Water Damage Restoration: Tulsars Eco-Friendly Options

Tulsa County
County
Tulsa County Courthouse
Flag
Location within the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°07′N 95°56′W / 36.12°N 95.94°W / 36.12; -95.94
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Founded	1907
Named after	city of Tulsa
Seat	Tulsa
Largest city	Tulsa
Area
• Total	587 sq mi (1,520 km2)
• Land	570 sq mi (1,500 km2)
• Water	17 sq mi (40 km2)  2.9%
Population  (2020)
• Total	669,279
• Estimate  (2024)	693,514
• Density	1,216.7/sq mi (469.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.tulsacounty.org

Tulsa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 669,279,^[1] making it the second-most populous county in the state, behind only Oklahoma County. Its county seat and largest city is Tulsa, the second-largest city in the state.^[2] Founded at statehood, in 1907, it was named after the previously established city of Tulsa. Before statehood, the area was part of both the Creek Nation and the Cooweescoowee District of Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory. Tulsa County is included in the Tulsa metropolitan statistical area. Tulsa County is notable for being the most densely populated county in the state. Tulsa County also ranks as having the highest income.^[3]

The history of Tulsa County greatly overlaps the history of the city of Tulsa. This section addresses events that largely occurred outside the present city limits of Tulsa.

The Lasley Vore Site, along the Arkansas River south of Tulsa, was claimed by University of Tulsa anthropologist George Odell to be the most likely place where Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe first encountered a group of Wichita people in 1719. Odell's statement was based on finding both Wichita and French artifacts there during an architectural dig in 1988.

The U. S. Government's removal of Native American tribes from the southeastern United States to "Indian Territory" did not take into account how that would impact the lives and attitudes of the nomadic tribes that already used the same land as their hunting grounds. At first, Creek immigrants stayed close to Fort Gibson, near the confluence of the Arkansas and Verdigris rivers. However, the government encouraged newer immigrants to move farther up the Arkansas. The Osage tribe had agreed to leave the land near the Verdigris, but had not moved far and soon threatened the new Creek settlements.^[4]

In 1831, a party led by Rev. Isaac McCoy and Lt. James L. Dawson blazed a trail up the north side of the Arkansas from Fort Gibson to its junction with the Cimarron River. In 1832, Dawson was sent again to select sites for military posts. One of his recommended sites was about two and a half miles downstream from the Cimarron River junction. The following year, Brevet Major George Birch and two companies of the 7th Infantry Regiment followed the "Dawson Road" to the aforementioned site. Flattering his former commanding officer, General Matthew Arbuckle, Birch named the site "Fort Arbuckle."^[4][5]

According to Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, the fort was about 8 miles (13 km) west of the present city of Sand Springs, Oklahoma.^[6] Author James Gardner visited the site in the early 1930s. His article describing the visit includes an old map showing the fort located on the north bank of the Arkansas River near Sand Creek, just south of the line separating Tulsa County and Osage County. After ground was cleared and a blockhouse built, Fort Arbuckle was abandoned November 11, 1834. The remnants of stockade and some chimneys could still be seen nearly a hundred years later.^[5] The site was submerged when Keystone Lake was built.

Main article Battle of Chusto-Talasah

At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, many Creeks and Seminoles in Indian Territory, led by Opothleyahola, retained their allegiance to the U. S. Government. In November 1861, Confederate Col. Douglas H. Cooper led a Confederate force against the Union supporters with the purpose of either compelling their submission or driving them out of the country. The first clash, known as the Battle of Round Mountain, occurred November 19, 1861. Although the Unionists successfully withstood the attack and mounted a counterattack, the Confederates claimed a strategic victory because the Unionists were forced to withdraw.^[7]

The next battle occurred December 9, 1861. Col. Cooper's force attacked the Unionists at Chusto-Talasah (Caving Banks) on the Horseshoe Bend of Bird Creek in what is now Tulsa County. The Confederates drove the Unionists across Bird Creek, but could not pursue, because they were short of ammunition. Still, the Confederates could claim victory.^[7]

The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad had extended its main line in Indian Territory from Vinita to Tulsa in 1883, where it stopped on the east side of the Arkansas River. The company, which later merged into the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway (familiarly known as the Frisco), then built a steel bridge across the river to extend the line to Red Fork. This bridge allowed cattlemen to load their animals onto the railroad west of the Arkansas instead of fording the river, as had been the practice previously. It also provided a safer and more convenient way to bring workers from Tulsa to the oil field after the 1901 discovery of oil in Red Fork.

A wildcat well named Sue Bland No. 1 hit paydirt at 540 feet on June 25, 1901, as a gusher. The well was on the property of Sue A. Bland (née Davis), located near the community of Red Fork. Mrs. Bland was a Creek citizen and wife of Dr. John C. W. Bland, the first practicing physician in Tulsa. The property was Mrs. Bland's homestead allotment. Oil produced by the well was shipped in barrels to the nearest refinery in Kansas, where it was sold for $1.00 a barrel.^[8]

Other producing wells followed soon after. The next big strike in Tulsa County was the Glenn Pool Oil Reserve in the vicinity of where Glenpool, Oklahoma was later founded..

Ironically, while the city of Tulsa claimed to be "Oil Capital of the World" for much of the 20th century, a city ordinance banned drilling for oil within the city limits.

In 1911–1912, Tulsa County built a court house in Tulsa on the northeast corner of Sixth Street and South Boulder Avenue. Yule marble was used in its construction. The land had previously been the site of a mansion owned by George Perryman and his wife. This was the court house where a mob of white residents gathered on May 31, 1921, threatening to lynch a young black man held in the top-floor jail. It was the beginning of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

An advertisement for bids specified that the building should be fireproof, built of either reinforced concrete or steel and concrete. The size was to be 120 by 120 feet (37 by 37 m) with three floors and a full basement. Cost of the building was not to exceed $200,000. The jail on the top floor was not to exceed $25,000.^[9]

The building continued to serve until the present court house building (shown above) opened at 515 South Denver. The old building was then demolished and the land was sold to private investors. The land is now the site of the Bank of America building, completed in 1967.

In the early 20th century, Tulsa was home to the "Black Wall Street", one of the most prosperous Black communities in the United States at the time.^[10] Located in the Greenwood neighborhood, it was the site of the Tulsa Race Massacre, said to be "the single worst incident of racial violence in American history",^[11] in which mobs of white Tulsans killed black Tulsans, looted and robbed the black community, and burned down homes and businesses.^[10] Sixteen hours of massacring on May 31 and June 1, 1921, ended only when National Guardsmen were brought in by the Governor. An official report later claimed that 23 Black and 16 white citizens were killed, but other estimates suggest as many as 300 people died, most of them Black.^[10] Over 800 people were admitted to local hospitals with injuries, and an estimated 1000 Black people were left homeless as 35 city blocks, composed of 1,256 residences, were destroyed by fire. Property damage was estimated at $1.8 million.^[10] Efforts to obtain reparations for survivors of the violence have been unsuccessful, but the events were re-examined by the city and state in the early 21st century, acknowledging the terrible actions that had taken place.^[12]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 587 square miles (1,520 km²), of which 570 square miles (1,500 km²) is land and 17 square miles (44 km²) (2.9%) is water.^[13]

The Arkansas River drains most of the county. Keystone Lake, formed by a dam on the Arkansas River, lies partially in the county. Bird Creek and the Caney River, tributaries of the Verdigris River drain the northern part of the county.^[6]

• Washington County (north)
• Rogers County (northeast)
• Wagoner County (southeast)
• Okmulgee County (south)
• Creek County (west)
• Pawnee County (northwest)
• Osage County (northwest)

• I-44
• I-244
• I-444
• US 64
• US 75
• US 169
• US 412
• SH-11
• SH-20
• SH-51
• SH-66
• SH-67
• SH-97
• SH-117
• SH-151
• SH-266

• Tulsa Transit
• Greyhound Lines
• Jefferson Lines

At the census of 2010,^[19] there were 603,403 people, 241,737 households, and 154,084 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,059 inhabitants per square mile (409/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.2% White, 10.7% Black or African American, 6.0% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.8% from other races, and 5.8% from two or more races. 11.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race (8.8% Mexican). 14.2% were of German, 12.3% Irish, 8.8% English, 8.5% American, 2.3% French, and 2.3% Scottish ancestries. 88.3% spoke English, 8.1% Spanish, and 0.4% Vietnamese as their first language.^[20][21] At the 2020 census, its population grew to 669,279 people; in 2022, the American Community Survey estimated its population was 677,358. The 2021 estimated racial makeup of the county was 59.9% non-Hispanic white, 10.8% African American, 7.3% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 6.6% multiracial, and 13.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.^[22]

As of 2010, there were 241,737 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07. In 2021, there were 295,350 households with a median house value of $168,800. The county had a median rent of $929.^[22]

As of 2010 in the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.

As of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $47,005, and the median income for a family was $60,093. The per capita income for the county was $27,425. About 11.0% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.^[23][24] Of the county's population over the age of 25, 29.2% held a bachelor's degree or higher, and 88.2% have a high school diploma or equivalent. As of 2021, its median household income was $60,382 and 14.7% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.^[22]

Tulsa County has nine elected county officials: three county commissioners, a county sheriff, a district attorney, an assessor, a treasurer, a county clerk, and a county court clerk.^[25]

Oklahoma's 14th Judicial District, which includes Tulsa and Pawnee County, has 14 elected district judges. 13 of the judges are elected from Tulsa County.^[26] The one elected Associate Judge for Tulsa County is Cliff Smith of Tulsa.^[27]

Tulsa County is very conservative for an urban county; it has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1940.^[30] The county's Republican bent predates Oklahoma's swing toward the GOP.

George H. W. Bush in 1992 remains the only Republican since Alf Landon in 1936 to fail to obtain a majority in the county, and even then only because of Ross Perot’s strong third-party candidacy. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat since Lyndon Johnson in 1964 to win more than 40% of the vote in Tulsa County, and only the second to do so since 1948. It is one of only two counties in the state, alongside Oklahoma County, where Biden outperformed Southerner Jimmy Carter's 1976 margin, when he narrowly lost the state.

In 2022, Democratic gubernatorial candidate (and county resident) Joy Hofmeister narrowly carried the county, 49.1-48.9, against incumbent Republican Kevin Stitt.^[31] This was the first time Tulsa County had backed a Democratic gubernatorial candidate since 2006, and the first time in its history that it had ever backed a losing Democrat for governor.^[32]

The city of Tulsa proper is a swing city. After voting for Donald Trump in 2016 by four points, it swung to a six-point win for Joe Biden in 2020, and also backed Drew Edmondson for Governor in 2018 by 13 points. The suburbs and rural communities, however, remain very strongly Republican.^{[33][34][35][36]}

In February 2020, registered Republicans were reduced from a majority to a plurality in the county's voter registration.^[37]

River Parks was established in 1974 as a joint operation of the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County, with funding from both governments as well as private entities. It is not a part of the Tulsa Parks and Recreation Department, but is managed by the River Parks Authority. It is a series of linear parks that run adjacent to the Arkansas River for about 10 miles (16 km) from downtown to the Jenks bridge. Since 2007 a significant portion of the River Parks area has been renovated with new trails, landscaping and playground equipment. The River Parks Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area on the west side of the Arkansas River in south Tulsa is a 300 acres (120 ha) area that contains over 45 miles (72 km) of dirt trails available for hiking, trail running, mountain biking and horseback riding.^[40] The "Tulsa Townies" organization provide bicycles that may be checked out for use. There are three kiosks in the parks where bicycles may be obtained or returned.^[41]

• Liberty (part)
• Lotsee
• Sperry

• Oakhurst
• Turley

• Berryhill
• Garnett
• Leonard
• Lake
• Mingo

• Alsuma - Annexed by Tulsa in 1968.^[42][43]
• Carbondale - Annexed by Tulsa in 1928.^[44]
• Dawson - Annexed by Tulsa in 1949.^[45]
• Keystone - Submerged by Keystone Lake, whose construction began in 1958.
• North Tulsa - Annexed by Tulsa in 1904.^[46]
• Prattville - Annexed by Sand Springs in 1965.^[47]
• Red Fork - Annexed by Tulsa in 1927.^[45]
• South Haven - Annexed by Tulsa in 1966.^[44]

Public school districts include:^[48]

Bartlesville, Oklahoma
City
Downtown Bartlesville viewed from the Price Tower (2008)
Nickname:  B-ville
Location of Bartlesville within Oklahoma
Coordinates: 36°44′50″N 95°57′34″W / 36.74722°N 95.95944°W / 36.74722; -95.95944
Country	United States
State	Oklahoma
Counties	Washington, Osage
Bartlesville, Indian Territory	January 15, 1897
Area [1]
• Total	22.58 sq mi (58.47 km2)
• Land	22.55 sq mi (58.41 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation [2]	702 ft (214 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	37,290
• Density	1,653.59/sq mi (638.45/km2)
• μSA	52,455 (US: 198th)
• CSA	1,153,719 (US: 53rd)
Demonym	Bartian
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	74003-74006
Area codes	539/918
FIPS code	40-04450[3]
GNIS feature ID	2409792[2]
Website	cityofbartlesville.org

Bartlesville is a city mostly in Washington County and Osage County, Oklahoma. The population was 37,290 at the 2020 census.^[4] Bartlesville is 47 miles (76 km) north of Tulsa and 18 miles (29 km) south of the Kansas border. It is the county seat of Washington County.^[5] The Caney River runs through Bartlesville.

Bartlesville is the primary city of the Bartlesville Micropolitan area, which consists of Washington County and had a population of 51,843 in 2018. A small portion of the city is in Osage County. The city is also part of the Tulsa Combined Statistical Area, with a population of 1,151,172 in 2015.

Bartlesville is notable as the longtime home of Phillips Petroleum Company. Frank Phillips founded Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville in 1905 when the area was still an Indian Territory. The company merged with Conoco as ConocoPhillips and later split into the two independent companies, Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips. Both companies have retained some operations in Bartlesville, but they have moved their corporate headquarters to Houston.

It is one of two places in Oklahoma where a Lenape Native American tribe lives, the other being Anadarko.^[6]

Jacob Bartles, son-in-law of Delaware chief Charles Journeycake, moved from Wyandotte County, Kansas, to Indian Territory in 1873. He settled first at Silver Lake, a natural lake south of the present city of Bartlesville. In 1874, he opened a trading post and post office on Turkey Creek, in what is now East Bartlesville. In the following year, he bought a grist mill on the Caney River and modified it to produce flour. Bartles then built a two-story general store and residence, and added a rooming house, a blacksmith shop and a livery stable. Other settlers soon moved into the immediate area, which was then called Bartles Town. In 1880, Bartles moved his Turkey Creek post office to this town. Bartles then provided the community with electricity, a telephone system and a water distribution system.^[7]

Development of the present city began after William Johnstone and George B. Keeler opened a general store on the south side of the Caney River in 1884. The first newspaper, The Weekly Magnet, began publication in March 1895. The town was incorporated in Indian Territory in January 1897. The town was surveyed and platted in 1898, and eighty acres were offered to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad for a depot. The railroad, though its Kansas, Oklahoma Central and Southwestern Railway subsidiary, reached the town in 1899.^[7] The post office was moved from "North Bartlesville" in 1899. Bypassed by the railroad, Jacob Bartles moved his store to what became Dewey, Oklahoma.^[7]

Bartlesville was also home to Frank Phillips (November 28, 1873 – August 23, 1950) who along with his brother, Lee Eldas "L.E." Phillips Sr founded Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville in 1917 and made Bartlesville the headquarters of Phillips 66. The new company began with assets of $3 million, 27 employees and leases throughout Oklahoma and Kansas^[8] but grew to become a multi-billion dollar oil company. Although Bartlesville is no longer the headquarters, the company still has many employees in the community. In 2002, Phillips Petroleum merged with Conoco Oil Company and became ConocoPhillips.

Bartlesville was originally a sundown town where African Americans were not allowed to live. By 1907, the restriction had been lifted, and newspapers noted the town's first natural death of an African American, a man named Robert McGee.^[9]

In 1957, Bartlesville was the test site for the first experiment in pay cable television.^[10] The Bartlesville Telemovie System debuted with the film The Pajama Game, starring Doris Day, and aired it to an audience of 300 homes. The headline of the September 4, 1957, issue of Variety read, "First-Run Films Now at Home". However, after only nine months of operation, on Friday, June 6, 1958, Telemovie signed off forever.^[11]

Bartlesville was struck by an EF4 tornado that also heavily impacted Barnsdall on May 6, 2024. Debris cleanup and other recovery efforts were ongoing as of July 2024.^[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.1 square miles (54.6 km²), of which 21.1 square miles (54.6 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) (0.09%) is water.

The Caney River flows through Bartlesville, separating the downtown area from the east side. The river flooded in October 1986 as a result of unusually heavy rainfall. The city was split in half for several days, and the flood caused considerable property damage. The river broke its banks again in June 2007, cresting five feet below the 1986 level. The Pathfinder Parkway, a paved trail for walking, running, and cycling, runs alongside the Caney River.

Bartlesville is familiar with both very hot conditions in the summer with a record high of 115 °F or 46.1 °C and with very cold conditions with a record of low of −28 °F or −33.3 °C. However, even with this record of extremes, the climate of Bartlesville is considered humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa) with cool winters and hot summers, with the majority of precipitation falling in spring, between the months of April and June. Bartlesville lies in Tornado Alley, meaning that severe weather, including tornadoes, can occur. Severe weather occurs most often in the spring months, and occurs with much less frequency throughout the rest of the year. The city lies within USDA plant hardiness zone 7a (0 to 5 °F; −18 to −15 °C).^[13][14]

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 34,748 people, 14,565 households, and 9,831 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,646.4 inhabitants per square mile (635.7/km²). There were 16,091 housing units at an average density of 762.4 per square mile (294.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.09% White, 3.20% African American, 7.18% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races, and 5.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.02% of the population.

There were 14,565 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,195, and the median income for a family was $56,432. The per capita income for the city was $27,417. About 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line.^[20]

As of 2010 Bartlesville had a population of 35,750. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 79.0% White (76.1% non-Hispanic), 3.1% Black or African American, 8.7% Native American, 1.4% Asian (0.4% Indian, 0.3% Chinese, 0.2% Vietnamese), 2.1% reporting some other race, 5.7% reporting two or more races and 5.9% Hispanic or Latino (4.5% Mexican, 0.3% Spanish or Spaniard, 0.2% Puerto Rican).^[21][22]

Oklahoma's first commercial oil well, the Nellie Johnstone, discovered oil on 15 April 1897 along a bank of the Caney River, near Bartlesville.^[23]

Before its merger with Conoco, Phillips Petroleum Company had its headquarters in Bartlesville.^[24][25] After ConocoPhillips formed, the combined company established a global systems and services office in Bartlesville.^[26] ConocoPhillips spun most of its operations not related to exploration and production to form a new company, Phillips 66, in 2012. The two companies combined employ or contract with more than 3,800 people in the area.^[27] Chevron Phillips also has an office here.^[28]

Phillips Petroleum had a large presence in Bartlesville. A writer for the Tacoma (Washington) News Tribune said, "I never quite understood why the town where I spent my high school years wasn't named Phillipsburg. Nearly everything else in town was named after the Phillips Petroleum company or its founder".^[29]

The Bartlesville area has two industrial parks, the Bartlesville Industrial Park and the Sunset Industrial Park.^[30][31] The Bartlesville Industrial Park landed a multi-million dollar lithium-ion battery recycling plant in September 2023.^[32]

Price Tower, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, stands in downtown Bartlesville. It is Wright's only realized skyscraper, and one of only two vertically oriented Wright structures extant (the other is the S.C. Johnson Wax Research Tower in Racine, Wisconsin).

The nearby Bartlesville Community Center, designed by William Wesley Peters, one of Wright's students, hosts OKM Music, an annual week-long music event in June.^[33] Begun in 1985 as the "OK Mozart" International Festival, and organized around the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the festival featured performances of classical music, jazz, light opera, and more. World-renowned musicians who have performed at OK Mozart include Itzhak Perlman, Joyce Yang, Joshua Bell, and André Watts. Around 2018 the festival renamed itself OKM Music to signify that it was broadening its range beyond the predominantly classical music it had featured for much of its 33-year history.^[34] The Community Center also hosts the concerts presented by the Bartlesville Community Concert Association.^[35]

The city also hosts several annual festivals and shows, nearly all focused in the downtown.^[36] Sunfest^[37] is the first weekend of June. It includes an arts and crafts show, a music festival, a kids festival, and a classic cars show. A second classic air show and festival is held in the fall. An Oklahoma Indian Summer Festival^[38] is held at the Community Center downtown each fall.

Bartlesville's downtown revitalization efforts are in full swing, with many blocks of the National Register Historic District, and the catalyst project, the once burned out May Brothers and 1904 Buildings, coming to completion at the downtown's center. The original Kress Building has been taken over by Bartlesville Monthly Magazine and restored. Downtown Bartlesville Inc., the Bartlesville Redevelopment Trust Authority, the Bartlesville Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Bartlesville Development Authority work in tandem to promote this thriving "Next City".^[39]

Frank Phillips's former home is a museum maintained by the Oklahoma Historical Society. His ranch and retreat about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Bartlesville is called Woolaroc (a portmanteau of the words woods, lakes, rocks). A working ranch of 3,700 acres (1,500 ha), Woolaroc houses a museum exhibiting Phillips's extensive collections of Native American, western, and fine art. It holds one of the most complete private collections of Colt firearms in the world. The property includes the Phillips family's lodge and mausoleum, along with a huge wildlife preserve with herds of American bison, elk, Texas longhorn cattle, water buffalo, zebra, and more than 20 other animal species.

The Phillips Petroleum Company Museum shows the early days of petroleum production in Oklahoma and the evolution of Phillips Petroleum in that industry.^[40] Admission is free.^[41]

A Wall of Honor is inside Washington Park Mall, with names of service members listed on panels beside cabinets that display military artifacts, photos, story boards, POW/MIA listings, and other exhibits. A special display honors Lance Corporal Thomas A. Blair, Oklahoma's first casualty during the Iraq War.

Bruce Goff designed Shin'enKan ("The House of the Far Away Heart") in 1956. Built for Joe D. Price as his house and studio, it was destroyed by fire in December 1996. Bartlesville is the home of multiple other Goff buildings, a home for the Price Pipe and Supply Family by Frank Lloyd Wright, and numerous homes by the Kansas City architect Edward Buehler Delk,^[42] most notably LaQuinta. The Conference Basketball tournament for The Great American Conference is hosted in Bartlesville.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University, a private religious school affiliated with the Wesleyan Church, enrolls about 1,100 students at the main campus in Bartlesville, satellite locations, and online campuses. About 700 students attend the Rogers State University branch campus downtown.

Career and technical training is provided by Tri County Technology Center, which offers several programs for high-school and adult students along with short-term courses. In December 2018, Tri-County Tech was recognized for performance excellence as one of the recipients of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Bartlesville Public Schools are in the Bartlesville Public School District (BPSD), also known as Independent School District 30.^[43] They include six elementary (PreK-5) sites, Central and Madison middle schools (6–8), and the high school (9–12). Within Washington County, almost all of Bartlesville is in the Bartlesville school district, while a few parts in the north are covered by Dewey Public Schools.^[44] In regards to sections in Osage County, parts are covered by the Bartlesville school district, while other parts are covered by Dewey Public Schools, and Osage Hills Public School.^[45]

Private schools in Bartlesville include St. John School, a Catholic school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa; Coram Deo Classical Academy, and the Wesleyan Christian School, which is affiliated with First Wesleyan Church and Paths to Independence, a school for children and adults with autism. Some students also attend Tulsa-area private high schools.

Bartlesville is served by two US Highways and one Oklahoma state highway:

• US-75 is the primary north-south US highway through Bartlesville and Washington County.
• US-60 is the primary east-west US highway in Bartlesville and Washington County.
• SH-123.

Intercity bus service is available through Jefferson Lines.^[46]

Bartlesville Municipal Airport sits on the city's west side on US-60 in Osage County.^[47] It is a single-runway airport. Runway 17/35 is a concrete runway that is 6,850' by 100'. It has terminal and fixed-base operations and is owned by the City of Bartlesville.

In the early 1950s, the airport hosted commercial air transportation provided by Central Airlines.^[48] Commercial air transportation is now available at Tulsa International Airport,^[49] about 45 miles south.^[50]

Bartlesville is served by the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, a shortline carrier of Watco.

• Boots Adams, business executive and civic philanthropist of Bartlesville, Oklahoma
• Bud Adams, owner of the Tennessee Titans; enrolled Cherokee, grew up in Bartlesville
• Nancy Barrett, actress
• Omar Browning, basketball player, 1948 United States men's Olympic basketball team head coach
• Mark Costello, Oklahoma politician
• Leo G. Cox, theologian
• Patrick Cranshaw, actor
• Ree Drummond, blogger and TV cook
• Lyle Goodhue, scientist
• Meredith Howard Harless, performer
• Becky Hobbs, singer
• Sven Erik Holmes, United States district judge
• Ted Hsu, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the riding of Kingston and the Islands
• Todd Ames Hunter, Texas politician, born in Bartlesville in 1953
• Bob Kurland, basketball player
• Terrence Malick,^[51] cinema director
• Tyson Meade, rock singer
• Emeka Okafor, basketball player
• Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum
• Kinga Philipps, actress/producer
• Mark Price, basketball player
• Tim Pugh, baseball player
• John Wesley Raley, minister and educator
• Allen Rucker, writer
• William Salyers, stage, screen and voice actor
• Terry Saul, Choctaw/Chickasaw artist and educator
• Louis Skurcenski, basketball player
• Gretchen Wyler, actress
• Kathleen Zellner, attorney

The Bartlesville Barflies barbershop quartet were the inaugural champions of SPEBSQSA.^[52]

The city served as the setting for much of Terrence Malick's 2012 film To the Wonder.^{[citation needed]} Portions of the movie Killers of the Flower Moon were filmed here.^[53]

• Bartlesville Boosters, a minor league baseball team of the early 20th century
• Jo Allyn Lowe Park
• List of sundown towns in the United States
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Oklahoma
• Pathfinder Parkway, a bicycle and jogging path which runs throughout Bartlesville
• Voice of the Martyrs headquarters
• Washington Park Mall

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

• City of Bartlesville
• Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce
• Bartlesville news and community events
• History of Bartlesville & Washington County Archived July 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
• Bartlesville Area History Museum: Bartlesville Timeline (illustrated) Archived August 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
• Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Bartlesville

Climate change in Oklahoma encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has noted: "In the coming decades, Oklahoma will become warmer, and both floods and droughts may be more severe. Most of Oklahoma did not become warmer during the last 50 to 100 years. But soils have become drier, annual rainfall has increased, and more rain occurs in heavy downpours. In the coming decades, summers are likely to be increasingly hot and dry, which will reduce the productivity of farms and ranches, change parts of the landscape, and possibly harm human health".^[1]

It has also been noted that Oklahoma's grasslands "are a vital component in nature's fight against climate change" due to their capacity to capture and store carbon.^[2]

Discussions of climate change in Oklahoma have been described as "subtle", as Oklahoma is a highly conservative and religious state, where the oil and gas industry plays a leading role in the economy.^[3][4]

In 2015, surveys identified Woodward County, Oklahoma as one of the most climate skeptical counties in the United States.^[5]

Oklahoma is home to Senator Jim Inhofe, who served from 1994 to 2023 and is known for throwing a snowball in the US Senate in 2015 "in an effort to disprove what he sees as alarmist conclusions about man-made climate change,"^[6] and to politician and climate skeptic Jim Bridenstine. Bridenstine modified his positions on climate upon becoming NASA administrator in 2018.^[7][8] Former Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt, who has been closely allied with the fossil fuel industry, served as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator from 2017-2018.^[9]

Flooding is a major concern in the state, especially in the wake of unusually heavy rains. Cities such as Tulsa are responding with flood control efforts in preparation for extreme weather events, without using the term climate change.^[10]

Despite current debates on appropriate terminology, when viewed from a historical rather than a political perspective, it is clear that the climate of Oklahoma has changed considerably since the dust storms of the 1930s, which occurred after years of drought and poor farming practices.^[11] Online course resources have been assembled by a NASA, NSF and NOAA-supported program, "The Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA)" under the title "Dust Bowl: Is Climate Change Starting Another?," enabling students to assess the history of the 1930s Dust Bowl from a 21st century perspective of computers and space-based data collection.^[12]

Oklahoma's Water by 2060 plan calls for Oklahoma to use "no more fresh water in 2060 than was used in 2012."^[13]

"Changing the climate is likely to increase the demand for water but make it less available. As rising temperatures increase evaporation and water use by plants, soils are likely to become even drier. Average rainfall is likely to decrease during spring and summer. Seventy years from now, the longest period without rain each year is likely to be at least three days longer than it is today. Increased evaporation and decreased rainfall are likely to reduce the average flow of rivers and streams".^[1]

"Decreased river flows can create problems for navigation, recreation, public water supplies, and electric power generation. Commercial navigation can be suspended during droughts when there is too little water to keep channels deep enough for barge traffic. Decreased river flows can also lower the water level in lakes and reservoirs, which may limit municipal water supplies; impair swimming, fishing, and other recreational activities; and reduce hydroelectric power generation. Conventional power plants also need adequate water for cooling. Compounding the challenges for electric utilities, rising temperatures are expected to increase the demand for electricity for air conditioning".^[1]

"Although summer droughts are likely to become more severe, floods may also intensify. During the last 50 years, the amount of rain falling during the wettest four days of the year has increased about 15 percent in the Great Plains. Over the next several decades, the amount of rainfall during the wettest days of the year is likely to continue to increase, which would increase flooding".^[1]

According to Kevin Kloesel, director of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, Oklahoma had "one record cold" in the 30 years leading up to 2019, and "14 different days at record highs" since 2000. Kloesel anticipates that "precipitation changes will amplify these warming extremes, as Oklahoma appears poised for more frequent, lengthier periods of drought interspersed with floods."^[14][15]

NPR notes that nearly one third of the dams in Oklahoma, over 1,400 in all, are approaching the end of their projected operational life, and that the increased intensity of flooding may exacerbate the chances of dam breaks with damaging consequences for populated areas.^[16]

"Hot days can be unhealthy—even dangerous. Seventy years from now, Oklahoma is likely to have three to four times as many days above 100°F as it has today".^[1] The arid climate that typifies the American West is expected to continue expanding to the east, reducing the crops that can be grown by Oklahoma farmer.^[17]

During droughts, cattle are often left with less nutritious forage, adding to the challenge brought about by the limited availability of feed during droughts. This increases operating costs for ranchers, reducing profits as ranchers take on additional expenses for supplemental feed or sell cattle before they have reached maturity. For instance, due to the high prices of hay and dried-up water sources, many ranchers in Oklahoma were compelled to liquidate their herds during the severe drought period in 2011, further contributing to the losses that were recorded in both livestock and crop production.^[18]

Drilling water wells contributed to declining groundwater levels. This contribution further exacerbates an already historical trend of depletion within the Oklahoma region, particularly within the arid panhandle region, where agriculture heavily relies on the Ogallala Aquifer.^[1] Spiking temperatures and extended droughts have increased the demand for water from crops and livestock. As a result, farmers are seeing their costs rise as they drill deeper wells to reach dwindling water reserves, and switch to less water-demanding crops such as milo at the expense of profitability.^[19] All these challenges are compounded by weak Oklahoma legislative regulations on water, which allow industries such as commercial hog operations to withdraw immense volumes of groundwater and thereby accelerate aquifer depletions.^[19] Groundwater levels are decreasing, and Oklahoma's agricultural productivity and economic stability are at a risk, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable water management in the face of a warming, drier climate.

Oklahoma possesses several factors that position it as a favorable location for carbon removal initiatives. The state has a rich history of technological project development and deployment, particularly in industries like oil and gas. This background provides Oklahoma with essential expertise and infrastructure that can be leveraged for carbon removal projects. Moreover, the state has vast geologic capacity and experience in safely storing carbon dioxide deep underground.^[20] In June 2022, Oklahoma took the first step towards making it easier for businesses to apply for carbon sequestration permits on a state level, instead of with the US federal government. Bill 200^[21] was signed by Oklahomas 28th Governor, Kevin Stitt, that, according to House of Representatives Energy Chair and House bill sponsor Brad Boles, will earn a carbon sequestration delegation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).^[22]

The carbon removal industry presents significant economic opportunities for Oklahoma.^[23] With estimates projecting a trillion-dollar market by 2050, the state can capitalize on its resources, skilled workforce, and industrial project development experience to drive innovation and create jobs.^[24] Energy companies in Oklahoma, such as Devon Energy, have relevant expertise in well drilling and subsurface geology, essential for carbon storage initiatives.^[25]

Oklahoma is home to renowned universities with world-class programs and expertise relevant to carbon removal. Institutions like Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa contribute to the state's research and development capabilities. Their contributions range from exploring carbon removal techniques to improving soil health and increasing crop yields through carbon dioxide removal.^[26]

To maximize Oklahoma's potential as a leader in carbon removal, collaboration between the state's elected representatives, the federal government, and industry experts is crucial. Philip-Michael Weiner, a Tulsa resident and founding partner at Recapture, a tech-agnostic utility-scale carbon project developer, has emphasized the importance of government support in realizing Oklahoma's carbon removal goals. Weiner suggests that government initiatives should focus on providing research, development, and demonstration funding to accelerate the growth of the carbon removal sector. Congressional representatives like Congressman Frank Lucas and Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, who serve on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, play a vital role in advocating for Oklahoma's position as a leader in carbon dioxide removal.^[27]

"Higher temperatures and drought are likely to increase the severity, frequency, and extent of wildfires, which could harm property, livelihoods, and human health. On average, more than 1 percent of the land in Oklahoma has burned each decade since 1984. Wildfire smoke pollutes the air and can increase medical visits for chest pains, respiratory problems, and heart problems".^[1]

"The combination of more fires and drier conditions may change parts of Oklahoma’s landscape. Many plants and animals living in the dry lands of western Oklahoma are already near the limits of what they can tolerate. In some cases, native vegetation may persist as the climate changes. But when fire destroys the natural cover, the native grasses and woody plants may be replaced by non-native grasses, which can become established more readily after a fire. Because non-native grasses are generally more prone to intense fires, native plants may be unable to re-establish themselves.^[1]

"Scientists do not know how the frequency and severity of tornadoes will change. Rising concentrations of greenhouse gases tend to increase humidity, and thus atmospheric instability, which would encourage tornadoes. But wind shear is likely to decrease, which would discourage tornadoes. Research is ongoing to learn whether tornadoes will be more or less frequent in the future. Because Oklahoma experiences about 60 tornadoes a year, such research is closely followed by meteorologists in the state".^[1][28]

Ranchers, environmentalists and Osage Nation landowners are working together to preserve Oklahoma's prairie at the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

Each acre of protected grasslands in Oklahoma "mitigates nearly four metric tons of carbon dioxide per year — the equivalent of taking 4 million cars off the road."^[29]

Oklahoma's standards for science education incorporate material from the 2013 Next Generation Science Standards, and include information about Oklahoma's climate. Consensus has yet to emerge on how to present the topic of climate change in the state's public schools.^[30][31]

• Plug-in electric vehicles in Oklahoma

• National Climate Assessment - U.S. Global Change Research Program (2018). "Southern Great Plains". Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II (Report). Washington, DC. pp. 987–1035. doi:10.7930/NCA4.2018.CH23. - covers Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas

• Global Climate Change and the Implications for Oklahoma, Oklahoma Climatological Survey