 25, 1896, just fortyseven years of age.

That one person was Henry Foster, a banker in the New England area, who was intrigued by western migration and landed in Independence, KS, where he became the president of the Citizens National Bank from 1891-1894. He also dabbled in the cattle business and grazed some of his herd on the Osage Nation’s tallgrass prairie. As prospectors began drilling productive oil wells in Indian Territory, Henry Foster saw opportunities and, with the assistance of John Florer, he approached the Osage Nation to propose an oil lease of the entire Osage Nation’s

Henry’s brother, Edwin B. Foster stepped forward and the Department of Interior approved a renewable tenyear Osage Blanket Lease in his name on March 16, 1896. Edwin operated the Blanket Lease under the Phoenix Oil and Osage Oil Companies, but the profits were slim. Time was ticking away and oilwell after oilwell was either a “duster” or minimally produced. Next door, in Washington County, a celebratory spirit consumed the area as the Nellie Johnstone #1 oilwell brought black gold to the surface on March 15, 1897. However, Bartlesville experienced the same difficulties as Foster….no transportation to refineries. The Santa Fe Railroad arrived in Bartlesville about 1899 and Foster believed relief was in sight; however, his companies were slipping into deep financial trouble.

Then, December 1, 1901, Edwin merged Phoenix Oil and Osage Oil, with the financial backing of F.A. Bates, to become the Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Company. Bates served as president of I.T.I.O., Edwin Foster as vice president and Edwin’s nephew, Henry Vernon Foster as secretary. Unfortunately, no sooner was the ink dry on the contract when Edwin

Cities Service Grand Opening

died December 27th, also at forty-seven years of age, with five years remining on the lease.

H.V. Foster, son of Henry Foster, was an educated engineer with deep roots in Wisconsin and no desire to relocate to Indian Territory; however, the Foster estate was attached to the Osage Blanket Lease. In early 1903, creditors began calling in their loans and I.T.I.O. went into the receivership hands of Mr. Mortimer Stilwell, the nephew of before mentioned John Florer. Then two large profitable subleases to J.M. Guffey and J.H. Galey caught the eye of Theodore Newton Barnsdall who purchased 1.7 million shares of I.T.I.O.’s outstanding stock, making him the largest single shareholder, with 51% of the company. Barnsdall helped Foster secure 361 oil and gas wells, which brought solvency and by May, I.T.I.O. stepped out of receivership. At that point, H.V. Foster took over as president while Stilwell served as corporate secretary and general manager.

With less than two years remining on the Blanket Lease, H.V. Foster finally stepped upon the Osage Nation soil in 1904 with a scant knowledge of oil and gas operations, but he was a quick study. He subleased the

lots in a checkerboard framework allowing others to take the risks and then drilling near for the “win.” Foster cleverly retained one-fifteenth interest in the subleased land and all gas rights allowing him to easily make the required $50 per gas well and 1/10th oil production royalty payment to the Osage Tribe.

H.V. took the reins of his family oil and gas “duties” in stride and quickly rallied a profit for I.T.I.O. When the Blanket Lease was available for renewal in 1906, newspaper headlines squawked monopoly but the “squeaky wheel” of criticism was stifled when the lease was renewed for an additional ten-years; however, the lease was reduced in size to 680,000 acres on the eastern side of the Osage Nation and the royalties paid to the Osage increased.

Still in the shadows was T.N. Barnsdall and his 51% ownership of I.T.I.O stock, which was the parent company of the Osage Producers Gas Company, Delmar Oil Company and Pawhuska Oil and Gas Company. In 1912, Barnsdall liquidated his assets to the Empire Gas Company, a subsidiary of Cities Service, for $40 million, thus making I.T.I.O., and all of its subsidiaries, part of Cities Service; although, I.T.I.O. continued to operate independently with Foster’s percentage.

According to William Donohue Ellis in his book “On the Oil Lands with Cities Service,” with no real money in the bank and a territory full of doubters, young H.V. Foster found himself suddenly in charge of a vast property on which 75 of his former competitors, critics and advisors, now his lessees, were doing the exploring and producing

With the western 800,000 acres open for lease, Colonel Ellsworth Walters, of Pawnee County’s Skedee, became the Osage Nation’s lease auctioneer beneath Pawhuska’s “Million Dollar Elm” tree, a media created name for the boardroom

Straight & Foster at the Nellie Johnstone.

where oilmen made multi-million-dollar oil deals. Some of the most notable oilmen in attendance were Frank, Lee Eldas and Waite Phillips, William Skelly, Harry Sinclair, George Getty and Ernest Marland. On March 18, 1924, Colonel Walters secured his highest recorded bid, an astonishing $1,995,000 oil lease bid from oil magnate Josh Cosden for a 160-acre Osage Nation tract.

after financial woes befell Cosden. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Foster Petroleum Corporation was registered as a Delaware corporation, qualified to do business in Oklahoma with its general office at Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where all records were kept and its check written. In addition, eight of its nine officers and all directors were residents of the State of Oklahoma.

Cosden was no small fry in the oil industry. His oily career began when he established a refinery in Bigheart about 1910. Bigheart was later renamed Barnsdall in honor of T.N. Barnsdall and the Barnsdall Oil Company. Cosden then organized the Cosden Oil and Gas Company and built a refinery in West Tulsa, noted as the largest of the time. In 1918, he built Tulsa’s first skyscraper, the 16-story Cosden Building, which later became a 36-story building when the MidContinent Building took over

Brothers, Frank and L.E. Phillips, were facing failure as oilmen when they discovered the Anna Anderson Number One well in the northwest corner of Washington County on September 6, 1905, and they quickly secured 80 more productive wells at that location. Their visions of oil wealth restored…the Osage Nation gained their attention. As noted in the Gaylord News, Jim North stated, “Public auctions by the Osage Nation took place under the “Million Dollar Elm” tree in Pawhuska. Eighteen 160-acre allotments were leased for more than a million dollars each in the early 1920s.” At one point, reportedly, Frank Phillips outbid Henry Ford by a small margin and the scene erupted into a fist-fight between the two men.

The Million Dollar Elm Auction

John Florer

Edwin Foster

When the Osage lease was open for renewal again in 1916, Foster’s I.T.I.O. contract was cancelled, opening the entire Osage Nation to independent developers. He had established himself as a pioneer in oil production and would not be deterred.

In 1926, as a tribute to Colonel Walters, the Osage Nation erected a monument of Osage Chief Bacon Rind and Walters shaking hands in a “Bond of Friendship.” The lifesize statue was placed at Walters hometown of Skedee, now a “ghost town.” By 1928, Walters had secured about $157 million in oil lease revenue for the Osage Tribe, who presented him with diamond-studded gifts of appreciation. The auctions continued until about 1940. Walters died in 1946 and was buried in Fairfax.

On April 18, 1924, H.V. Foster established Foster Petroleum Company which shared offices with I.T.I.O. on the second floor of the Masonic Building at the southwest corner of Dewey Avenue and Fourth Street (current location of Rogers State University). Henry V. Foster was president; Bernadette Blue, vice president; and secretary-treasurer – C.H. Caldwell (I.T.I.O.) and Paul Dahlgren (Foster Petroleum).

Against the advice of his naysaying peers, Foster turned his attentions to drilling other Oklahoma locations, finding five of the state’s largest discoveries in the Greater Seminole Field between 1926-1927 (Earlsboro, Seminole City, Searight, Little River and

Bowlegs); followed by “paydirt” with the Oklahoma City Number One December 4, 1928; and the Mary Sudik Number One on March 26, 1930. Drilled on the Vince and Mary Sudik farm near Oklahoma City, the Wild Mary Sudik, as the well became known, was a “runaway” well that refused to be tamed as she spued crude oil for eleven days, wind-carried as far as Norman. Finally capped April 6, 1930, this well prompted officials to develop several safety regulations.

In 1930, H.V. Foster sold his I.T.I.O. stock held within the Foster Petroleum Oil Company to Cities Service giving Cities Service 90% ownership of I.T.I.O., which by 1940, acquired the remaining I.T.I.O. stock and I.T.I.O. ceased to exist.

H.V. Foster was a Quaker with a quietly generous philanthropic spirit and a life-changing pay-it-forward heart. He stood in the presence of Presidents while humbly funding over 250 college scholarships with the only stipulation of forwarding the gift to others for a brighter tomorrow, which did happen. By 1935, he retired to devote time to relaxing interests. For many years he served as President and Chairman of the Board of Bartlesville’s Union National Bank. At 63 years, H.V. Foster died in California on June 6, 1939 and was laid to rest in Memorial Park Cemetery in Bartlesville, a prosperous life well lived. Foster Petroleum

Construction of the Cities Service Office Building

Company continued under the direction of the Foster heirs.

There was another businessman in Oklahoma quietly building his fortune by investing in subsidiary corporations. Ohio born Henry Latham Doherty was no stranger to oil and gas production; he left school at twelve to begin his career at the Columbus Gas Company and worked his way up corporate ladders. He established the New York based Cities Service Company in September 1910 as a public utility holding company, controlling a reported two-hundred plus entities.

The Bartlesville Interurban Company was chartered in 1905 and construction began in 1907. The power plant was completed in 1909 with a cost of $25,000 and the company sold excess electricity to Bartlesville and Dewey as a source of revenue. In 1912, both the power plant and the interurban business were sold to Henry Doherty, who eventually put the company into the Cities Service family.

quickly. When Henry Doherty acquired the Quapaw Gas Company in 1912, Straight became the oil production manager for the Wichita Natural Gas Company. Then, in 1919, he was elected the vice president and general manager of Empire Gas and Fuel, headquartered in Bartlesville. The following year, he became the director of the New York based Cities Service; and later served as a director of Bartlesville’s First National Bank and Tulsa’s First Bank and Trust.

In 1912, Doherty turned his attention to Oklahoma’s petroleum industry and purchased T.N. Barnsdall’s I.T.I.O. holdings in Oklahoma which became assets of the Empire Gas Company. That same year, he purchasing the Bartlesville Interurban and served as president from his New York office, with Singer Irelan serving as vice president in Bartlesville.

In 1916, Alfred Diescher and Herbert R. Straight shared the vice presidency of Empire Gas and Fuel at the First National Bank Building. Ever a busy man, Straight also served in one capacity or another at nine other oil companies.

H.R. Straight was no stranger to the oil business and once he arrived in Oklahoma, he kept his boots to the ground. In 1911, he was a representative of T.N. Barnsdall’s interests in the Glenn Pool and established a reputation

In 1916, Doherty also established the award-winning Doherty Energy Research Laboratory at First Street/Hensley Blvd. and Wyandotte Avenue in Bartlesville to train geologists and engineers. Doherty was awarded the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineer’s  Anthony Lucas Medal for “Distinguished achievement in improving the technique and practice of finding and producing oil.” With this award, he was recognized as the “Father of Oil Conservation.”

The end of the Bartlesville Interurban came in 1920 when the company became the property of Bartlesville Gas and Electric Company. In 1928, the Bartlesville Gas and Electric property was sold to Southwestern Gas and Electric Company of Shreveport, LA, who leased the system to Public Service Company…the rest is Public Service Co. history.

Empire Gas & Oil Experimental Station

Cities Service Research Lab

Beginning in 1919, H.R. Straight took over the reins of the Empire Companies as the vice president and general manager, headquartered in Bartlesville’s Masonic Temple building, southwest corner of Dewey Avenue and 4th Street. Among the Empire branches he supervised across the United States were the Empire Gas and Fuel (Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Kentucky, Ohio), Empire Gas and Tire, Empire Gas and Pipeline, Empire Gasoline Company, Empire Leasing and Drilling, Empire Natural Gas, Empire Petroleum Company and Empire Refineries Inc.

By the mid-1930s, Henry Doherty had fallen ill with an arthritic condition, which caused him to be an invalid. At his peak, Doherty controlled interest in about 150 firms across the U.S. and Canada. In 1935, the government passed the “Public Utility Holding Company Act” which required Cities Service to direct its business dealings in electric utility or energy…not both. Doherty died December 26, 1939 in Pennsylvania, at the age of 69, before Cities Service elected to sell its utility holdings and focus on the oil and gas industry. W. Alton Jones was vice-president of Cities Service at that time and accepted the position of president to forward the company.

At one time, Bartlesville supported Phillips, Cities Service and Sinclair.

LuLu Bowlegs and Her Grandchildren

The Lula Bowlegs Lease #3

Another Day in the Life of a Cities Service Station

Jones’ first steps were to liquidate Cities Service’s over 250 public utility investments in 1943, a task that had been completed by 1958 paving the way to become a fully integrated oil company. In 1962, an airplane crash took the life of W. Alton Jones, opening the company to a succession of company leaders: Burl Watson (1962), John Burns (1966), and Charles Mitchell (1968). In 1968, Cities Service relocated its headquarters to Tulsa.

In 1982, a shark was swimming in the oil pools…a careerconsuming piranha who made oil and gas companies shake in their boots. T. Boone Pickens was the founder of Mesa Petroleum Company, co-founder of Clean Energy Corps and his name is forever etched in history as the “takeover” king and a corporate raider. He gained his education as a geologist at Oklahoma A&M (Oklahoma State University), graduating in 1951. He became employed at Phillips Petroleum Company until 1954, and wildcatted shortly before founding Mesa Petroleum…with a thirst for wealth and the smell of crude oil burrowed deep into his nostrils.

Oh sure, he was a philanthropist but he is

best known attempting to bite the hand that fed him with the failed takeover attempt of Phillips Petroleum Company; as well as Cities Service, Gulf Oil and others.

Cities Service turned the tables on Mesa and stood firm. They countered the takeover attempt with a retaliatory defense, threatening to sell off Cities Service piece-by-piece rather than letting the ship sink as a whole. In search of a life raft, Cities entered a merger agreement with Gulf Oil Corporation late summer 1982 but the arrangement failed. Instead, Cities Service became a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Company and then became absorbed by Occidental, except the refining, marketing and transportation of Cities Service, which were incorporated as a wholly operated subsidiary under the name CITGO, headquartered in Houston.

As a key player in Oklahoma’s oil and gas development, Cities Service played a significant role in the state’s economic growth. The growth and development of Cities Service as a major powerhouse came at the expense of absorbing smaller companies and the company’s demise came when it was absorbed as a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Company.

Oil and gas have been the root of much greed and evil. As the Oklahoma soil became pierced by a sea of oil wells, rumbles deep in the earth announced the spuing of oily wealth. Oil towns sprouted in anticipation of a black gold rush, but often the towns were short lived, disappearing into the soil they originated, much like the oilmen who sought their oily fortunes.

Bob Short

Doc Smithson

. . . A Lifelong Friend

by Debbie Neece,

Bartlesville Area History Museum

Jack Day Smithson was an Oklahoman to his core. He was born at Alluwe to Neil and Helen (Day) Smithson and graduated from Nowata High School. But, when he needed his birth certificate to enlist in Naval Aviation school, he was shocked to learn his birth name was actually John Richard Smithson. Although he remained called Jack by some friends and family, around Dewey, we respectively called him “Doc.”

After his WWII service, he attended OU School of Pharmacy with the help of the GI Bill and married Mona Jane Evans of Hutchinson, KS. With his pharmacy certificate in hand, he became employed at the Nowata Drug Store with the goal of buying into the business. However, the medical field tapped him on the shoulder so he enrolled in Central Christian College, now Oklahoma Wesleyan University, to gain the courses needed to attend Oklahoma University’s School of Medicine in OKC, graduating in 1955 at the age of 34.

As part of his college medical experience, he was assigned to shadow Dr. Johnson in Bartlesville for up to six weeks. Since he liked this area, the Smithson’s settled in Dewey. In 1954, Fred Popkess, of the Popkess Pharmacy, built a building at the northeast corner of Wyandotte Ave. and 8th Street (later renamed Don Tyler). At that location, Dr. Smithson practiced on the north side of the building and Dr. J.P. Vansant on the south side. When Dr. Vansant retired in the early 1960s, Dr. Smithson purchased the building from the Popkess family and his practice remained at 802 N. Wyandotte Ave.

During his years as a physician, he also unwaveringly served his community: as President of the Washington and Nowata County Medical Society; charter member and first historian of the Dewey Stamp Club; Ward 4 Dewey City Commissioner for 4 years, 1960-1964; and, most impressively, served 16-terms as Mayor of Dewey.

Dr. Smithson was more than a dedicated physician, he was family. Doc estimated he had delivered over 1,800 babies between 19561985, when he officially retired from

obstetric duty…although full retirement was not in his blood. In fact, my mother thought Dr. Smithson “walked on water” and he remained her doctor until her passing in 2008.

John and Mona Smithson have created a legacy in Washington County and their three children have continued in the medical profession: Dr. John Smithson, Jr., Neurosurgeon; Dr. David Smithson, Internal Medicine; and Dr. Martha Smithson Brehm, Pediatrician.

Mona Smithson died in 1992 and Dr. John “Jack” Smithson followed her in 2009. They are resting in the family plot at the Pawhuska Cemetery. In Dr. Smithson’s words, “Gone are the days of doctor house calls, which allowed the doctor and patient to become friends.” Well, house calls may be gone but in the eyes of every man, woman and baby who was blessed to be his patient…he was their life-long FRIEND.

Brandy Jeffers remembers Doc giving her Valentine’s chocolates for many years. And, Joshua Wilcox said, “My mom convinced Dr. Smithson into coming out of ‘baby delivering retirement’ just to deliver me in 1985…Doc’s last baby delivery.”

JUNE CALENDAR SPONSORED BY

Sunfest

3 PM; Sooner Park  Sunfest resumes Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m.

Sizzlin Summer Series

6 PM;Tower Center at Unity Square

32nd Annual Antique

Show and Sale

8 AM; Washing County Fair Grounds

Mary Poppins Tea

2 PM; The Center

Join us for a whimsical Mary Poppins tea party filled with grand games, splendid tea sandwiches, wonderful pastries, delicious “sugar cookie” tea, superb scones and jam, and a glorious harp concert.

The Noisy Paint Box

1 PM; The Center

Join us for an exciting art and music immersion experience where music creates colors and art makes sounds.  Children will learn about how music inspires creativity and art is noisy.

OKWU Basketball Camp

9 AM; UKWU

The camp is held June 4-7 for boys and girls ages 8-18.

OKWU Mens Soccer

Summer ID Camp

9 AM; OKWU

The camp is held June 4-7 for boys ages 10-18.

Never Play Music Right Next to the

Zoo

10 AM; The Center

Come join us for a hilarious story of a concert that gets out of hand when the animals at the neighboring zoo decide to storm the stage and play the instruments themselves.

Moses Goes to Concert

1 PM; The Center Come join Moses and his school friends for a special concert.

88 Insturments

3 PM; The Center

Join us for a wonderful story called “88 Instruments” to be read by Ms. Laura at the Bartlesville Public Library.

Vacation Bible School

6 PM; Eastern Heights Baptist Church VBS is help June 5-9.

OKWU Diaper Dandy Basketball Camp

9 AM: OKWU

For boys & girls age 4-8.

Meet the Orchestra

10 AM; The Center

Come enjoy this wonderful story about animal musicians and the amazing sounds each instrument makes when played.  Each child will receive “Meet the Orchestra” as well as a fun coloring book about musical instruments.

The Bear, The Piano, The Dog and the Fiddle

1 PM; The Center

Join us for a heartfelt story about the friendship between a man and his fiddle playing dog.  Meet an all-animal band, with a piano playing bear.

Toy Box

10 AM; The Center Stuffed bears, dancing rabbits, jack-in-the–boxes, swinging sock-monkeys, space aliens and more.

It’s a Jungle Out there

1 PM; The Center

Join Felicia Flash, wildlife photographer, and her side-kick, Karma the elephant introduce you to dozens of endangered species and wildlife from across the glob

Karaoke

10 AM; The Center

Join us for an amazing “mega star” experience on stage at The Center! Dance and sing your heart out to your favorite songs played live on piano.

Time for Magic

5 PM; Unity Square

A special show with magical performances by magician Jim Green.  Join OKM Music on stage at Unity Square for a “grandparent” approved show filled with laughter, surprises, and of course fun tricks that will leave you asking “how did he do that?

JUNE EVENTS CALENDAR

Thu, June 1

8:30 AM

BAHM Exhibit: Oklahoma

Beginnings

Bartlesville Area History Museum

401 S Johnstone Ave.

Each season brings something new to the Bartlesville Area History Museum’s Pioneer Gallery. This spring, BAHM is proud to present: Oklahoma Beginnings: The Legacy of Ranching in Northeast Oklahoma. On display from April 10th through June 30th, the exhibit takes visitors on a rustic journey exploring development of the west and the legendary history of ranching in Washington County. Long before Oklahoma became a state, the fight for land was real as white settlers moved further and further west. Ground once deemed Indian Territory became split to form Oklahoma Territory which experienced cattle grazing opportunities and a series of land runs. On September 16, 1893, cannons boomed unleashing the largest land rush in American history as hundreds of thousands of people raced across the open prairie to stake their claim and begin their new lives. Such was the beginning of ranches like the 101 Ranch in Kay County. Join us in exploring the rich ranching history of Washington County and discover the foundations of some of our well-known family ranches. The exhibit will feature various artifacts from local ranches over the years and display examples of local cattle brands. In addition, youngsters or the “young at heart’ may enjoy our history of ranching coloring station and gander through BAHMs turn of the century Nelson Carr One-Room School!

The Museum is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed on weekends and holidays) at 401 S. Johnstone Avenue, 5th Floor.

10 AM

Animal Barn and Mountain Man Camp Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve

1925 Woolaroc Ranch Rd.

The “crack” of the black powder rifle will be echoing off the walls of Woolaroc as the Mountain Man Camp officially opens for the season. Mountain Men, Wes, and Roger Butcher will have the camp open and ready for the public. Learn the proper art of throwing a tomahawk, shooting a black powder rifle, and seeing how people lived in the 1840s within the beautiful grounds of Woolaroc. The Animal Barn will also be open during regular business hours and is located on the main grounds. The variety of animals is always changing, and may include animals such as rabbits, goats, chickens, peacocks, donkeys, sheep, and more!

Open Normal Business Hours: March 15th - September 4th. Admission is covered with paid admission at the front gate, (Adults are $14, Military Discount –$10, Over 65 – $12, and Children 12 and younger are FREE).

10 AM

Roark Wildlife Exhibit

Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve

1925 Woolaroc Ranch Rd.

Woolaroc is excited to partner with regional wildlife sculptor, Dale Roark. This partnership will bring 32 of Roark’s signature pieces to Room 6 of our museum for a 4-month wildlife sculpture exhibition. Roark’s works will be on display in the museum starting March 24th and running through July 28th. Guests will be able to see works ranging from furry creatures, to feathered friends! To see this amazing artwork, visit Woolaroc’s History Museum, open Wednesday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm.

10 AM

ELL Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

ELL Conversation classes are held on Tuesdays at 5pm and Thursdays at 10am on the second floor of the Bartlesville Public Library in the Literacy Services office. These classes are FREE and open to the public. Please contact the Bartlesville Literacy Services office at 918.338.4179 for more information.

7 PM

Teens! Learn to knit in 3 sessions! Bartlesville Public Library

600 S. Johnstone Blvd.

Come learn how to knit in 3 sessions. Materials provided or bring your own supplies. Limited to 10 teens per session. Sign-up required.

Fri, June 2

10 AM

Sunfest

Sooner Park 420 SE Madison Blvd.

Oklahoma’s Biggest Outdoor Picnic! A three-day festival with live entertainment, youth activities, marketplace artisans, food vendors, a car show and more!

Osage Productions

Capturing Stories Through the Lens

@elizabethkherr @OsageProductions

Sat, June 3

8 AM

Bartlesville Farmers Market

Frank Phillips Park

222 SW Frank Phillips Blvd.

Come shop Bartlesville’s Farmers Market. Products include Fresh Produce, Baked Goods, Local Honey, Grass-Fed Beef, Fresh Eggs, and Handmade items! We meet every Saturday, May 7th - October 15th. To stay up to date on the latest details, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook. com/bartlesvillefarmersmarket

9 PM

Live Music with Carl Acuff Jr. Band

Cherokee Casino - Ramona

31501 US-75, Ramona

10 PM

History And Haunts At The Dewey Hotel

Dewey Hotel Museum

801 N Delaware St., Dewey

We are pleased to Introduce our new History and Hunts tours. For booking email us at ghost@wchs-ok.org. The tours will be for 5 hours at 200.00 and that will include learning about the history and how to conduct paranormal research. Equipment will be available to use during the tour but you are welcome to bring your own. The time will be from 10pm-3am and if you want more information please email us.

Sun, June 4

12:30 PM

Soup Sunday City Church

4222 Rice Creek Rd.

This is a group for those 65+ to join with others for lunch after the 11 a.m. service once a month.

Mon, June 5

11 AM

Virtual Storytime on Facebook www.facebook.com/bvillelibrary

Join us every Monday at 11 a.m. for Virtual Storytime on our Facebook page. You can find us by searching for Bartlesville Public Library on Facebook or by going to www.facebook.com/ bvillelibrary.

5:30 PM

Free Spanish Classes

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

Free Spanish Class every Monday evening at 5:30pm in Meeting Room B on the first floor of the Bartlesville Public Library. This class is free and open to the public. Please contact the Bartlesville Literacy Services office at 918.338.4179 if you have any questions.

Wed, June 7

9 AM

Donation Day

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S. Johnstone Ave.

We accept donations every Wednesday! We accept books, audiobooks, DVDs, and video games (PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One). Please bring your items to the loading dock door and ring the doorbell.

5:30 PM

Free Citizenship Class

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

Citizenship classes are held on Tuesdays at 6pm, Wednesdays at 5:30pm, and Thursdays at 11am on the second floor of the Bartlesville Public Library in the Literacy Services office. These classes are FREE and open to the public. Please contact the Bartlesville Literacy Services office at 918.338.4179 for information.

Thu, June 15

4 PM

BAA Art Camp 2023

Bartlesville Art Association

500 S Dewey

Registration is now open for BAA

Art Camp June 5th - June 30th. Sign up for 1 week or all 4. Art Camp is for Grades 1 – 12, Instructors: Steven Graham, Gabriela Johnson, and Erinn Rakes. To enroll visit https://www. bartlesvilleartassociation.org/artcamp/. Please note: We plan to have Summer Art Camp at the BAA as usual but due to the sale of the Price Tower, we may need to change location this year. If so, parents will be notified of the new site ASAP! If you have any questions please email bartlesvilleartassociation@gmail. com

6 PM Vacation Bible School

Eastern Heights Baptist Church 1331 Swan Dr.

Tie, June 6

6 PM

Johnstone Irregulars Book Club Meeting

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

The book club meets in the Literary Services Office on the 2nd floor of the library on the first Tuesday of every month.

7:30 PM

Madagascar The Musical The Center

300 SE Adams Blvd.

This smash hit musical features all of your favorite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.

dealers, great showroom and vehicles, very accommodating. Really appreciate being called by name.” — Matt from Wichita, KS

Sat, June 17

8 AM

Bartlesville Bruin Football Golf Classic 2023

Adams Golf Course

5801 Tuxedo Blvd.

Come support your favorite football team by showing off those golf skills!

Join us on June 17th at Adams Golf Course for the 2023 Bartlesville Bruin Football Golf Classic. Two flights at 8am and 1pm (register early to secure the early morning time slot). Featuring delicious food and your favorite tailgate games! Raffle prizes, mulligans, gimmick holes and more!

11:30 AM

Monthly LEGO Club Bartlesville Public Library

600 S. Johnstone Ave.

Come join us every 3rd Saturday for our LEGO Club! We provide the LEGOS, all you need to do is be ready to have fun!

We meet in the BPL’s upstairs meeting room. We hope to see you there!

6 PM

Jesus Burger

Get Real Ministries

411 W 14th St.

Get Real Ministries is having Jesus Burger every 3rd Saturday of the month. Come be fed spirituality and physically with others that have recovered from all kinds of addictions and life struggles that have been healed or are being healed. We will fight the fight with you! Come witness the “Miracles on 14th Street.” It’s a Holy Spirit revival! Baptisms, free food, free clothes, and free love — all paid for by Jesus. You will leave changed!

Mon, June 19

6 PM

The Next Generation Tour Oklahoma Wesleyan University 2201 Silver Lake Road

Sat, June 24

10 AM

Woolaroc Kidsfest

Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Rd.

This traditional event features arts and crafts, games, live music, inflatables, and so much more! There is no extra charge for Kidsfest, it is covered under the price of regular admission. Craft and food vendors are an additional cost.

Regular Admission: $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, kids 12 and under are free.

9 PM

Live Music with Darryl Perry

Cherokee Casino - Ramona 31501 US-75, Ramona

HOSPICE myths and facts

HOSPICE myths and facts

MYTH: Choosing hospice means giving up all medical treatment.

FACT: Hospice places the patient and family at the center of the care-planning process and provides highquality pain management and symptom control. The focus of hospice care is to enable patients to live the remainder of their lives as fully and painlessly as possible.

MYTH: Choosing hospice means giving up all medical treatment.

MYTH:Hospice is a place.

FACT: Hospice is a way of caring for individuals in advanced stages of illness– not a place. The majority of hospice patients are cared for in their own homes or the home of a loved one. Hospice care can be provided wherever an individual lives. We provide care for patients in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals.

FACT: Hospice places the patient and family at the center of the care-planning process and provides highquality pain management and symptom control. The focus of hospice care is to enable patients to live the remainder of their lives as fully and painlessly as possible.

MYTH:Hospice is only for elderly people.

MYTH:Hospice is a place.

FACT: Hospice services are available for individuals of any age.

MYTH:Hospice is expensive.

FACT: Medicare and Medicaid both have comprehensive hospice benefits. Most private insurances also pay for hospice services.

MYTH:Hospice care is only appropriate in the last few days of life.

FACT: Hospice is a way of caring for individuals in advanced stages of illness– not a place. The majority of hospice patients are cared for in their own homes or the home of a loved one. Hospice care can be provided wherever an individual lives. We provide care for patients in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals.

FACT: Receiving hospice care does not mean giving up hope or that death is imminent. Choosing hospice sooner can help patients and their loved ones benefit from the full support available. Some patients actually improve and may be discharged from hospice care.

MYTH:Hospice care ends when the patient dies.

MYTH:Hospice is only for elderly people.

FACT: Hospice is designed to support all family members during the illness– addressing both emotional needs and the education family members may need to best care for their loved one at home. Hospice also offers bereavement support for 13 months after the death of a loved one.

FACT: Hospice services are available for individuals of any age.

MYTH:Hospice is expensive.

MYTH:Hospice is for people who have no hope.

FACT: Facing a serious illness is never easy. However, even when life is measured in months instead of years, there is still a lot of living to do. Hospice can help individuals spend their final months doing the things that are most important to them. Hospice can provide the physical, emotional, and spiritual support patients and families need to welcome each new day.

FACT: Medicare and Medicaid both have comprehensive hospice benefits. Most private insurances also pay for hospice services.

MYTH:Hospice care is only appropriate in the last few days of life.

FACT: Receiving hospice care does not mean giving up hope or that death is imminent. Choosing hospice sooner can help patients and their loved ones benefit from the full support available. Some patients actually improve and may be discharged from hospice care.

Help us welcome DeAnna Aguirre to the Russell Real Estate Group

MAKE AN IMPACT

WITH FAITH-BASED INVESTING IN REVO’S BR STRATEGIES

Faith Integration

Many men and women are expressing their faith through a desire to align their values with their investing, finding ethical companies that not only avoid doing bad things, but impact humanity for good.

Dual Mandate Investing

MAKE AN IMPACT

WITH FAITH-BASED INVESTING IN REVO’S BR STRATEGIES

Faith Integration

Dual mandate investing is investing with two goals - profitable financial return and a positive impact on the world. Dual mandate investing adds a second dimension of the impact your investments have on the world, to investing that traditionally focuses only on financial return.

Many men and women are expressing their faith through a desire to align their values with their investing, finding ethical companies that not only avoid doing bad things, but impact humanity for good.

Metrics of Investing

Dual Mandate Investing

Investment Strategies

We choose funds we believe impact the world for good and manage how your assets are allocated over time. Our biblically-responsible faith-based portfolios leverage these core strategies:

Dual mandate investing is investing with two goals - profitable financial return and a positive impact on the world. Dual mandate investing adds a second dimension of the impact your investments have on the world, to investing that traditionally focuses only on financial return.

Investment Strategies

Social Impact: Companies and funds that may include Community Development, Medical Research, Renewable Energy, Global Economic Development, Affordable Housing, etc.

Our Areas of Specialization

Good Profits: Companies that may create value by means of Energy Efficiency, Clean Water Supply, Cybersecurity, Healthy Food Supply, Biotechnology, Customer Loyalty, Employee Benefits, Fair Trade, etc.

Investment

Financial

We choose funds we believe impact the world for good and manage how your assets are allocated over time. Our biblically-responsible faith-based portfolios leverage key core strategies to impact the world for good.

Values-Based Investing & Our Process

Corporate Advocacy: Funds that may work with corporations on known deficiencies, and engage corporate leadership with shareholder resolutions, proxy voting, and on-going dialogue.

Investor Wholeness: Companies and funds to align with your values, reflect your mindfulness and care for others, and make you proud to hold in your investment portfolio.

“We are a family of financial advisors whose specialty is faith-based planning strategies.

biblical stewardship. This goes from the planning process all the way to

Investors are owners in a company, and we think investments should be something you believe in and can be proud of.”

“WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET, BUT WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE.”

–WINSTON CHURCHILL

The Stout Scarab... And Remembering Its Visit to Bartlesville

by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Washington County has been touched by some of the most amazing architects on earth. Each day we marvel at Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Tree That Escaped the Crowded Forrest,” standing tall in the heart of Bartlesville; and we are in awe of the Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sooner Park Play Tower and many homes left for us by Bruce Goff. But, have you heard about the auto-architect who brought his magnificent, futuristic, 1936 Scarab automobile to Bartlesville?

The parents of Illinois born William “Bill” Bushnell Stout were ministry guided and relocated often, preventing Bill from building life-long friendships outside his three siblings. His part-time cobbler grandfather, Reverend James Stout, lived with the family and Bill often said his grandfather “cared for men’s soles on weekdays and men’s souls on Sundays.”

Bill’s boredom and loneliness developed his interests in the arts and technology. He taught himself to play the piano and he learned several foreign languages as well. As a student, a teacher

recognized Bill’s inability to see the blackboard, resulting in a lifetime prescription of thick-lensed “spectacles.” But the handicap never held him back. In 1929, the stock market crashed, resulting in the Great Depression, which lasted well into 1939. Despite the lean times, Bill Stout saw opportunity.

It was during the depression years that two interesting autoarchitects emerged: Richard Buckmaster Fuller known for the geodesic dome and the Dymaxion automobile; and William B. Stout known for his interest in aviation and for creating the Stout Scarab automobile.

Stout’s automotive career began at the Scripps-Booth Automobile Company, which lead him to the Packard Motor Car Company and an aviation adventure resulting in the all-wood cantilevered winged glider called the Stout Batwing. Stout has been hailed as being “one of the world’s greatest aeronautical engineers,” but he was wise enough to know his limited visions would someday be surpassed by other inventors who would see past his “fundamentals.” He knew the day would come when more than 100 people would be transported from point A to point B in a single vessel. He was correct.

The Bartlesville Engineer’s Club was chartered June 1919, with 130 members, and their bi-monthly meetings brought guest speakers from across the United States. At that time, Stout was head of the airplane division of the Ford Motor Company and advisor to the Federal Aircraft Board. In February 1928, William

William B. Stout was a practical dreamer and realist who said in 1930, “The airplane of the future won’t look at all like the plane of today. We are building kites now!”

B. Stout flew his all-metal airplane to the Bartlesville airport where he was welcomed by Frank and Jane Phillips and was their dinner guest at Woolaroc before his speaking engagement with the Engineers. His speech detailed the “Development of Commercial Aviation” and he shared his flying adventure to Mexico City with Mrs. Evangeline Lindbergh, mother of Charles Lindbergh. He encouraged the Engineers to educate younger generations about the fundamentals of aviation and to build model airplanes to inspire the youth because “ the day of flying is not coming, it is here.”

W.B. Stout started the Stout Engineering Laboratories after the WWI. But, his beetleshaped Stout Scarab was born in the earlythirties and became the springboard for the Stout Motor Company in 1934. Originally inspired by Buckmaster Fuller’s Dymaxion auto that he had seen at the New York Auto Show, Stout funneled his interest into his aerodynamical, streamlined, Scarab automobile with a rear mounted Ford 3.6 L V8 engine.

at the cottage-styled Phillips gasoline station, northwest corner of Third Street and Keeler Avenue. And the visit was also noticed by the Phillips Petroleum Company’s newsletter, “Phillips Shield.”

The Scarab was William Stout’s mode of transportation as he traversed the United States delivering speeches to varied organizations. When he retired the futuristic minivan, the odometer registered over 250,000 miles.

“Engineer William B. Stout established the Stout Metal Airplane Company in 1922 and introduced the first successful all-metal commercial American airplane two years later. Ford Motor Company purchased Stout’s firm in 1925 and Stout’s work contributed to the development of the Ford TriMotor, one of the most popular aircraft in early commercial aviation.” Ford Motor Company

Just after WWI, Stout built the “Scarab Experimental” prototype and each auto thereafter was uniquely hand-made with no two the same. In 1936, the Stout Scarab was a show stopper with a sleek lightweight aluminum body that looked like a giant beetle with swivel Captain’s chairs, foldable card table, with the engine in the rear and spare tire in the front.

Famed Aviator and Phillips Petroleum Company Aviation Sales Manager, Billy Parker, and Bill Stout, a former Chief Engineer of the Ford Motor Company, had more in common than their first names…they both had deep interests in aviation. On several occasions Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Stout traveled to Bartlesville for speaking engagements (October 1930 and April 1936) and were overnight guests at the home of Billy and CynDy Parker. During the 1936 visit, local photographer Frank Griggs captured a photo of Billy Parker and Bill Stout with his 1936 Stout Scarab

Although the Stout Scarab was never volume produced, it is believed there were nine built. Among those who owned the Scarab were Willard Dow, son of Herbert Dow who founded the Dow Chemical Company; Philip Wrigley, chewing gum magnate and owner of the Chicago Cubs; Harvey Firestone, founder of the  Firestone Tire and Rubber Company; Robert Stranahan, founder of Champion’s Spark plugs; and Ray Russell, President of the  Detroit Industrial Designers Association. Reportedly, the only drivable model still in existence is on exhibit at the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine. Additionally, two Scarabs were in the collection of Reno, Nevada hotelier William Harrah and later auctioned.

The Automotive Hall of Fame was established in 1939 “dedicated to honoring automotive innovators.” In 1951, William B. Stout received the Distinguished Service Citation Award, and was posthumously inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2001, his death occurring in 1959 at the age of 76.

Did You Know?

In 1958, the Dearborn Michigan Public Schools purchased 10 acres of land from the Ford Motor Company to build the Stout Junior High School, which was dedicated November 1960. The Stout Falcons proudly celebrate William B. Stout’s life-long achievements on his birthday.

Now You Know *

Located in the heart of Downtown Bartlesville

Located in the heart of Downtown Bartlesville

100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd

100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd

Reserve your spot at the top (918)440-6773

Reserve your spot at the top (918)440-6773 JOHNSTONE-SARE The

www.johnstone-sare-theroomatthetop.com

www.johnstone-sare-theroomatthetop.com

johnstone.sare@gmail.comjohnstone.sare.building

johnstone.sare@gmail.comjohnstone.sare.building

John Newton Florer

The Greatest Friend of the Osage Tribe of Indians

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

John Newton Florer was born April 19, 1844 in Cincinnati, Ohio. When he was 17, John enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War and was called Colonel Florer the rest of his life.

After the war, John went to Lawrence, Kansas and clerked in a store. He married Anna Finney in 1869 and moved his family to Osage Country to be a trader with the Osage tribe. By 1883, John sold his trading interests and decided to get into the cattle business. Unfortunately, that did not go well. In 1885, he returned to being a trader, this time in Gray Horse.

John became good friends with the Osage. He made sure he had plenty of needed goods to sell to local Indians. He spoke their language and went on buffalo hunts with them. The Osage would turn to John for advice and help when in trouble, even if it was the middle of the night.

An event that changed the lives of John and the Osage happened in the early 1890’s. One day, an Osage took John to an area at Sand Creek, pointing to some scum on the water. The Indian soaked a blanket in the water, then when he squeezed it, quite a bit of oil came out of the blanket. That is when John realized the Osage

land was sitting on oil. He started talking to the Osage to grant him an oil lease.

Many of the Osage were not sure about allowing this, but they had come to trust John. He even named his son, the first white child born on the Osage reservation, Walter Osage Florer.

Florer was able to get the Foster Brothers to invest in the Osage oil fields with a 10-year lease. He made sure the Osage were able to get 10% royalty interest plus $50 per well per year. The lessee would forfeit back to the Osage Council the areas undeveloped. He was able to do this because he persuaded Chief Big Heart and the Osage that the oil on their land would be advantageous for them.

Anticipating the end of the lease Florer had worked to acquire for the Fosters, he started working to convince the Osage to open the reservation to other oil producers. Foster had been able to get another 10-year lease, but with less acres. Florer was able to encourage other producers, including Frank Phillips, to produce in the Osage, which began the oil boom in Osage County. Because Florer helped the Osage tribe to obtain the ‘blanket lease,’ the tribe became very wealthy.

The Osage had given John the 40 acres on which his house stood in Gray Horse and when he died in 1907, they allotted it to an old Osage who could not attend enrollment. This would have made John very happy.

Florer was known as an unselfish man with a generous spirit and kind disposition. This won him many friends and much business. In his obituary, it was written that he was philanthropic and generous to a fault, living his life for the good that he might render to others rather than for self.

John Florer is not as well known as some of the other oilmen in this area, but he was fine with that. If it were not for him, most of the oilmen would not have come here looking for oil.

John Florer, right, with three prominent Osages.

For our fee schedule, please feel free to call us at any time.

The Bartles’ Mausoleum

. . . A Place to Gather for Rest

by Debbie Neece,

Bartlesville Area History Museum

When Jacob Bartles invited his Civil War comrades of the 6th Kansas Calvary to celebrate their 24th reunion at Dewey in 1908, his health was waning and he knew the end of his trail was near. He had commissioned his builder friend, William Ryus, to construct a concrete mausoleum in the Dewey Cemetery; however, the project was not complete when Bartles took his last breath, October, 18, 1908. To prepare for burial, Bartles’ remains traveled to Coffeyville, the home of two of his stepdaughter’s families, via the railroad he had invested years in bringing to Oklahoma. He was returned to Dewey and received a ground burial in a pouring rainstorm to await the mausoleum completion. A month later his body was recasketed and entombed in the mausoleum.

In 1910, Joseph Bartles, Fred Woodard and M.C. Jones worked to secure land for the Dewey Cemetery and incorporate the Dewey Cemetery Association. His work reaped the final rewards of many Dewey residents, including Joe’s own children. Although some records falsely indicate Jacob and Nannie’s first son, Charles (1869-1870), is resting in the mausoleum, he rests in Wyandotte County, Kansas.

Joe and Edith (Ross) Bartles experienced difficulty creating a family and the Bartles’ Mausoleum became the resting place of their infant children: Stillborn Nancy Jane 1/10/1915; twins, stillborn infant b/d 10/18/1915 and three-weekold Mary Jean, who died 11/8/1915; and stillborn Edith Gene, 1917-1917.

In 1918, Joe and Edith were expecting their fifth child and the couple established a home in Kansas City so Edith would be near medical care and family. Joe was in Texas, attending to business, when the call came that Edith was in labor. Joe

caught the next train and was stalled in Tulsa so Billy Parker came from the Joe Bartles’ Dewey Airplane Company to his rescue and Joe completed the journey by plane. Unfortunately, the stillborn infant arrived 7/11/1918 and now rests in the Bartles’ Mausoleum. At that time, Joe and Edith adopted Betsy “Betty” Bartles, who was born 8/18/1918, also in Kansas City. She lived to age 76.

Nannie Bartles died in 1924 and joined her husband and grandchildren in the mausoleum. Although Joseph Andrew Bartles expressed he wanted undertaker John McCallister to cremate his body and have his friend, famed Aviator Billy Parker, scatter his ashes from the Caney River to the Blue Mound, he was entombed in 1956. His wife, Edith, was buried beside her parents in the vicinity of Kansas City upon her 1937 death.

The original mausoleum structure was steel construction covered by fired-brick veneer and concrete mortar, seven steps below ground level. The stair-stepped exterior had an inset door, sealed with a drawbar and padlock to allow easy access for future remains. In the wee hours of January 8, 1933, four graverobbers hacksawed the padlock to gain entrance to the Bartles Mausoleum; however, their foul deed was thwarted by the Dewey Cemetery watchman who summoned law enforcement for an unsuccessful apprehension.

Howard Cannon, husband of Nellie Johnstone Cannon, was instrumental in a 1962-1965 restoration project, paying half the costs. The Dewey City Council hired Buck Associates to create the architectural plans which redesigned the exterior, filled the seven stepped entrance to grade level for extra security, and added a cement domed cap. In 1986, Allen Brown spearheaded a restoration project for his mother, Mary Gibson Brown, a Bartles’ niece; unfortunately, she died in 1988, and the project was not completed.

WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES

PAINT & SIP AT PALACE ROOMS

BARTLESVILLE FARMER’S MARKET

BIG BAD BBQ

OK EATS KIDDIE FARM

Every drop counts.

by Jay Webster

If I say the word Pannekoeken, what comes to mind?

If you’re new here (as in you’ve lived in the Ville for less than 40 years) the answer is probably - Not much.

So let me fill you in.

Last month, word started to spread that our famed city would be getting a Whataburger. Reportedly, the orange and white-clad hamburger chain would be located on Highway 75 on the current site of the now-deceased Hunan Restaurant. But for those who have been in the Ville for a full minute (or two), we know that location was originally the hallowed site of Sytje’s Pannekoeken Huis Family Restaurant, a place that both tormented and delighted many young, “starving” boys and girls for years.

This saga starts in the late 70s with a question: “What kind of restaurant do we need in Bartlesville?”

“Well, there’s no one really serving our historic Dutch demographic…”

“Perfect.”

At least that’s how I imagine the conversation going between Duane and Don Mueller, building contractors and brothers who built the restaurant that eventually opened in 1979. By all accounts, their attempt to reach out to this underserved population was a hit.

The appeal of the restaurant was its complete dedication to the motif. Perched on a slight hill, the outside was painted

white and Dutch-boy blue. In the center of the facade was a two-story tower adorned with a “life-size” windmill. On the slanted landscape leading up to the front door was another windmill (in case you missed the first one) made from timbers and landscape rocks.

When you entered the Pannekoeken, the first room was the waiting room. Wrapped in dark- stained paneled walls and benches, this was a painful greeting for kids. Here’s where you’d be forced to wait - sometimes 30 minutes to an hour on weekends - while you inhaled the smell of baked goodness arriving to others like a burnt sacrifice to the flavor gods. You may have thought you’d known hunger before, but nothing compared to this. Your pre-adolescent will simply wasn’t prepared for this kind of exhaustion and want. Your stomach grumbled. Your limbs failed. Your mouth drooled. Often your whole body would simply go limp and slump over in a weakness only syrup could revive.

The only distraction in the waiting area was the Dutch equivalent of “China” dishes mounted along the perimeter of the room. Pitchers, platters, dishes (and whatever else) all displayed hundreds of scenes with people in wooden clogs and, you guessed it, windmills. Each of the items was for sale so you could begin your own at-home collection.

I can still remember the Pennsylvania-covered bridge painting that hung in the men’s bathroom. Sometimes in order to distract yourself or just to have a change of venue on an especially long wait, you might take yourself in for an attempted potty break…an entertainment pee. Boys are strange, but it helped pass the time. And the painting was pretty.

Then came the magical moment when they finally called your party’s name. Everything in your body came alive.

From the waiting area you were paraded through the restaurant in a royal procession, like this year’s winner of the Westminster Dog Show. Along the way you passed the highback booths in dark, nearly gothic-thick stained wood. Blue and white covered the remaining surfaces, while framed landscapes from the mother country hung between the mostly floor-to-ceiling windows.

After you wrestled the rotund chairs far enough back to belly up to the table, a waiter would hand you a menu…as if you didn’t already know exactly why you were there. As a kid, there was only one item on the menu, one breakfast dish that could cause you to endure the eternal wait and two pretend pees. The Pannekoeken!

The Pannekoeken was a “Dutch-style pancake” in the same way Vegas is an “American-style city”. The term just doesn’t do it justice.

To begin with, the Pannekoeken was a foot in diameter. Addons included: sliced apples and cinnamon, nuts, various other fruits and I’m pretty sure vanilla ice cream. Such an entree was not merely “served” - it was presented.

Upon being released from the kitchen, each Pannekoeken was announced with bells and whistles (a deliciousness alarm, if you will). Then a trained member of the waitstaff ran through the restaurant carrying the baked goodness to your table while

bystanders dove out of the way. All these efforts were in part due to the fact that when the Pannekoeken descended from Heaven, it was inflated like a balloon to the size of a wedding cake. As it cooled, its glorious stature sank. So, specially ordained Wesleyan college students (this is true) dressed in Dutch-style skirts and bodices were in charge of delivering the cakes at breakneck speeds to ensure their maximum inflation upon arrival.

The closest thing we have to this experience today is “Watch your fajita plate…it’s hot.”

After the theatrics ended and surrounding hungry kids were scolded for staring, came the best part. The eating.

Every bite of the Pannekoeken was as good as the one before it. This is quite possibly the place where I first hurt myself eating. But it was worth it.

On one visit to the Dutch paradise, I decided milk would be an excellent side dish to this experience. When my Dad explained he wasn’t about to pay for such an extravagance he knew would go wasted, I swore I could handle it.

To no one’s surprise, three-quarters of the way through the footlong breakfast cake, I started to sweat. My dad began reciting my promises back to me. It was then my Grandfather, who was visiting (and likely the only reason we were eating out in the first place), declared he was extraordinarily parched with a thirst only milk could quench. Then he proceeded to drink away my shame one gulp at a time.

Our Pannekoeken was part of a franchise that began back in Minnesota. What started out strong, eventually fell prey to distracted management and unpaid taxes on a national level. After nine years, the chain broke and we lost an institution of sweet-buttery goodness.

My guess is there are still households here in the Ville displaying (or storing) featured Dutch blue and white pottery. Sadly, that and the stretch marks left by pushing the edge of my digestion envelope will soon be all that’s left of our favorite local eatery from the Netherlands.

When I think of food experiences so good you’d wait in line for it…the list seems pretty small. I think most of us have waited for “gravy over all” at Murphy’s at some point in our lives. When the Silver Dollar steak house exploded briefly, there was certainly a wait. There’s the line-worthy Gino’s Pizza in Chicago… and maybe the best food I ever waited for was a giant hamburger in Meers, OK. But that is a story for another column.

I think the key takeaway here iscall the ones you love, friends . We’re not promised tomorrow. Someday your best eateries will just be a culinary memory. Seize the cakes while you can.

Cheers, my friends.

Ignite Medical Resorts

Innovative, Quality Care is Just What the Doctor Ordered by Maria Gus

When area residents are in need of short-stay rehabilitation care, Ignite Medical Resorts Adams PARC provides innovative, quality care. This top-of-theline medical resort in Bartlesville offers world-class care and a robust provider team to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients. With a physician and nurse practitioner on site five to six days a week, along with a physiatrist, pain management team, wound care nurse practitioner, and cardiology rounding services, patients receive individualized treatment plans and daily support from a team of experts. Ignite Medical Resorts has truly ignited innovation in the field of short-stay rehabilitation, and Ignite Adams PARC is a shining example of their commitment to top-quality care.

In addition to their exceptional provider team, Ignite Adams PARC is equipped with the latest technology to ensure that patients receive the best possible care. Not only do they have the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment, but their use of telehealth technology allows them to provide immediate care and attention to patients around the clock.

One such innovative care tool creating great success for patients is the new Andago equipment. Andago is a therapeutic tool that allows therapists to safely perform overground gait and balance training in patients with walking or balance impairments.

“Ignite is excited to offer an innovative piece of equipment, called the Andago,” said Eric Threadgill, director of rehabilitation. “The Andago utilizes mobile robotic technology to sense the patient’s movement intention and actively follow, while providing dynamic body weight support.” Threadgill says this allows patients to be able to confidently walk naturally, while giving the feeling of safety and support.  “At Ignite, the Andago will assist our therapists in helping patients meet their goals and improve mobility,” added Threadgill.

Ignite Medical

Resorts Adams PARC was designed to provide an all–inclusive physical therapy and rehabilitation center for patients to heal and rehabilitate. Their property is comprised of world-class medical facilities and the accommodations and amenities of a 5-star boutique resort — all in one setting where patients and their families can enjoy expert medical care and services and personalized concierge hospitality.

Staff lead patients to get their spark back after a surgery or illness at the only luxury medical resort and physical therapy facility in Bartlesville. “We believe in the expert hands of our dedicated team of in-house therapists who will customize a rehabilitation plan to get you back on your feet and back to the things you love,” said Heather Smoot, vice president of business development for Ignite Adams PARC.

All programs at Ignite Adams PARC are designed to help patients regain independence and return home safely.

“Ignite provides a well-rounded treatment approach for each of our guests,” said Threadgill. “Our Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapists perform an extensive evaluation to determine the treatment approach to get the best possible outcomes.  As guests make progress toward their therapy goals, they are monitored, and the plan of care is adjusted to achieve the highest level of function and independence.”

Ignite Adams PARC has always provided comprehensive care and the Andago allows them to bring more innovation to patients. With a team of professionals always cheering their clients on, Ignite Adams PARC continues to lead in patient care and long term success.

For more information call 918-331-0550 or schedule a tour at 6006 SE Adams Blvd. You can also visit them on the web at https://www.ignitemedicalresorts.com/adams-parc.htm.

God is Still There

He is Always With Us No Matter What Decisions We Make

by Jacqulyn Ellis (Shreve)

Hi my name is Jacqulyn

Ellis (Shreve).

I’d like to share my good news with you today. No matter how far we stray. No matter the decisions that we make. God is still there. On January 29, 2023 I found myself lost, broken, and living with my grandmother - again. Just as I had three years prior. After my divorce of a 20-year marriage, I kept crying out to God and He answered my prayers. Furniture was showing up out of nowhere. God provided a home for me and my children. Then even more furniture came. Before I know it my whole house was furnished beautifully!

Then God laid it on my heart to start baking cakes again. I was like “Lord I don’t even have a mixer nor ingredients.” I had nothing but I just trusted Him. I went ahead and advertised on social media. When I got my first order I told the Lord I don’t even have anything to fulfill this order.  No supplies of any kind, but within two days I had everything I needed. I kid you not.

A woman I met this last summer showed up in my driveway with it all. A new KitchenAid mixer deluxe! A new microwave air fryer! (Something that my daughter had been praying for). New utensils, bowls, pans, cookie sheets, and cake decorating supplies! You name it, she brought it - and in abundance! She began to tell me that the Lord laid it on our heart to sew a seed. To help me start making these cakes and cupcakes. I was so lost for words. All I could do was cry. Even still I find myself crying when I think about it.

You see, now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). I had so much faith in the Lord. That He would provide and He did! Just like He did provided my home and everything in it for me and my children. I still have the same faith that He’s going to provide us a car. Many people think I’m crazy for believing it, but I don’t care because I have seen God do miracles in my life that only He can do. So I know that He will do it again, again, and again!

So I tell you today, if you’re believing for something that’s impossible or God‘s asking you to do something that looks impossible to our human eyes, step out in faith. Don’t look down at the water like Peter did. No. Look straight ahead at Jesus. Don’t let anyone get you to doubt  because my God, your God, is no respecter of persons. If He’s done it for me. He can and He will do it for you. So I’ll leave you with this. Don’t lose your faith because your faith can move mountains.

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20-21.

Strong Partners

Bruin Football Strengthens Partnership with the YMCA

by Abigail Singrey

For Bartlesville High School Football coach Harry Wright, a successful high school football program starts long before the future players reach high school. That’s why, when he took the job in Bartlesville a year ago, one of the first things he did was look at strengthening the partnership with the Richard Kane YMCA of Bartlesville. In Bartlesville, kids can play football with the YMCA starting in first grade, while the Bartlesville Public School program starts in seventh grade.

“The YMCA and BPS programs need to align,” Wright said.

Together, they formed the Youth Football Committee to look at ways to attract more kids to the football program. The committee included representatives from the school, the YMCA, YMCA coaches, a YMCA board member and parents of kids in the program. Only 11 kids had enrolled in first grade football the previous year, and the committee wanted to know why.

The biggest insight to come out of the committee was that parents were hesitant to put their kids in tackle football in the youngest grades. The committee also looked at  the most recent safety data to find out what’s recommended as safe for kids of various ages.

After the committee’s research, the YMCA decided to start a flag football league for first graders and a padded flag football league for second graders. Those teams will play against other Bartlesville teams, eliminating the travel aspect as well for the younger kids. The padded flag football team allows kids to get used to wearing all the safety equipment and gear. Then, in third grade, they will play in the Indian Nations Football Conference – known as INFC– incorporating tackle football and introducing a more competitive feel to the games. This mirrors what other nearby school districts – including Jenks Public Schools – are doing with their football programs.

“This has eased parental concerns and helped raise enrollment,” Wright said. “I want as many kids as possible excited about football and developing those skills at a younger age.”

Already, they’ve seen a 25 percent increase in early enrollment, showing that the changes have made an impact. Enrollment in the Youth Football Program at the YMCA for first through sixth grades continues through July.

While the YMCA does a great job at the logistics of the youth football program, Wright saw an opportunity for the Bartlesville Public Schools to help with recruitment efforts with the kids. They’ve also been helping with fundraising for more equipment for the youth program and improving scholarship funding for kids with limited resources who want to be involved.

Having a strong football program is important for Bartlesville, Wright said. Under Superintendent Chuck McCauley, helping teens stay engaged in school has been a big initiative. Wright sees his football program as part of the solution.

“When you look at kids who are struggling in school or dropping out, they’re often not plugged into any extracurriculars,” Wright said. “Whether that’s band or choir or football, getting them in a program helps them feel connected to the school.”

It’s a concept Wright has personal experience with. He credits his own high school football coach in Eufaula for motivating him to succeed in high school.

“It’s so great to help high school kids reach goals they wouldn’t have otherwise,” Wright said. “They become part of the brotherhood of the team and develop critical life skills.”

Find Youth Football Program registration information at https://www.rkymca.org.

The Sound of Silence

Listen to Things Around You During Quiet Times

by Brent Taylor

My Grandpa Taylor was a quiet man. He once served on the school board in the Timber Hill area of NE Oklahoma. It was during a pie supper to raise funds for the school that a local drunk of majestic proportions continually disrupted the pie auction to the point that things were getting very awkward. Grandpa walked over to the drunken man who towered over him, took him by the arm, whispered in his ear, and led him away. My Dad was a boy at the time and said it was much later in life before he thought to ask his Dad what he had said to the disruptive drunk. Grandpa Ross simply said to the man, “Don’t you think I should take you home?”

I’m a little taller than Grandpa, but we talk about the same amount. I’m content not only in silence, but aloneness. I had several quiet mentors in my life who were not afraid to gather themselves in a single point of consciousness instead of being dispersed everywhere into a cloud of chatter and unimagined extroversion. Silence allows us to hear the song of the loon and the rumble of thunder rolling against granite and the surf beating out measures against coastal rocks.

But silence is not always blessed and happy. When Paul Simon’s The Sound of Silence comes on the radio, I imagine the opening scene of The Graduate with Dustin Hoffman returning from college to his childhood home. Hoffman is on a people mover at the LA airport moving inexorably into an anxious future as Simon and Garfunkel sing about a softly creeping vision that left its seeds within the sound of silence.

Paul Simon stated that the song was written in his bathroom, where he turned off the lights to better concentrate. “The main thing about playing the guitar, though, was that I was able to sit by myself and play and dream. And I was always happy doing that. I used to go off in the bathroom, because the bathroom had tiles, so it was a slight echo chamber. I’d turn on the faucet so that water would run (I like that sound, it’s very soothing to me) and I’d play. In the dark. ‘Hello darkness, my old friend / I’ve come to talk with you again’.”

I’ve noticed sometimes when I’m alone though, that my silence is far from peaceful. My mind races and I juggle thoughts like a drunk chasing a balloon along a steep cliff. Is there another silence that opens the mind to a deeper level of calm? When is silence therapeutic and when is it neurotic?

“On August 29, 1952, David Tudor walked onto the stage of the Maverick Concert Hall, near Woodstock, New York, sat down at the piano, and, for four and a half minutes, made no sound. He was performing 4’33”, a conceptual work by John Cage. It has been called the ‘silent piece,’ but its purpose is to make people listen. ‘There’s no such thing as silence,’ Cage said, recalling the première. ‘You could hear the wind stirring outside during the first movement. During the second, raindrops began pattering the roof, and during the third people

themselves made all kinds of interesting sounds as they talked or walked out.’ Indeed, some listeners didn’t care for the experiment, although they saved their loudest protests for the question-and-answer session afterward. Someone reportedly hollered, ‘Good people of Woodstock, let’s drive these people out of town!’ Alex Ross, The New Yorker, October 2010

Indeed. What good can come from silence? The silent seem persecuted at times. Voiceless, spat upon, mocked, and disparaged. In the words of Paul Simon in the song Blessed, “O Lord, Why have you forsaken me? I have tended my own garden much too long.”

But, Holy Scriptures defend the quiet soul: “The speech of a good person is worth waiting for; the blabber of the wicked is worthless. The talk of a good person is rich fare for many, but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.” Proverbs 10: 19-21.

I’ll leave you with this final thought from one of my favorites writers:

Accept what comes from silence. Make the best you can of it.

Of what little words that come out of the silence, like prayers, prayed back to the one who prays, make a poem that does not disturb the silence from which it came.

- Wendell Berry

Live Music + FREE Bingo

2023 is our 16th year!

Where: Frank Phillips Park, 222 SW Frank Phillips Blvd. (Just South of the train depot)

When: Every Saturday, May 7 - Oct 15 • Time: 8-11:30 am

Thank you for participating in SAFE-NOW's Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event, 2023.

Thank you to all our wonderful Sponsors

PLATINUM PUMPS SPONSOR $1000+

GOLDEN WEDGE HEELS SPONSOR $500

SILVER SANDALS SPONSOR $250 City Church•Stride Bank

PRIZE SPONSORS SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Oklahoma Tourism Department (TravelOK)

The Center (Bartlesville Community Center)

Pizza Hut (S. Washington Blvd)•Mazzio’s Pizza

Bricktown Brewery • Chick-fil-A •Atwoods

Red Apple Bowling Center•Boomerang Diner

Ascension St. John Medcare Pharmacy

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Outpost Coffee

Sharl Branch Art & Design•WrightFix Media•Warner Audio Video

Reenie Daniel•Cheryl Elvington•Pam Scott & Kasie Hixon

Earl Sears•Melissa Mayes•Allison Swift

Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Hospital

Fire Chief Kary Cox - WCEM•Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce

Washington County Sheriff’s Office•Patriot Service Company

Chief Mike McElhaney - Nowata Police Dept.

Officer Mitch Callahan•Officer Landon Miller•Officer Ethan Long

Walk Participants • Donors • Volunteers

See you next year!

A Little Goes a Long Way

by Lori Kroh

If you look around, you can see the beauty of this town and the generosity of the people.

“How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great” was penned by Bill Bennot. Those words have never left me. I am peering through a kaleidoscope and I twist it to see all the glimpses of grace that affected me as of late.

I see a young mother with children in the grocery cart and they are smiling.

She counts out her dollars and realizes she does not have enough so she quietly pulls the eggs aside and the milk and then some chicken. She looks down and whispers to the cashier and I can see the overwhelming burden on her face. She keeps to herself and is quietly watching the cashier type and removing the items and is making sure the number is going to hit below the amount she has in her wallet. It’s a pathetic game show and there is no winner.

She is hoping to only lose three items from her cart. I notice the lady behind her staring and I pray that there is no sigh of exasperation. The woman leans over and places her hand on that young mother and leans in and whispers. She nods to the cashier and tells her to also do cashback. I watched the older woman enter her card into the machine and type in some numbers and within a moment the smile that went across the young mother’s face as she burst into tears as the lady handed her some cash as well. “For gas & treats,” she told her. If you have ever had to put back food, you know how embarrassing it can be to have others see you.

A little goes a long way.

I see a family in a broken down car on the side of the road. One tire is shredded and the hood of the car is raised. The mother is crying and the kids are all in the back peering through the back windows. The father is outside looking at the tire and looks helpless. He wipes his brow with a bandana and his face is weathered from the sun and many worries. I watched a gentleman pull up in his truck and get out and talk to him. They shake hands and the father gives him a hug. I see the family pile into the big truck and they wait. On my way back from my errand, I see a tow truck and it has the car all hitched up and I know the gentleman is taking care of it for them. If you have ever had a flat tire, you know how timing is everything and relief when you get it fixed.

A little goes a long way.

I see a homeless man sitting at Walmart. He is sitting in the shade and it is very humid out. He looks so sad and he is staring at the ground. He has a handwritten sign and everyone drives by him and he never looks up. His entire demeanor is downcast and I feel the burden of no hope. I see him and wonder what will become of him. I watch a family walk up to him with water and a bag of food. They kneel down next to him and I watch as

he receives the bounty of goodness. The kids are smiling and hand him a sprayer filled with water to cool him in the heat of the day. He begins to drink the water and you see relief across his face and he thanks them and nods. If you have ever been thirsty and someone offers you a cold drink, you know how just one long sip can refresh you and it quenches your thirst.

A little goes a long way.

I see a widow make her way to the mailbox. She uses a walker and is moving very slowly. Her lawn is overgrown and there are weeds everywhere. At the front porch she has plants and they are blooming. I see her water them and that is all she can do. I watch her throw bread out to the birds each morning. She moves slowly and carefully. I see a neighbor pushing his lawnmower down the street and he comes to her yard and starts to mow. He goes back and forth and is whistling. She comes to the door with a big smile and waves to him. He mows her yard and picks up the sticks and bundles them together for her. He lays them down at the curb. If you have ever had a lawn gone too long, you know how much work it can be to remedy. There was no way she could care for it.

A little goes a long way.

I believe we live in the perfect place to always see a need, a person, a place to give. I see the glimpses of grace and it makes me smile. Just ordinary people stepping up in the circumstances of someone’s life and that is an extraordinary way to live.

Pawhuska’s American Idol

Phil Kane Makes it All the Way to Hollywood

by Kelly Hurd

“I’m going to be on American Idol someday,” were the words of young Phil Kane growing up in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

In fact, he had auditioned for  American Idol the previous season, but to no avail. So, when he woke up one morning and  American Idol had “liked” his TikTok video and contacted his mother, Cyndi Kane, requesting an audition – Phil’s first thought was – this must be a scam.

American Idol reached out from the contact information they had on file for Phil from his previous audition and it wasn’t a scam.

He took time for a Zoom interview with me from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee five days before his recent 19th birthday, and we spent an hour visiting about more than just American Idol.

Having been homeschooled, which allowed time for musical pursuit, Phil began piano lessons at age 6 or 7. “I didn’t like it at first,” he shared and went on to say, “I had to grow into it for sure.”

I asked Phil about his perspective, looking back on the homeschooling process, and he had nothing but good things to say about the experience.

“I was blessed to have a different learning experience which allowed me to have a different perspective on learning,” he shared and also said he felt homeschooling allowed for a close relationship with his siblings to be cultivated.

“I always had my mom’s support,” Phil shared, so it is no surprise that Cyndi Kane was with him in Nashville when he received a standing ovation from  American Idol judges - Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, after deciding five minutes before to sing his own original song, Osage County.

“I was originally going to sing a Billy Joel song, but five minutes before I changed my mind,” Phil shared.

Written when he was sixteen, Phil said he wrote the song from the piano. “The melody usually comes first and then the words. Osage County was easy for me to write. It came from my heart.”

It was that heart expression that gave Phil an  American Idol ticket to Hollywood. “I felt like my dreams were unfolding in front of me,” he said.

In Hollywood Phil came down sick, but pressed on in the competition and made it through the Performance and Duet Rounds, but was eliminated in the Show Stoppers Round preceeding the Hawaii Round.

Being a little disappointed that his performances didn’t make the show was understandable, but he also noted he

wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything and valued the new friendships made while in Hollywood.

We chatted about future plans and Phil, of course, still wants to pursue music, song writing, and performing.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask this budding, promising, talented young man if he had considered any intentional plans for, in the event huge success and fame were to come his way, how to keep himself grounded.

“Yes I have,” he point-blank answered me.

“I know this can sometimes be a Godless industry. My plans are to keep attending church and praying.”

Well now, there’s a young man anchoring himself to some good foundations.

I wished him all the best and before we ended our Zoom, I offered my own words of wisdom for young Mr. Kane, “Phil, when you get to where you’re going (and I do believe you’re going places) – remember where you came from – Osage County, Oklahoma.”

Thanks for reading along and going On the Road with me this month!

JULY COVER CONTEST

We are looking for Facebook voters to select the perfect photo of the beautiful Johnstone-Sare Building for our People’s Choice Winner!

Vote on our Facebook page. Remember to follow and share!

The contest entries that were accepted will be pictured in the July issue of bmonthly. Facebook voting opens at noon on June 5 and runs through noon on June 9. Complete rules online.

Grand Prize:

Cover winner will also receive an overnight stay at Johnstone-Sare’s Jewel Box Hotel Apartments and a $50 gift card to Hideaway Pizza! People’s Choice winner will receive a $25 gift card to Hideaway Pizza!

Small Town . . . .

by Lori Just

James Droz

A recent Bartlesville High School graduate has experienced the rise to fame as a sports analyst on a popular social media channel. James Droz, BHS Class of 2022, has built a fanbase of over 1.3 million people on TikTok where he’s best known for asking sports team after a loss, “What happeneduhhh?!?!”

During the Bartlesville High School football team season, James could be found on the sidelines encouraging and firing up the Bruins. In the final game of his senior year, he earned the opportunity to suit and make the game-winning touchdown for his team on Senior Night.

Since graduation, his mom has encouraged him to pursue opportunities at universities, but James found no interest in studying. Instead, he saw a chance to explore his love for sports and share it with the world.

“James told me ‘I think I’m going to do social media full time and that will be my job,’” said Susan Droz, James’ mom. “He told me he ‘wasn’t feeling it’ so I gave up on the school thing and within a few months my family started telling me he was internet famous and I didn’t believe them.”

By then had nearly half a million followers and strangers started showing up at their front door.

“That was my ah ha moment,” Susan added. “We had a young man and his mother from Lenexa, Kansas that came to town to visit OKWU and him and his mom stopped by to say ‘hi’ to James.  Through the power of the internet they found our address and rang the doorbell. This young man was in heaven and couldn’t believe James lived there. Unfortunately, James wasn’t home at the time, so I invited them to come back later in the afternoon for dinner and gained new friends.  When I closed the door, tears came to my eyes and I thought oh my gosh, it must be true.  After that, I started paying attention and learning what TikTok and all the other social media platforms.”

The TikTok star has become a celebrity to many. People from across the country started reaching out and inviting him to sporting events. Braiden Turner, from a Kansas City Podcast, “Ain’t NO Seats,” reached out and invited James to attend a Chiefs game and quickly JuJu Smith-Schuster was on a Zoom inviting James to a Chiefs game.

“He’s been invited to WrestleMania in Los Angles, California, a Warriors game in San Francisco, KU men’s basketball game, and

local sports games as well,” said Susan. “He was invited to the Bedlam game in Norman by alumni with amazing connections that provided pre-game field passes. It was known city-wide that James was coming as it was advertised everywhere. It was crazy and everyone wanted their pictures with him. They even showed James on the jumbotron during the game.”

Since November, James has started a merchandise store and hired a team to manage the distribution and his growing following. Their initial 700 t-shirt orders out of their garage has now turned into a plethora of swag from beanies, ballcaps, hoodies, car stickers, socks and new t-shirts. He even does meet and greets to sign autographs and take pictures with his fans

“We started a foundation that we hope can support other kids with different abilities make their hopes and dreams become a reality,” said Susan. “It also assists kids that may not otherwise have an opportunity to attend a sporting event to see their favorite team. We also help community-based Special Olympic teams start up in other cities as that can be an initial expense. We want to give back and bless people the way that James has been blessed.”

James most recently attended the NFL draft picks. He got VIP passes and stayed in the official draft hotel and met many of the draft picks. A professional videographer captured his journey for his channel. James got to announce from the stage the 7th round draft pick for the Chiefs.

“The draft was good,” said James. “It was a lot of fun. I loved it so much. My favorite part was being able to do the announcements. I hope that people understand what I’m trying to do on social media and hope people reach out and follow me.”

And fans have reached out. Even Nic Jones, defensive back from Ball State that was announced as the NFL draft pick for the Chiefs reached out to James and said, “Thank you, buddy. You did a good job announcing my pick. I hope we get to meet sometime.”

When James was born almost 21 years ago, his mom didn’t know what his life would look like. After he was born, he was diagnosed as having down syndrome and all the questions started running through her mind.

“The first year was spent ruling out different health issues at a lot of doctor appointments,” she said. “You have hopes and

. . Big Dreams

dreams for your kids, but something like this never crossed my mind. I hope the momentum continues and he can get more opportunities to go do cool things. The sports community can be intense and even ugly at times and I hope James has brought some fun and entertainment to sports and perhaps made losing not so bad. His fans sure seem to anticipate his videos.”

Just a few weeks ago, James threw out the first pitch at the Tulsa Drillers baseball game and it doesn’t show signs of stopping. “I love all my fans and meeting people,” added James. “I love my story. It’s not the end.”

Follow James on TikTok: @jamesdroz566, IG: @james.droz.9 or visit jamesdroz.com.

Caden Carr

“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” – Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Caden Carr’s earliest memories of his mom, Christina Rene Nash, was when she’d pick him up and, in her arms, rock him back and forth in her lap and read children’s book, including a famous one by Robert Munsch. The Love You Forever story follows a mom and her son as the boy grows up to be a teenager, an adult and a father of his own.

“Now, anytime I try to quote that book today, I can’t help but to get emotional,” expressed Caden.

His mother passed away in January 2022 and knowing she’ll never get to see him be an adult or graduate high school is a truth he finds unbearable. So he dealt with his emotions the only way he knew how - by writing.

“Thinking about how much children’s book, affected me and my mom’s relationship, I decided to write children’s books with the hopes of families getting the greatest gift of all, time spent with each other,” he added. “A parent holding a child, reading to them, making them feel loved. The way I felt so loved in my mom’s arms as a kid myself.”

This was the inspiration for Caden to write his first book  The Non-Stopping Hopping Kangaroo but there’s also something for kids to take away from it. In the book, The Non-Stopping Hopping Kangaroo thinks he’s the best hopper of all. He’s been hopping all his life, “I can hop anytime, anywhere. I even hop in my underwear!” But suddenly, a mouse comes to challenge his hopping skills. The mouse challenges him to do crazy and outlandish things: Can he juggle a bear, stand on a ladder on one foot, all while hopping with ease? Eventually, the kangaroo fails to complete a big final challenge that results in the Kangaroo realizing that it isn’t about being the best, it’s about having fun.

“This book has done so many great things for me after its publishing,” Caden said. “I am an emancipated 17 year old that is living on their own entirely. My dad was never in the picture so once my mom passed away, I realized I had to achieve things on my own. No one was going to do things for me.”

He received the honor and privilege of reading to elementary students, being on the news and has received so much support thanks to his book.

“For someone who has been through so many things from substance use, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, poverty, my father leaving, my mother dying, and so much more, this was life changing for me... or lifesaving. No matter where you come from in the world, it’s always possible to achieve your dreams and accomplish great things.”

Caden recently graduated from BHS after taking concurrent college classes at RSU. His plans are to pursue writing and also the medical field. This summer he plans to attend Tri County Technology Center to become a certified nurse’s aide through their fast track program. This will ensure he’s able to afford college as he studies to become a physical therapist assistant starting in the fall at Oklahoma Community College.

“After I become a PTA and am financially stable, I’ll pour my heart and soul into writing for the rest of my life,” he said.

Find Caden’s book locally at Moxie on Second or Ignite Medical Resorts. Online retailers, such as Amazon, also carry his book for purchase or you can check it out at the Bartlesville Public Library if it’s not already being read by another local family.

Sizzlin’ Summer Series

Summer Entertainment Helps You Beat the Heat!

Tower Center at Unity Square is excited to announce that the Summer 2023 Sizzlin’ Summer Series kicks off this month! Festivities get off to a hot start with Peace, Love, & Music on Friday, June 2nd. The Get Down Band will take the stage from 7-9 p.m. and deliver your favorite party hits. Expect free, fun activities for kids, including bounce houses, lawn games, and an art project sponsored by the Bartlesville Art Association. Treat your sweet tooth, or collect swag and other giveaways, at event sponsor booths. Food will be available for purchase from several food trucks and Price Tower Plaza. Come out for a great night of live outdoor music, complete with the everpopular Frozen T-shirt Contest.

July brings even more heat, so we’re bringing even more water - water restrictions permitting! The Bartlesville Fire Department will bring a fire truck to spray its relief during Red, White, Blue & BBQ on Friday, July 7th. Cool down and get down with King Cabbage Brass Band. Their pop, R&B, and hip-hop infused set is one you won’t want to miss. More fun activities for the kids will include a petting area, and an art project provided by the Bartlesville Art Association. Purchase classic summer food, BBQ options included, from a variety of food trucks and sip on a cool beverage from Price Tower Plaza!

Last but certainly not least, Weston Horn and The Hush rounds out the summer with Beat The Heat on Friday, August 4th. They wowed us last season and will be here again to wow us once more with their fabulous rock and roll. Cool off with a sweet treat, cold drink, or fan provided by series sponsors. Dunk your best friend, or “frenemy,” in the dunk tank and sit back and relax while the Bartlesville Art Association keeps kids entertained with an artsy activity. Andolini’s Pizza and The Salty Cow food trucks will be back to provide casual fare, or pop over to Price Tower Plaza for a more sophisticated option.

Get excited for these three amazing bands playing in downtown Bartlesville this summer. Mark your calendars, dust off the lawn chair,s and get ready to enjoy three nights of music, entertainment, and community at Unity Square. All events begin at 7 p.m. For more information, please visit unitysquarebville.com.

Nestled between these exciting outdoor experiences is Broadway in Bartlesville’s 2022-2023 season finale, MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL on Thursday, June 15 at 7:30pm. Based on the smash hit DreamWorks’ animated

motion picture, this show follows all your favorite cracka-lackin’ friends (Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo, and a colony of hilarious, clever penguins) as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. Filled with outlandish characters, adventures galore and an upbeat score, you’ll have no choice but to “Move It, Move It!” MADAGASCAR

THE MUSICAL is the perfect family outing, with vibrancy and pace for audiences of all ages!

“We are excited about the three fantastic performances that the Sizzlin’ Summer Series brings to Bartlesville area residents,” said The Center Managing Director Val Callaghan. “And with Madagascar the Musical, area residents are treated to a great family-friendly performance to conclude the Broadway in Bartlesville! 2022-2023 season.”

Tickets for Madagascar the Musical are available by phone at 918-337-2787 and in person at The Center box office, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. You can also visit bartlesvillecenter.com for 24/7 ticket sales.

The 2023 Sizzlin’ Summer Series is made possible by generous donations from Doenges Family of Autos • Truity Credit Union • Arvest Bank • Visit Bartlesville • Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory • Farmers Insurance, Agent Scott Gillette. Broadway in Bartlesville! 2022-2023 is sponsored by: Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Adams • American Heritage Bank • Arvest Wealth Management • bMonthly Magazine • ConocoPhillips • Copper Cup Images • Cortney McClure Design • Mr. and Mrs. Paul Crawford • Diversified Systems Resources • ExaminerEnterprise • Green Country Village • Image First Hospitality • Keleher Architects • KGGF-AM KGGF-FM KUSN KQQR •

KRIG KYFM KWON KPGM • Nowata Road Liquor • Phillips 66 • Price Tower Arts Center • Robinett/King • Dr. and Mrs. Richard Rutledge • Dr. and Mrs. William D. Smith • Sparklight • Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory • Truity Credit Union • Visit Bartlesville.

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Oklahoma Arts Council sponsor both the outdoor and indoor series.

• Restaurant-style dining or you can have meals delivered directly to your apartment

• Planned activities; to include regularly scheduled happy hour

• Scheduled transportation for shopping

JEFF HALL REAL ESTATE

Don Baldrachi

Dewey Soldier Recalls Surviving Pearl Harbor

by Joe Todd

Don Baldrachi was interviewed 12 May 2004 in Dewey, Oklahoma. He was born 24 September 1918 in Syracuse, New York, the son of Domino and Edith (Maestri) Baldrachi. He graduated Syracuse High School in 1935.

There were no jobs and his father had just lost his job because of the Depression. Times were hard and he and a friend joined the Army on January 13, 1940 just to have some money coming in. He said they also joined the Army because the war was raging in Europe and he and his friend knew that eventually the US would get involved.

The recruiter asked where he would like to be stationed. He and his friend chose Hawaii because they were tired of the cold winters in New York. They were sent to Brooklyn and boarded a Navy ship for Hawaii. They went through the Panama Canal and he said that was fascinating to go through the canal and watch the locks.

They arrived at Fort McDowell on Angel Island, California and spent two weeks being processed. While they were at Fort McDowell, a German ship came into San Francisco harbor and the crew scuttled the ship and took refuge on Angel Island. He was told the German crew wanted no part of the war.

After being processed, he and his friend boarded the USS Republic, an Army Transport Ship and headed for Hawaii. The trip took 11 days and most of men were seasick. They landed at Pearl Harbor and were sent to Scofield Barracks, where they took Basic. He was assigned to the 3rd Engineers and put on a paint gang, painting buildings at Scofield Barracks.

After a few weeks, many of his buddies requested duty in the Philippines and he wanted to go with them. The captain said he could not go to the Philippines and he was made supply sergeant in his unit. He said he received letters from his buddy how great the Philippines were but they ended up on the Bataan Death March and a lot of his buddies died on the march or in a Japanese prison camp.

He said Saturday night, he went to visit a friend who was stationed at the Submarine Base in Pearl Harbor. They went to Honolulu Saturday night and partied and got back after midnight and he stayed over in an empty bunk instead of going back to Scofield Barracks. He got up early Sunday morning

and was reading the newspaper when he heard a noise outside. He looked and saw airplanes coming over Kolekole Pass. He said the airplanes split and one group headed for Kaneohe and the other went to Wheeler Field next to Scofield Barracks. Then someone yelled, “Those are Japanese planes, we are at war!”

He looked and saw the Japanese attacking Battleship Row. After they attacked Battleship Row, they flew up and strafed the Submarine Base. Everyone found a place to hide and he told his friend that he had to get back to Scofield Barracks because as the supply sergeant, he had the key to the ammunition locker. He tried to find a way back to Scofield while the attack was still going on. He finally commandeered a civilian car and drove the 15 miles. When he got back, the men had a sledge hammer ready to open the ammunition locker. He got the machine guns out and began firing at the Japanese.

After the attack, they set up defensive positions on the beaches on the north side of the island for the Japanese invasion, which never came. He was transferred to the 35th Division and sent for the invasion of Guadalcanal. They fought the Japanese in the jungle and helped clear caves and saw the atrocities the Japanese did on the dead Americans. When Guadalcanal was secured, they began building camps for the Marines and Army.

He was hit with shrapnel and came down with Malaria and sent home September 1943. He was in Washington and met his wife, who was from Oklahoma. He was discharged February 1945 and he moved to Bartlesville in May 1946 and started a painting business.

GraceFest on the Green 2023

The History of Wall Street

Looking at the Origins of Our Financial Trade Center

by Jay Hastings

Wall Street. By name and location, it is commonly associated with the world of financial trade. It’s beginnings, though, were very different, and its history includes a much darker past.

The area was originally known as New Amsterdam and the Dutch immigrants called the street Het Cingel, the name of the original barrier street, or wall, and canal in Amsterdam. Soon after New Amsterdam was incorporated in 1653, the Dutch built a wall fearing an invasion of English troops from New England. Eventually, the English did take over New Amsterdam, and in 1864 renamed the city New York.

Slavery was common in the area as far back as 1662, but it was not until December 13, 1711, that the New York City Common Council identified the city’s first official market for the sale and rental of Indigenous people and enslaved Africans. That market operated from 1711 to 1762 at the corner of Wall and Pearl Streets. The city directly benefited from the sale of slaves by implementing taxes on every person who was bought and sold there.

Also in those early days, local merchants and traders gathered to buy and sell shares and bonds, and over time divided themselves into two classes – auctioneers and dealers. By the late 18th century, there was a buttonwood tree at the foot of Wall Street, under which traders and speculators would gather to anticipate the market and trade securities. They found there was a benefit being in physical proximity to each other. In 1792, traders formalized their association with the Buttonwood Agreement, the origin of the New York Stock Exchange. The idea of the agreement was to make the market more structured, to include formalized commissions, and “without manipulative

auctions.” Persons signing the agreement consented to charge each other a standard commission rate. Others, who chose not sign, could still participate but would be charged a higher commission.

Wall Street also happened to be the scene of the United States’ first presidential inauguration when George Washington took the oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall on April 30, 1789.

In 1884, Charles Dow began tracking stocks. He began with 11 stocks, mostly railroads, and looked at average prices for those eleven. When the average “peaks and troughs” went up consistently, he deemed it a “bull” market condition; if averages dropped, it was a “bear” market. He added up prices then divided by the number of stocks to get his Dow average. Dow’s numbers were accepted as a convenient benchmark for analyzing the market and became an accepted way to look at the entire stock exchange.

Wall Street became known as the “money capital of America” in the early 19th century as New York experienced a huge boom in business with the opening of the Erie Canal. September, 1929, saw its peak. By  early October, 1929, however, the market started to slip and continued slipping throughout the week of October 14.  A few days later, on October 24, stock values plummeted. The stock market crash of 1929 ushered in the Great Depression, during which a quarter of working people found themselves unemployed, with soup kitchens and mass foreclosures of farms commonplace, and market prices steadily declining. During that era, development of the Financial District stagnated.

Today, Wall Street is an eight-block area in the financial district of lower Manhattan. Wall Street itself is a narrow and winding road running from the East River to Broadway, lined with skyscrapers and including the New York Stock Exchange building and Federal Hall National Memorial. The street is near multiple New York City subway stations, ferry terminals, and the World Trade Center site. Printed stock certificates are no longer purchased with cash in person at a certain location on a certain day and time. Rather, technology has changed the process and significantly increased the speed of trading. Today, one has the autonomy and access to trade stocks from anywhere at any time, simply by using an app on a cell phone.