The Arkansas River: A Historical Perspective

In 1803, most of present-day Oklahoma was acquired from France by the United States in
the Louisiana Purchase. This huge addition to the territory was seen as a suitable place to relocate Native Americans, forcing them from southern and eastern states in order to make more land available for white settlers. Most of the Indians targeted for relocation were members of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole tribes, known as the Five Civilized Tribes because of their sophisticated systems of government, law and agriculture. From 1812-1837, tens of thousands of Native Americans were force marched hundreds of miles without sufficient food or clothing. Ravaged by malnutrition, disease and the harsh winter weather, thousands died on the infamous "Trail of Tears."

One group of Creek Indians called the Lochapokas, from the name of their former home in Alabama, arrived at the future site of Tulsa in 1836. On a bluff overlooking the Arkansas River, they kindled a fire, symbolically adding to it ashes brought from their ancestral home. The Council Oak at 18th Street and Cheyenne Avenue marks the site of this solemn ceremony and was at the corner of a ceremonial square built by the Lochapokas. Following tribal custom, the square contained public buildings, with individual dwellings at its outskirts. The small community was known as Tulsey Town, but its growth was cut short by the Civil War. Overrun by soldiers from both sides of the bloody conflict, the only thing left standing at war's end in 1865 was the home of Lewis Perryman, a mixed Creek who had opened the area's first known trading post in 1848. The trading post was believed to have been located near 31st and Riverside Drive and Perryman's home was at 33rd and Rockford.

The Perryman home eventually became the town's first post office and Tulsa was the name given to this stop on the U.S. Mail, Star Route. In 1882, the Frisco Railroad extended its line to Tulsa and the Hall brothers, considered founders of modern Tulsa, began their first store in a tent pitched beside the new railroad. With rail service, Tulsa became an important cattle shipping point and the town continued to grow. The first public school was established in 1884 by a Presbyterian missionary. As yet, there were no churches, but circuit riders and missionaries preached from the porch of Hall's General Store.

Tulsa, Indian Territory, was very much a part of the Wild West. Gunfights were common. Cowboys from nearby ranches came to town to drink and celebrate when they got paid. And outlaws, including the Dalton gang and Belle Starr, were known to frequent the area due to its lack of law enforcement. Land runs in 1889, '91 and '93 brought many more settlers into the area and Tulsa was incorporated as a city in 1898.

In 1901, in an area on the west side of the Arkansas River known as Red Fork, oil spewed from the first commercial well in the Tulsa area. Oilmen from the eastern United States headed for Tulsa, making it their headquarters, and the city was on its way to becoming "the oil capital of the world." Meanwhile, the Arkansas River posed a real obstacle between the city on the east side of the river and Red Fork on the west side. The solution was a toll bridge completed in 1904 by three enterprising Tulsa businessmen at the site of the current Southwest Boulevard and I-244 bridges.

From its beginnings as a Creek Indian village, through many years of growth and prosperity, the land along the Arkansas River remained fallow except for the riverfront industries and a few clusters of houses. One of the problems, as observed by the disgruntled owner of a commercial steamboat, was that "the bottom of the Arkansas is too near the top." And contrasting with the frequent problem of too little water for navigation was the more serious problem of flooding. In all, the river was considered more of a liability than an asset.

The idea of developing Tulsa's riverfront was unsuccessful until 1974 when it was proposed as one of several civic projects designed to celebrate the city's 75th birthday. Though met with open skepticism by many, community leaders were inspired by the success of riverfront developments in other cities around the nation. They envisioned public/private partnerships blending open space, industrial and residential properties into a corridor of public-use areas all along the Arkansas River in Tulsa County. That year also marked a decade of flood control by Keystone Dam, further building confidence that the river and its banks could be managed and developed for the economic and cultural benefit of the community.

The River Parks Authority, created and financed by the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County, soon began transforming the riverfront with over $2 million in urban renewal funds. The agency's first project was the conversion of a former railroad bridge at 29th and Riverside into a pedestrian walkway linking the east and west banks of the river. Next came the development of the "model park" north of 21st and Riverside and not much more than a stone's throw from the historic Council Oak. With a river overlook, playground, trail, parking, restrooms and a food concession, this early development and a growing variety of public events were designed to draw people to River Parks to see its potential.

River Parks now includes over 800 acres of land stretching along miles of the Arkansas River. The focal point of the park is its trail system, weaving through open lawns and tree-lined picnic areas, past bronze wildlife sculptures and the seasonal color of native trees and wildflowers. Public events are now centered primarily at the River West Festival Park with its amphitheatre and the Reynolds floating stage. Zink Dam and Lake, completed in 1983, have made the river a popular spot for fishing and rowing. Further south, the untamed beauty of the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area rises above the riverbed, offering rugged hiking and equestrian trails, as well as a panoramic view of the city from its summit.

River Parks symbolizes the best of public and private cooperation, together building a unique park in the heart of the city. With approximately 42 miles of riverfront within Tulsa County, the Arkansas River offers a generous resource for the continuing development of outdoor recreation opportunities.

About Us . . . River Parks Authority
The River Parks Authority, a public trust authority, was created in 1974 by joint action of the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County. The Authority's mission is to maintain, preserve and develop the Arkansas River and/or land areas adjacent to the river within Tulsa County for the economic and cultural benefit of the community and to promote public use of all park lands and facilities under the Authority's jurisdiction.

The Authority is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees. Three trustees are appointed by the City of Tulsa, three are appointed by Tulsa County and one is appointed by the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission. Trustees serve without pay for a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms. The Board of Trustees elects officers annually, naming a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Treasurer. The Authority's monthly Board meetings are subject to the provisions of the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act and are open to the public. For more information check out "Board Meetings."

Day-to-day operations of the River Parks Authority are the responsibility of the agency's Executive Director, Matt Meyer. He is the organization's chief executive, heading a staff of twelve full-time employees. Operational responsibilities are divided among the administration, public relations and maintenance divisions. Volunteers play a key role in providing manpower for public events held in River Parks. The "Events" page on this Web site has more information concerning volunteers.

The River Parks system has over 800 acres of public land including park areas and a recreation trail which extends from 101st Street South on the east bank of the Arkansas River, north approximately 11 miles to Gilcrease Museum Road. Here the trail joins the 5.5-mile M.K. & T. Tulsa-Sand Springs "Katy" Trail, running west to Adams Road in Sand Springs. On the west bank of the river, the Authority's property extends from 71st Street South, north to 61st Street, picking up again at 51st Street and running north to 11th Street. Trail construction between 71st Street and 51st Street on the west bank is underway. For additional information about River Parks facilities and their locations, see the "Every Day In River Parks" and "Maps" pages.

Operating funds for River Parks are provided by the City of Tulsa, Tulsa County, the City of Sand Springs, utility easement fees and interest earnings. Other funding, including capital improvements funding, comes from private donations and the previously mentioned public entities. Public events are funded through corporate sponsorships, park usage fees and concession sales. The agency's annual budget for Fiscal 2007 is $1.5 million.

For more information about the River Parks Authority, to make suggestions or report problems, you can contact us at staff@riverparks.org