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Renting an Apartment in Tulsa
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the county
seat of Tulsa County, the most densely populated county in Oklahoma, with
563,299 residents as of 2000. As of 2006, the estimate for the city population
was 387,807. Tulsa’s Metropolitan Statistical Area was estimated to have a 2005
population of 887,715 and Tulsa’s Combined Statistical Area, which includes the
Bartlesville Metropolitan Area, was estimated to have a 2005 population of
936,864. Tulsa is the 45th largest city in the United States and the 93rd
largest city in North America.
The city is located in Northeast Oklahoma, a part of the state often referred to
as "Green Country." It is considered the cultural and arts center of Oklahoma,
boasting two world-renowned art museums, full-time professional opera and ballet
companies, and a notable concentration of art deco architecture. In 2005, Tulsa
was selected as one of "America's Most Livable Large Cities."
Government
Tulsa has a mayor-council form of government. Tulsa is also the county seat for
Tulsa County.
Cityscape
The city of Tulsa covers over 181 square miles--an area roughly three times the
size of Washington DC. This large city footprint allows Tulsa's communities to
take on a personality much their own.
Downtown is known for its art deco architecture and, as expected, office
buildings. In 1967, the current Bank of America building was completed and at
412 ft and 32 stories, became the tallest building in Tulsa. In 1973, the First
Place building was built; it is 516 ft tall and 41 stories. At 667 ft and 52
stories, One Williams Center is the tallest building in any of the 5 "Plains
States" (Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota). [citation
needed] It was designed in 1975 by Minoru Yamasaki & Associates, the same
architect who designed the World Trade Center in New York City. CityPlex Towers,
in south Tulsa, were completed in 1981, with the largest of the three towers
topping out at 60 stories and 648 ft tall. In 1984, the Mid Continent tower was
completed and is 513 ft tall and 36 stories. Downtown contains Tulsa's largest
entertainment and convention venues, including the Tulsa Performing Arts Center,
another Yamasaki designed building. Currently under construction is a
multi-purpose 18,000-seat arena, the BOK Center, designed by renowned architect
Cesar Pelli (the designer of Petronas Towers). Also located in downtown is the
Blue Dome District containing a number of popular restaurants and live music
venues. In 2006 it was announced that a major redevelopment of the eastern
perimeter of downtown is being planned. Called the "East End" the development is
to include a new minor-league baseball stadium, shopping, dining and
entertainment venues, and urban housing.
Uptown is the name given to a fairly small area immediately to the south of
Downtown. Referred to by residents as "Tulsa's Neighborhood with a River View"
it is bounded by U.S. 51/75 to the North, the Arkansas River to the west, 21st
Street to the south and South Cincinnati Avenue to the east. Located on a bluff
above the Arkansas River it primarily contains homes built in the early 20th
Century as well as mid and high rise condominiums overlooking the river. The
historic Council Oak Park and larger Veterans Park are in the area, as well as
the Boston District, a tightly packed collection of high-quality clubs and
restaurants.
North Tulsa is home to a large percentage of Tulsa's African-American community.
The area's Booker T. Washington High School, one of Tulsa’s African-American
high schools during the segregation era and now a magnet school, was judged in
2005 to be the 58th best high school in the United States by Newsweek Magazine.
Also included in this area is the Brady District, the Greenwood Historic
District and the adjacent campus of Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, the
internationally famous Gilcrease Museum, the Tulsa International Airport, the
Tulsa Zoo, the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, and the nation's third-largest
municipal park, Mohawk Park. Many of the city's manufacturing and industrial
areas are located in North Tulsa.
Midtown Tulsa is a largely residential district occupying land just south and
east of Downtown and Uptown from the east bank of the Arkansas River to
approximately Yale Avenue and 51st Street. This area, Tulsa's historical
residential core, consists mostly of large upscale homes built in the early
1900's with architecture ranging from art deco to Greek Revival. This area also
includes several neighborhoods of more modest but well-preserved American
Craftsman and Tudor style homes. This area is home to the Philbrook Museum and
the University of Tulsa, as well as Tulsa's premier upscale shopping district,
Utica Square, the historic Cherry Street district, Woodward Park, Swan Lake, the
Municipal Rose Garden and Tulsa Garden Center, the St. John's and Hillcrest
medical centers, the Brookside entertainment and dining district, Expo Square
(home of the Tulsa State Fair and Tulsa Drillers baseball) and the Southroads
and Promenade shopping centers.
South Tulsa, a large area between 51st Street and 121st Street, was mostly
undeveloped before the 1970s, but after 25 years of continuous construction
booms it now contains Tulsa's largest shopping base (with a heavy concentration
of chain retail stores particularly along 71st Street). The state's largest
shopping mall (Woodland Hills), and some of the city's larger schools are
located in the area. Portions of South Tulsa are particularly hilly and heavily
wooded and many of the city's most expensive and secluded homes, including a
number of gated communities, are located in the area. South Tulsa also has the
highest concentration of McMansion style homes in the Tulsa area. Southern Hills
Country Club, Oral Roberts University, LaFortune Park, St. Francis Hospital and
its attendant medical complexes, South crest Hospital, the Creek Nation Casino
and most of the city's current river-side shopping and entertainment are located
here.
East Tulsa is an area comprised mostly of modest residential neighborhoods
developed from the 1960's through the 1980's. Once predominantly populated by
white blue-collar workers, many employed at the large American Airlines
maintenance facility near the Tulsa Airport to the north, the population has
slowly changed to make East Tulsa one of Tulsa's most ethnically diverse areas.
Large numbers of Hispanic immigrants have established a vibrant community
centered around the Plaza Santa Cecelia near East 21st Street and Garnett Road.
A number of recent immigrants from Asia also inhabit the area. Areas of light
industry and manufacture are also found in East Tulsa and the Harvey Young
Airport, a public commuter airport, is located on the eastern edge of the area.
West Tulsa, the entire city area west of the Arkansas River, has some of the
city's largest parks and wilderness reserves. The area is also a testament to
Tulsa's history in the oil industry, and still contains several large oil
refineries.
Contributing to the Tulsa cityscape are also its main suburbs of Bixby, Broken
Arrow, Catoosa, Coweta, Glenpool, Jenks, Kiefer, Owasso, Sand Springs, Sapulpa,
Skiatook and Sperry.
Geography
Tulsa, located in the northeastern corner of Oklahoma, lies between the edge of
the Great Plains and the foot of the Ozark Mountains in a generally forested
region of rolling hills.
The city serves as the gateway to "Green Country," a popular and officially
designated name for northeast Oklahoma. The nickname is due to the region's
dense green vegetation and relatively high amount of hills and lakes compared to
that of Central and Western Oklahoma (which have geography similar to "the Great
Plains" region of the U.S.). Northeastern Oklahoma contains more than half of
the state's registered state parks and six of Oklahoma's 11 ecosystems, more
than a dozen major reservoirs, as well as the state's most diversified
agricultural economy and outdoor sports and recreation industry. [4]
The city is split by the prominent Arkansas River. The Arkansas River flows in a
wide, sandy-bottomed channel. Its flow in the Tulsa area is controlled by
upstream flood-control reservoirs and the width and depth of water in the
channel can vary widely throughout the year. Except in the most severe drought
(as experienced in 2006) a low-water dam maintains a full channel in the area
adjacent to downtown Tulsa.
Tulsa is heavily wooded, with abundant parks and water areas. Several prominent
hills with names such as "Shadow Mountain" and "Turkey Mountain" create varied
terrain mostly in the southern portion of the city. The central and northern
sections are generally flat to gently undulating, although the Osage Hills
extension into the northwestern part of the city further varies the landscape.
Tulsa's geographic coordinates are 36�7′53″N, 95�56′14″W (36.131294,
-95.937332)GR1, with an elevation of 213 m (700 ft) above sea level. According
to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 483.9 km�
(186.8 mi�). 473.1 km� (182.6 mi�) of it is land and 10.9 km� (4.2 mi�) of it
(2.24%) is water.
Business and Economy
For most of the 20th century, oil refinery and oil corporations dominated
Tulsa's economy. Like the rest of Oklahoma, an oil bust in the 1980s severely
compromised that economic foundation. Since then, city and county officials have
been leading massive undertakings to diversify Tulsa's economy.
Today, Tulsa is still an important energy and oil center, but other industries
have taken the spotlight, such as aerospace, banking, telecommunications, high
tech, and insurance.
The city has the nation's most inland water port, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa [5],
which connects the state with international ocean trade routes through the
Arkansas River and Mississippi River. Tulsa is also home to a large American
Airlines maintenance center.
In 2006, Tulsa was said to be "the sweetest place per capita".
Vision 2025, a comprehensive economic and tourism development initiative, was
city leaders' response to an economic downturn during a national recession in
the early 2000s. The initiative promised to recreate recently lost jobs and
rapidly increase job development over the next decade. The crown jewel of Vision
2025 projects, the BOK Center, the 18,000-seat arena currently under
construction in downtown Tulsa, was designed to be an architectural icon of the
city. Leaders hope the arena will spur downtown development.
In 2006, Forbes magazine rated Tulsa as second in the nation in job income
growth, and one of the best 50 cities to do business in the country. [5] 2006
also found Tulsa in the midst of a significant economic development and
investment surge. [6]
Education and Science
There are three school districts in the city of Tulsa with Tulsa Public Schools
being the primary district. With over 40,000 students it is the largest school
district in Oklahoma. Tulsa public schools has nearly 90 schools in the
district, nine of them high schools as well as several charter schools. Jenks
and Union schools are the other two districts, each with one upper high school.
Union is the second largest high school in the state and Jenks is the third.
These two districts cover the southern portion of the city.
There are also numerous private schools in the Tulsa metropolitan area. The
Catholic diocese of Tulsa supports a private school system that includes Bishop
Kelly High School and Cascia Hall Preparatory School. Most other private schools
have religious affiliations with various Jewish and Protestant denominations.
CareerTech
Tulsa Technology Center (TTC) is affiliated with the Oklahoma Department of
Career and Technology Education and operates as an independent school district
offering two-year career and technical education programs. It is the largest
Technology School system in Oklahoma, with 6 campuses in Tulsa County.
Colleges and Universities
Tulsa has 14 institutions of higher education.
Primary universities in the city include the University of Tulsa, founded in
1894; and Oral Roberts University, founded by evangelist Oral Roberts in 1963.
Oklahoma State University has a fully-functioning branch campus in downtown
Tulsa, Oklahoma State University - Tulsa. The OSU Center for Health Science and
the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine are also located in the city. The
University of Oklahoma also has a graduate campus in Tulsa, known as the
Schusterman Center, located in the Midtown neighborhood. Rogers State University
is located in nearby Claremore.
Tulsa Community College (TCC) is the largest community college in Oklahoma and
operates 4 campuses spread across the area as well as a conference center in
Midtown.
Next to Tulsa airport lies the Spartan college of aeronautics & technology, a
college known for its aviation education programs.
Libraries
The Tulsa City-County Library system is the largest in the state of Oklahoma,
containing 1.7 million volumes in 25 library facilities (map).
The Tulsa City-County Library is very active in the community, holding events
and programs at most library locations, including free computer classes,
children's story-times, business and job assistance, and many others. The
library system provides access to dozens of online databases for reliable
information on a variety of topics. Many of these are accessible from home with
a valid library card number. There are many other research tools available,
including an award-winning database of frequently-asked questions.
The McFarlin Library at the University of Tulsa is a federal depository library
holding over 3 million items. The library was founded in 1930 and is known for
its collection of Native American works and the works of Irish author James
Joyce.[7]
Entertainment and Attractions
With the city's interesting mix of Southern settlers, Northern oil-men, and
Western ranchers and thanks to Tulsa's location in an area rich with Native
American history and culture, the city and surrounding areas are home to many
unique museums and attractions.
Museums and cultural centers
Tulsa’s culture is apparent in the city’s most prominent art museums, the
Philbrook Museum of Art and Gilcrease Museum. The Philbrook is located in the
former estate of oil pioneer Waite Phillips. Phillips and his wife, Genevieve,
donated the 1927 Italian Renaissance "Villa Philbrook" and its 23 acres of
landscaped grounds to the city of Tulsa in 1938. Considered one of the top 50
art museums in the U.S., it is one of only five to offer a combination of
historic home, gardens, and art collection. The expansive grounds contain
elaborate gardens inspired by Villa Lante, an Italian country estate north of
Rome designed by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola in 1566.
Gilcrease Museum houses the world's largest, most comprehensive collection of
art and artifacts of the American West. The Museum also offers an unparalleled
collection of Native American art and artifacts, as well as historical
manuscripts, documents and maps. Themed gardens, focused on various periods of
North American history, have been developed on 23 of the museum's 460 acres. The
museum is located on the former estate of Thomas Gilcrease, a prominent early
Tulsa oilman, in the Osage Hills northwest of downtown Tulsa. His restored home
is located on the grounds. Gilcrease's bequeth of his large collection of
American art and artifacts to the city of Tulsa in 1955 formed the foundation of
the Museum's collections.
Other important but lesser known museums and cultural centers include: the new
Tulsa Air and Space Museum; the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, which
houses the largest collection of Judaica in the Southwest United States; the
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame; the Tulsa Geosciences Center; the Tulsa Historical
Society museum; the Greenwood Cultural Center, which preserves the history of
The Black Wall Street prior to the Tulsa Race Riot; the Arkansas River
Historical Society museum at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa; and the Will Rogers
Memorial and the J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum in nearby Claremore.
Parks, gardens and nature preserves
The City of Tulsa manages 140 parks covering roughly 6,000 acres (24 km�),
featuring 2 golf courses, 14 community centers, 21 swimming pools, 25 water
playgrounds, 60 picnic shelters, 115 playgrounds, 123 tennis courts, 156 sports
fields, The River Skate Park, fitness facilities, gymnasiums, meeting rooms and
facilities, trails and more. One of the most popular parks is Woodward Park in
the midtown area. The 45-acre tract boasts a wide variety of horticultural
presentations, including 15,000 azalea plants, rock gardens, an English herb
garden, ponds and waterfalls, a Victorian conservatory (Lord and Burnham), and
the Linnaeus Teaching Garden. The Tulsa Municipal Rose Garden, containing 6,000
rose plants of 250 varieties, and the Tulsa Garden Center are also located
adjacent to Woodward Park.
The Tulsa River Parks Authority (TRPA) maintains a linear park along more than
10 miles of the banks of the Arkansas River. Over 20 miles of hard-surfaced
biking and running trails traverse the park. The park also contains a rugby
field, sand volleyball courts, disc golf courses, playgrounds and a children's
splash park, a bistro and cafe, a pedestrian bridge with fishing platforms
crossing the river, and a large collection of wildlife bronze sculptures. There
is also a large "festival park" containing an amphitheatre and floating stage.
It is the site of several community events each year, including the popular
annual Oktoberfest. The TRPA also manages the "Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness
Area" on a high hill along the west bank of the Arkansas River. The area covers
a heavily wooded bluff and features rugged hiking and mountain biking trails and
scenic vistas overlooking south Tulsa.
Tulsa County also owns and manages 4 large multi-purpose parks in Tulsa
(Chandler, Haikey Creek, LaFortune and O'Brien), the Westbank Soccer Complex, 2
golf courses, 4 community centers, 21 lighted baseball and softball fields, 20
lighted tennis courts, and numerous athletic fields, jogging trails, picnic
shelters and playgrounds. Chandler Park is a popular location for rappelling and
rock climbing.
The Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum was named in 2005 as "America's Favorite Zoo" by
Microsoft Game Studios in connection with a national promotion of their "Zoo
Tycoon 2" computer game. It is located in the northeast part of the city in
Mohawk Park, the third largest municipal park in the United States. The new
Oklahoma Aquarium is the state’s only freestanding aquarium. It contains over
200 exhibits arranged in 9 galleries, and boasts a 500,000 gallon walk-through
shark tank. It is located on the west bank of the Arkansas River in the suburb
of Jenks, Oklahoma.
The City of Tulsa also manages the Mary K. Oxley Nature Center in Mohawk Park
and the Redbud Valley Nature Preserve 12 miles northeast of Tulsa. The Oxley
Center contains an interpretive building with hands-on displays, classrooms, a
nature library and raised wildlife viewing areas. A boardwalk and several hiking
trails extend across Blackbird Marsh and into the surrounding woods bordering
Coal Creek and Lake Sherry. The Redbud Valley preserve is managed in cooperation
with the Nature Conservancy. The preserve contains unique micro-climates with
plants and animal found nowhere else in northeastern Oklahoma, springs and
limestone caves. Trails there are rough and rocky.
Performing arts
The Tulsa Performing Arts Center (PAC), which contains the 2,365-seat Chapman
Music Hall, 437-seat John H. Williams Theatre, and several smaller theatres and
flexible performance spaces, is the largest and primary performing arts venue in
the city. The PAC is the performance home for Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Tulsa Opera,
Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and Theatre Tulsa. Theatre Tulsa
holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating community
theatre company west of the Mississippi River and the first community theatre in
America to produce (in 1939) Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
Other performing arts venues include the Brady Theater, listed on the National
Register of Historic Places; the Van Trease Performing Arts Center for Education
(PACE) at Tulsa Community College; the Clark Theatre; the The Nightingale
Theater; the Tulsa Spotlight Theatre; and the Tulsa Parks and Recreation
Department's Heller Theatre located in Heller Park. The Signature Symphony at
TCC performs at the PACE.
“Discoveryland!,” an outdoor amphitheater located 12 miles west of Downtown
Tulsa, was designated by the heirs of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II,
as the official performance headquarters of their musical "Oklahoma!.”
Performances of the Pulitzer Prize winning show are presented several nights
every week throughout the summer.
Over the years, Tulsa has also laid claim to several improvisational comedy
troupes. Two are currently active: Laughing Matters Comedy Troupe, in existence
since 1990 and operating through Tulsa's Parks and Recreation program at Heller
Theater, and The Comedy Clinic - Tulsa's Comedy Troupe (established in 2002)
which performs multiple times throughout the year in the Brookside district at
Suede Ultra Lounge and north of the city in Bartlesville at Theater
Bartlesville. The Brady Theater also regularly hosts Comedy Nights featuring
national and local comedians.
Tulsa's performing arts community has had a significant influence in American
pop culture history. The Tulsa Sound is a musical style, involving a fusion of
Rockabilly, Blues and Rock'n'Roll that influenced many musicians such as Eric
Clapton during the 1960's and 70's. Cain's Ballroom, often considered the
birthplace of Western Swing because it was the headquarters of Bob Wills and the
Texas Playboys, has played host to a number of famous musicians. The building is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It remains an active concert
venue with an eclectic playbill favoring modern Rock acts. There are numerous
venues for live popular music performances throughout the city.
Tulsans who have gained national reputations as entertainers include Gene Autry,
Elvin Bishop, Gary Busey, William Boyd (actor) (Hopalong Cassidy), Garth Brooks,
J.J. Cale, Kristen Chenoweth, Roy Clark, Joe Diffie, Larry Drake, Phil Driscoll,
Ronnie Dunn (Brooks and Dunn), Blake Edwards, Paul Harvey, David Gates (Bread),
Alice Ghostley, Clu Gulager, Isaac, Taylor & Zac Hanson (Hanson (band)),
Jennifer Jones, Heather Langenkamp, Rue McClanahan, Tommy Morrison, Patti Page,
Pillar (band), Mary Kay Place, Tony Randall, Leon Russell, Gailard Sartain, Ted
Shackleford, Peter Simon, Wes Studi, Hank Thompson, Wayman Tisdale, Jeanne
Tripplehorn, Dwight Twilley, Amber Valletta, Mason Williams, Charlie, Ronnie &
Robert Wilson (Gap Band), and Alfre Woodard.
Festivals and Events
See also: List of festivals and events in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa’s diverse culture is well represented through a wide variety of events
year-round. The largest is the Tulsa State Fair, in late September and early
October, which attracts over 1 million people during its 10 day run. Tulsa’s
Annual Oktoberfest was recently named one of the top 10 in the world by USA
Today and Bon Appetit magazine calls it one of the top German food festivals.[8]
Among other popular annual events are Tulsa International Mayfest, Blue Dome
Arts Festival, Oklahoma Blues Festival, Diversafest, ShalomFest, Greek Holiday
Festival, ChristKindlMarkt/ ChristKindlMarkt, Oklahoma Scottish Festival,
Juneteenth Celebration and the Gatesway Foundation Balloon Festival.
Amusement Parks
Tulsa currently has one main amusement park attraction.
Bell's Amusement Park, a Coney Island-style amusement park, featured Oklahoma’s
largest wooden Roller Coaster until it was severely damaged beyond repair in a
storm in the summer of 2006. However, Bell's does still have one of the tallest
drop-towers in the southwest. Bell's was located at Expo Square and its rides
are incorporated into the midway during the annual Tulsa State Fair. Bell's
Amusment Park was closed down in 2006 after city officials decided not to renew
the parks lease agreement. The owner of Bell's is looking to relocate from the
old Expo Square location, and is currently taking bids from other cities in the
Tulsa metropolitan area.
Big Splash Water Park [3], also located at Expo Square, features several
multi-story water-slides and a large wave pool.
Sports
Southern Hills Country Club (SHCC) is one of the top rated golf courses in the
nation and one of a very few to host six majors: 3 PGA Championships and 3 U.S.
Opens, the most recent in 2001. It will host its 4th PGA Championship and
seventh major overall in 2007. SHCC has also hosted five amateur championships.
Additionally, Tulsa hosts the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic, a regular LPGA tour
stop, at the Cedar Ridge Country Club.
Tulsa has 2 universities that compete in sports at the NCAA Division I level:
the University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University. The Tulsa area is also home
to several high school athletic teams that are frequently ranked among the best
nationally.
Along with Oklahoma City and several other U.S. and Canadian sites, Tulsa has
been mentioned as a possible home for the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh
Penguins should the NHL club opt to leave Pittsburgh. [4] Although Tulsa is
scheduled to open a new indoor arena in 2008, a major sports franchise is
considered a long-shot since the metro area is still under one million people.
Gaming
Tulsa has several Indian gaming venues. As a result of compacts between the
State and various Native American tribes, tribal gaming facilities that were
previously limited to bingo now offer table card games and slot machines.
Cherokee Casino and Resort, Creek Nation Casino, and Osage Million Dollar Elm
(two locations), are the largest casinos in the Tulsa Metro area. Horse racing
is also a popular gambling draw, both at Fair Meadows race track, and at Will
Rogers Downs in nearby Claremore. Fair Meadows also has a large Off-Track
betting center.
Healthcare System
Healthcare in Tulsa is primarily serviced by six private hospitals, the
Catholic-affiliated St. John and St. Francis systems, the Ardent-affiliated
Hillcrest Hospital and OSU Medical Center, Triad's SouthCrest[5] and Cancer
Treatment Centers of America Southwestern Medical Center.
Tulsa County operates the Tulsa Health Department.
Climate
Tulsa has a temperate climate of the continental variety. As is typical for the
temperate zone, Tulsa's climate varies throughout the seasons and experiences
occasional extremes.
Year-round average temperature of 61�F.
Summer temperatures of 40 �C (100 �F) or higher are often observed from July to
early September. These are usually accompanied by high humidity, caused by warm
air from the Gulf of Mexico brought in by southerly winds. Between May and
September, Tulsa also experiences an "Ozone Season", caused by a combination of
factors including climate and hydrocarbon emissions. During this season, Tulsa
frequently issues "Ozone Alerts [6]", encouraging all parties to do their part
in complying with the Clean Air Act and E.P.A. standards.
Winter temperatures, while generally mild, also occasionally experience extremes
below -20 �C (0 �F).
The fall season is quite short, consisting of a brief period of pleasant, sunny
days and cool nights.
Primarily during the spring and early summer months, the Tulsa area is often
subjected to severe thunderstorms, some of which contain large hail, damaging
winds and, not infrequently, tornadoes. Severe weather is not limited, though,
to this season. On December 5th 1975, for example, Tulsa experienced a damaging
tornado.
The spring and early summer thunderstorm pattern also provides the area with a
disproportionate share of its annual rainfall, which averages around 100 cm (39
inches). Due to frequent flooding in past decades, Tulsa now has one of the most
extensive flood control systems in the nation. In 2000, FEMA honored Tulsa as
leading the nation in flood plain management.[9]
Demographics
Population
As of the censusGR2 of 2006, there were 387,807 people, 165,743 households, and
99,114 families residing in the city. The population density was 830.9/km�
(2,152.0/mi�). There were 179,405 housing units at an average density of
379.2/km� (982.3/mi�).
Diversity
In 2006, the racial makeup of the city was 70.09% Caucasian, 15.47% African
American, 4.72% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.45% from
other races, and 4.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any
race formed at least 7.15% of the population with possibly more unregistered
persons living within the city.
Family
There were 165,743 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of
18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a
female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 33.9%
of all households are made up of only one person, and 9.8% had someone living
alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31
people and the average family size was 2.98.
Age
In the city, the population is spread-out with 24.8% of the population under the
age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and
12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every
100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
were 90.4 males.
Income
The median income for a household in the city was $35,316, and the median income
for a family was $44,518. Males had a median income of $32,779 versus $25,587
for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,534. About 10.9% of
families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including
20.5% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Tulsa Metro Area
The Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of seven counties in
northeastern Oklahoma: Tulsa, Rogers, Osage, Wagoner, Okmulgee, Pawnee, and
Creek. The 2005 US Census Estimate shows the Tulsa MSA to have 887,715
residents.
The Tulsa-Bartlesville Combined Statistical Area (CSA), is created by adding the
Bartlesville, Oklahoma micropolitan area which consists of Washington County in
Northeastern Oklahoma.
The 2006 US Census Estimate shows the Tulsa-Bartlesville CMSA to have 936,864
residents. Cities and towns in this area include (in no particular order):
* North: Dewey, Bartlesville, Pawhuska, Barnsdall, Skiatook, Collinsville,
Owasso, Nowata
* West: Pawnee, Bristow, Cleveland, Kellyville, Sand Springs, Mannford, Sapulpa
* East: Claremore, Catoosa, Broken Arrow, Wagoner, Coweta, Inola
* South: Jenks, Glenpool, Bixby, Mounds, Beggs, Okmulgee, Henryetta
Green Country
Green Country is a popular term used in different scenarios to describe
different aspects of the Greater Tulsa Region, but may also refer specifically
to the official Tulsa MSA. Each usage of the term is derived from its official
meaning as the tourism designation for all of Northeastern Oklahoma.
While the Tulsa MSA only officially occupies a section of Green Country as it is
defined by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, the entire region is
sometimes referred to as the Greater Tulsa Area. On the same accord, the term
"Green Country" can apply to the immediate Tulsa urban area or the city of Tulsa
proper, but neither of these are proper or official for the use of the term.
(See "Green Country")
Transportation
Air
Tulsa is served by Tulsa International Airport (TUL) to the north and Richard L.
Jones, Jr. Airport (RVS) to the south. TUL is home to eleven commercial
airlines, seven cargo carriers, and several charter airlines which serve nearly
3 million travelers annually with almost 80 departures every day. The airport
has completed most of its expansion project, and has recently added several
restaurants and shops as well as "expanded seating areas, convenient restrooms,
and real time flight information." The impact of airport operations on the
surrounding community is nearly $3.2 billion annually. [10]
RVS, also known as Riverside airport, is located in Tulsa. The airport saw
285,484 takeoffs and landings in 2004, making it the busiest airport in the
state of Oklahoma. Much of this traffic is from the six flights schools which
operate over 500 aircraft out of the airport (establishing it as one of the
busiest flight training facilities in the country). RVS operations generate over
$3.2 million annually.[11]
Land
Important highways passing through Tulsa are:
* Interstate 44 - Skelly Drive / Skelly Bypass (bypasses downtown to the South)
* Interstate 244 - Martin Luther King Expressway - known by locals as Red Fork
Expressway west of downtown and Crosstown Expressway east of downtown (serves
downtown, loops back to I-44 at either terminal)
* Interstate 444 - unsigned Interstate, but forms with I-244 the IDL (Inner
Dispersal Loop) which surrounds downtown
* U.S. Route 412
* U.S. Route 64 - Broken Arrow Expressway to the east as far as Memorial Drive,
Keystone Expressway to the west; at the Memorial Drive exit, U.S. 64 follows
Memorial Drive southward to the Tulsa suburb of Bixby, Oklahoma
* U.S. Route 75 - Okmulgee Beeline to the south, where it becomes the Indian
Nations Turnpike, Cherokee Expressway to the north
* U.S. Route 169 - Mingo Valley Expressway (also called Pearl Harbor Memorial
Expressway) bypassing downtown to the east, serving the airport, and wrapping
around far South Tulsa before turning into the Creek Turnpike
* State Highway 11 - Gilcrease Drive (serves Tulsa Airport)
* State Highway 51 - alternate designation for Broken Arrow Expressway
* Creek Turnpike - U.S. 169 turns to the west from its north-south axis and
becomes the Creek Turnpike, allowing drivers to completely bypass the city on
the east and south sides
It was also served by historic Route 66, and there are numerous reminders of
this by the mid-20th century era, especially motels and restaurants along 11th
Street and Admiral Place. Cyrus Avery, known as "The Father of Route 66,"
resided in Tulsa.
Water
East of Tulsa, in Catoosa, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa is the head of navigation
for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), connecting
barge traffic from Tulsa to the Mississippi River. This port is the farthest
inland port in the United States.
Public Transportation
Citywide bus transit is provided by the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority.
Street Network
Tulsa follows a systematic naming and numbering convention for all streets
falling within its municipal jurisdiction. Admiral Place is the
east-west-running dividing line for "streets north" and "streets south", while
Main Street is the north-south-running dividing line for "west avenues" and
"east avenues."
Avenues falling west of Main Street are named for US cities west of the
Mississippi River for one run of the alphabet, after which numbered "west
avenues" are assigned. Avenues falling east of Main Street are named for US
cities east of the Mississippi River for approximately three runs of the
alphabet, after which numbered "east avenues" are assigned.
Streets falling north of Admiral Place are labeled for important names in
Tulsa's history for one run of the alphabet, after which numbered "streets
north" are assigned. Streets falling south of Admiral Place are numbered,
beginning with "1st Street" and continuing southward. Street names and numbers
are consistent throughout the Tulsa jurisdiction, regardless if a particular
street is contiguous/continuous.
Addresses reflect their associated hundred block from either Admiral or Main.
There are usually 16 blocks per mile as counted by avenues, and there are 10
blocks per mile as counted by streets. Other right-of-way labels (such as Place,
Court, Drive, Terrace, etc.) may be used to describe an intermittent street or
avenue, but the actual name will usually be the same as the adjacent street or
avenue (such as Knoxville Avenue and its neighboring Knoxville Place, both
assigned as the 3600 block east).
Major arterial streets can be found at every mile, as assigned by the
township-and-range system, resulting in a well-defined grid of thoroughfares
across the Tulsa region. As an example, east-west-running thoroughfares south of
Admiral Place are streets ending with a 1, including 11th Street, 21st Street,
31st Street, etc.
Media and publishing
Print
* Local Newspapers
o Coffee News of Metro Tulsa www.coffeenewstulsa.com is a weekly publication of
good news that promotes local businesses.
o Tulsa Beacon www.tulsabeacon.com is a weekly paper aimed towards Christian
conservative readers.
o Tulsa Business Journal www.neighbor-newspapers.com
o Tulsa Daily Commerce and Legal News www.neighbor-newspapers.com
o Tulsa Free Press www.gtrnews.com, published on a monthly basis, features
community news, classifieds and local information.
o Tulsa Front Page www.tulsafrontpage.com is a recent local paper.
o Tulsa World www.tulsaworld.com is Tulsa's daily newspaper and is the
second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state.
o Urban Tulsa www.urbantulsa.com is Tulsa's free alternative newsweekly,
featuring such staples as local commentary, feature stories, classifieds,
restaurant reviews and movie listings.
* Regional Newspapers
o Dallas Morning News www.dallasnews.com
o Oklahoma Indian Times www.okit.com.
o The Oklahoman www.newsok.com, Oklahoma City's daily newspaper, widely
circulated in the Tulsa area.
o Pennysaver www.tulsa-pennysaver.com
Broadcast All major U.S. television networks are represented in Tulsa. Cable
television service in the area is provided by Cox Communications. As in most
major American cities, local radio stations in the Tulsa area are controlled by
a small handful of large broadcasting companies.
See Broadcast Media in Tulsa
Tulsa in popular culture
Tulsa has also been featured or mentioned in books, film, songs, and on
television.
Books
* The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton
* Rumble Fish, by S. E. Hinton
* Tex, by S. E. Hinton
* The Keys to Tulsa by Brian Fair Berkey. later was written into a 1992 movie.
* That Was Then, This Is Now", by S.E. Hinton
* The Hot Kid, by Elmore Leonard
* Tulsa Burning, by Anna Myers
Comics
* Mike Doonesbury, the main character of the Pulitzer Prize winning comic strip,
Doonesbury, is from Tulsa.
Movies
* Keys to Tulsa (1997), directed by Leslie Greif
* The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story (2000) (TV), directed by Michael
Wilkerson
* The Outsiders (1983)[9], directed by Francis Ford Coppola
* Rumble Fish (1983)[10], directed by Francis Ford Coppola
* Take Me Back to Tulsa (1944)[11], directed by Josef Berne
* Tex (1982)[12], directed by Tim Hunter
* Tulsa, Toyko, and the Middle of Nowhere (1997)
* Tulsa (1949)[14], directed by Stuart Heisler
* The Tulsa Kid (1940)[15], directed by George Sherman
* Twister (1996)[16], directed by Jan de Bont
* UHF (1989)[17], directed by Jay Levey
Television
* On Friends, the character Chandler Bing was sent to Tulsa for one season.
* Rodney, the ABC sitcom, is based in Tulsa and stars Tulsa comedian Rodney
Carrington.
* On an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, ADA Alexandra Cabot's new
identity in the Witness Protection Program is originally from Tulsa.
* On several episodes of 21 Jump Street, Johnny Depp and Peter Deluise often go
undercover as brothers from Tulsa.
* On an episode of I Love Lucy, Tulsa is mentioned.
* On Northern Exposure, the character Maurice J. Minnifield, played by Barry
Corbin was from Tulsa.
Songs
* "24 Hours from Tulsa" by Gene Pitney
* "Don't Make Me Come to Tulsa" and "The Day She Left Tulsa" by Wade Hayes
* "Last Trip to Tulsa" by Neil Young
* "Tulsa Tango" by Stewart Copeland
* "Take me Back to Tulsa" by Bob Wills and also performed by Asleep at the Wheel
* "Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa" by George Strait
* "Tulsa County Blue" by The Byrds
* "Tulsa Time" by Don Williams and also performed by Eric Clapton
* "Tulsa Shuffle" by The Tractors
* "The Tulsa Trap" by Aqueduct
* "Tampa to Tulsa" by The Jayhawks
* "Tulsa Telephone Book" by Calexico
* "Tulsa County" by Taj Mahal and the Rising Sons & Son Volt
* "Tulsa" by Dwight Twilley
* "Streets Of Tulsa" by Tony Romanello
* "Tulsa Calling" by The Red Alert
* "To Tulsa and Back" by J.J. Cale
* "Tulsa Queen" by Emmylou Harris
* "Tulsa" by Waylon Jennings
* "Rodeo" by Garth Brooks