Welcome to Tulsa, OK
Originally located in Indian territory and first settled by the Lochapoka and Creek Tribes in 1836, Tulsa was named “Tallasi” meaning “old town” in Creek and later became Tulsa, OK.Tulsa’s first oil well discovered in 1901 prompted a rush to the area’s growing number of oil fields. For most of the 20th Century Tulsa’s nickname was “Oil Capital of the World.”
In 1927, Tulsa businessman Cyrus Avery campaigned to create a road linking Chicago to California establishing Route 66. Avery was known as the “Father of Route 66” and Tulsa earned the nickname “Birthplace of Route 66.” Tulsa is the second-largest city in Oklahoma, serves as the county seat of Tulsa County, which is the most densely populated county in Oklahoma.
Located at the foot of the Ozark Mountains and on the Arkansas River, the region became known as “Green Country”. Green Country is heavily wooded with rolling hills, mountains and foliage, completely opposite to Central and Western Oklahoma which is similar to the Great Plains. Green Country has nearly 30 lakes and reservoirs. Tulsa Port of Catoosa located in Catoosa, is the most inland river port in the United States. The city of Tulsa manages 140 parks that are spread over nearly 6000 acres.
In 2005, Tulsa’s Zoo and Living Museum was voted American’s Favorite Zoo. There are sporting events at the professional and collegiate levels. The city has two NCAA Division 1 Colleges, 5 professional, and minor league sports teams; supporting basketball, arena football, baseball, hockey and soccer. The exclusive Southern Hills Country Club has hosted seven major golf tournaments including four PGA Championships and three US Opens.
Tulsa was voted “America’s Most Livable Large Cities” in 2005. Tulsa is considered the cultural and arts center of Oklahoma. A result of a building boom in the 1900’s resulted in Tulsa becoming one of the nation’s largest concentrations of art deco architecture. Philbrook Museum, oil pioneer – Waite Phillips’, former estate is one of the top 50 fine art museums in the United States. The world’s largest most comprehensive collection of art and artifacts of the American West from Thomas Gilcrease are on display at The Gilcrease Musuem.
Great news just keeps coming in for Tulsa, OK. In 2009, Tulsa’s housing ties for number 6 in the nation, our housing prices were up 4 percent, and we are rank number two for jobs in the nation. In August 2009, we were voted to have the best for cost of living with a population of more than 500,000, and Number 2 for quality of life. Way to go Tulsa!