From Tallasi to Tulsa to T-Town

Under an oak tree in 1836, a “town council” meeting was held, the first for what we now know as Tulsa. It was close to today’s downtown, up on a hill and Archie Yahola presided over the meeting.  It would be farms and ranches, trade businesses that got the town’s initial growth started. And by 1879, a post office would be established and the official name of Tulsa was issued.

In 1891, Tulsa became incorporated as a municipality and in 1901, near the Red Fork, oil was discovered. This got the town on a growth spurt and in just six years, the population had grown to over 7,200. But it didn’t stop there – it went on to grow to more than 72,000 with the oil boom, earning it the name of “Oil Capital of the World.”

There is More to Tulsa Than Oil

While oil and oil-related businesses are an important part of Tulsa’s economy, there are a lot of other industries here, too. From aerospace to aviation, data processing to distribution, manufacturing to telecommunications, and more. There is a diverse employment base that provides a good balance among the many different job sectors.

Tulsa is a thriving community today and has earned the reputation of being a great place to call home. Today, from that hilltop where the first town council meeting was held, that original Council Oak tree’s branches are spread out, overlooking a park with the high-rise buildings of today in the background, along with expressways. That tree’s branches remind the citizens of Tulsa that even though the city has branched out, the roots are as strong as ever.