Owen Park, Maybelle Avenue and Edison Street
This monument was erected by the Tulsa Association of Pioneers in honor of the charter members of the association living in Tulsa, Indian Territory and vicinity for thirty years from 1881 to 1921 and other pioneer families.
The monument was moved from its original location on the Dr. Sam G. Kennedy farm to the north entrance of Owen Park in 1950. Dr. Kennedy was the first president of the Tulsa Association of Pioneers. In 1947, his heirs donated five acres to the Owen Park grounds. The monument bears the names of scores of pioneer families.
The restaurant previously existing at the current Leon's was The Ricksha, probably the best Chinese restaurant around during the 50's and early 60's. My mother insists that she has yet to find egg rolls as good as theirs. This was a favorite family dining spot for many years. The family who owned and ran it, I believe, still have the Ricksha located in the shopping area around 81st and south Lewis. They might know about the "alleged" funeral home existing on that site. Frankly, I suspect this might take on an "urban legend" mystique.
ReplyDeleteThe pioneer monuments resided at the south west corner of Edison and Frisco (where the fire station is now) for many years before being moved to Owen Park. My sister and I would play on the monuments. My family owned four of the five houses in the 500 block before four of them were demolished for the Tisdale I-244 interchange. The home that remained was destroyed by fire quite a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteIs there a list of names on the monument? My great grandfather, Josiah Coon, was here as early as 1884 because he filed his civil war pension from here. He also went by Joseph Coon and an alias, Joe Moore.
ReplyDeleteMy family name is on that monument we ARE NOT RACISTS we are Cherokee and Creeks who after the genocidal removal of tribes back east called Trail of Tears my family homesteaded here. Tulsa was a Creek Village known as Tulsi and majority were Indians. We had Pioneer family picnics and never saw any blacks or kkk members among all the indians who were at these bbqs
ReplyDeleteI am livid that so many ingnorant people who dont know the origins of these original family!
My family name is on that monument we ARE NOT RACISTS we are Cherokee and Creeks who after the genocidal removal of tribes back east called Trail of Tears my family homesteaded here. Tulsa was a Creek Village known as Tulsi and majority were Indians. We had Pioneer family picnics and never saw any blacks or kkk members among all the indians who were at these bbqs
ReplyDeleteI am livid that so many ingnorant people who dont know the origins of these original family!