Tulsa Comprehensive Plan - PLANiTULSA

Land Use
Land Use
Part II:
Tulsa’s Past and Present
historic growth Trends
Tulsa’s original settlement was established in the 1830s
by Native Americans. The railroads arrived in Tulsa
in 1882, and the town began to grow, spurred by
development from an influx of settlers. In 1901, oil was
discovered across the Arkansas River a few miles west
of Tulsa, in then independent town of Red Fork. By
the time Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907, Tulsa
had been declared the “Oil Capital of the World.” The
discovery of a substantial oil field caused the population
to rise dramatically, from 7,300 in 1907 to 72,000 in
1920. The growing population put pressure on water
supplies from the Arkansas River, pushing Tulsans to
secure a new source, which led to the Spavinaw water
project, one of the largest public infrastructure projects
of that era. 1
The mid-20th Century was a time of prosperity
for the city. Tulsa was at the forefront of petroleum
and petroleum-related industries, and the growing
aviation industry became firmly established in the city.
Petroleum and aviation dominated the city’s economy
throughout the middle part of the 20th Century.
Tulsa’s built environment shows the influence of the
city’s rich art and cultural history, spanning centuries
of Native American culture and over a hundred years
of urbanization. This culture and history is reflected
in the built environment—the early ranches; the
tremendous collection of Art Deco downtown offces
and neighborhood residences; the futurist architecture at
Oral Roberts University; and a range of neighborhoods
from detailed Craftsman bungalows to mid-century
Ranch and modern residences.
chart 1: City of Tulsa Population, 1882-2000
450,000
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
1882 1898 1907 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Tulsa’s population increased
most significantly in the
mid-20th century with the
boom of petroleum and
aviation related industries.
Source: City of Tulsa, US Census Bureau
1
Oklahoma Historical Society, http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/
entries/T/TU003.html.
LU
6
July 2010
Tulsa comprehensive plan – Land Use