Editor's Note: In collaboration with the Bartlesville Area History Museum, the Examiner-Enterprise has revived the late Edgar Weston's 'Revisiting the Past' columns that ran in the newspaper from 1997-99. Weston's columns recount the history of Bartlesville as well as Washington, Nowata and Osage counties.
Mabel Case McClintock writes about early Bartlesville (continued):
When Statehood for Oklahoma came on Nov. 16, 1907, every phase of political set-up was put into action: section lines (were drawn) especially in the rural areas, bridges were built, fences were ordered to be constructed, and progress was rapidly made in the "New State."
Bartlesville became the administrative seat of Washington County, Oklahoma. John Kane was elected the first County Attorney.
Bartlesville grew rapidly. Frank Bucher built a new hotel at Second and Johnstone, the Almeda, the county's celebration site of statehood. The opening of this hotel should be listed as the first big social event in Bartlesville. Mr. Alexander Butts, then editor of the Kansas City Star, was the guest of honor. Dress suits were lifted out of storage and old evening dresses were freshened for this event. When the Emporia Kansas Bank band played the grand march and the dancers gathered. It was a small wonder that all were not overcome by the moth-ball fumes. The incident of the moth balls at the dance and the man who wore a red four-in-hand necktie with his dress suit are the only two social blunders I can recall.
There were many delightful parties in those early days. None of us had much money; and of necessity were simple affairs, but oh! such real fun. That was a gala night. However, Mr. McClintock and I left home for the dance with some misgivings because our young white maid. Pansy, was panic-stricken due to the roar of a burning gas well in William Johnstone's pasture near our home. She was sure the world was coming to an end, and was afraid to stay with Barbara and Edward.
The first summer here it rained every day during the month of June and most of July. We had moved into our new home on May 1. Rubber boots were purchased soon thereafter. Even the Studebaker wagon could not be used very much — such sticky mud. For a number of years, we made it a practice to carry a bundle of newspapers when we went to a party so that when we crossed a muddy street we could spread the newspapers down to walk on.
Oil development was all about us and each morning long strings of heavy wagons loaded with oilfield supplies passed our home. I can see it in my mind: those beautiful horses with the gay trappings on their harness; bright colored rings on the reins; and tassels on the sides of the bridles. There was the cheerful banter of the men as they went out each morning and came in at night. Oil derricks were being built everywhere. New oil pools were being discovered. We lived in the excitement of the discovery of the black gold and the fortunes beginning to be made.
There was a great demand for houses in those days. We lived within the sound of the carpenters hammers during the day and the clang of the tool dressers dressing the drill bits at the wells at night. The little town was growing by leaps and bounds and, whereas, a short time ago there were 700 or 800 inhabitants, we were now boasting of 9,000 in 1908. The bank deposits in 1900 were $17,000 against $1,300,000 in 1908. There was no real estate taxed in 1903 while in 1908 the real estate and personal tax was $5,000. Bartlesville school property was valued at $250, in 1903 against $560,000 in 1908 and bonds voted for $75,000 for additional buildings.
Water works and sewage and electric light plants were installed. Streets began to be paved with bricks. The M.K. & T railroad was finished. The Santa Fe had been extended into Tulsa. Train service was much improved into Kansas City and St. Louis. Through the improved railroad facilities, we were even permitted the luxury of being able to purchase fresh vegetables. The first few years fresh vegetables and fruits were so shriveled by the time they received them, they looked like something out of King Tut's Tomb.
The year before my coming down, Mr. McClintock boarded at a men's club. One day the cook had a dish of lemons on the table for the iced tea. To the dismay of all, one of the boarders drew the dish of lemons to the side of his plate and ate all of them. I think this proves my statement regarding the scarcity of fruits.
The original town site of Bartlesville consisted of the original little town site and a strip from Apache (now Wyandotte) west across the Kansas Oklahoma Central and Southwestern Railway tracks. The south line was Third Street. It had to be extended and nearby farms were brought into the city. This meant new streets and the extension of the original streets. Hence, when you come to 11th which was the southern boundary line, you will discover the street makes a slight change in direction. Some say the direction or lining of the street (3rd) was the line of the front of George B. Keeler's home and it was not true with the compass directly north and south. The Memorial Hospital was built on that location and George B. Keeler's home was moved northeast to make room for the hospital. The home became the nurse's home.
The Oklah Opera House, now Liberty Theatre opened Sept. 19, 1907 by Mr. Jess Overlees. This was another star on our social calendar. We felt very elegant in our white hats with willow plumes and dresses with high necklines. Among the stage stars who came to the Oklah were Theodore Roberts, Fredrick Warde, Louis Mann, Blanche Walsh, Lillian Russell, Joseph and William Jefferson.
It is not strange that when a new home was being considered by the McClintocks a few years ago we felt we could not leave the old location and would try to recreate a new home out of the old one with the blessed memories of the family and friends. The shrubs, trees, and vines were too precious to desert. Each spring I look forward to glimpsing the first blossoms on my harbinger of spring, the forsythia bush just to the side of the dining room window. And in the fall of the year, I look forward to the Joy of seeing the red and yellow of the hard maple.
Have you noticed the yellow iris, a common iris but lovely on Johnstone Avenue? They came from our garden. This variety was here when we bought the ground for our house.
Incidentally, we have a government patent for a deed to this ground, for our home. There was a little house with a lean-to upon the lot and a well located where our driveway is now. A hand split picket fence was about the home; wild verbenas grew in profusion in the backyard; and four plum trees were growing in the front yard. In the spring, they were full of white blossoms and later the children harvested a bountiful crop of plums. The children started their savings accounts from the sale of plums.