Your Stories

Part of what makes the "Tulsa Brick x Brick" series most interesting are the stories that others have taken the time to share.  Who doesn't enjoy recollecting their special, funny or poignant life memories? 

We may feel that our story is insignificant, maybe irrelevant.  But I believe that it's these small moments that make up the fabric of our lives.  Taking time to reflect can enrich us and build our sense of appreciation for the place we are today.

Listed here is a sample of some of those stories.  Why not take a moment to share your story here?  I'll get us started with some of my remembrances of my first years in Tulsa.

First National Tower, Atlas Life Building, Tulsa Auto Hotel and Nelson's Buffeteria:

“I was just a ‘kid’ when I first moved to Tulsa and got a job working for an oil and gas company on the 32nd Floor of the First National Tower.  I was ‘on top of the world’ quite literally!  The views of downtown were fantastic from up there.  Then winter came and I got a whole different sense about what it was like to work downtown.  I parked in the Tulsa Auto Hotel, which was a 1920s multi-level parking garage and was demolished a few years ago.  Anyway, that walk of just a few blocks seemed like miles when the bitter wind whipped around the buildings.

I was a secretary/receptionist for the company.  Personal Computers were just coming out as well as thermal paper fax machines.  Some secretaries still took dictation then and I was petrified whenever my boss would summon me in to “take a letter”.  Although diminutive in stature, he struck such a fear in me that I panicked that I’d not remember my shorthand and feel a tremendous sense of relief when he’d let me have his scribbled notes.

Occasionally he’d send me across the street to Atlas Grill to get him a grilled cheese for lunch.  Me?  My idea of a special lunch was chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy followed up by a piece of the most wonderful lemon meringue pie the world has ever known from where else but Nelson’s Buffeteria, another missing Boston Avenue landmark.”  C. Vaught, Tulsa

Claud's Hamburgers:

“I have a little story about Claud's Hamburgers history. My ex-brother in law lives in Las Cruces but was raised in Tulsa and not too far from Peoria. Throughout his school years, he ate burgers at Claud's and got his hair cut around the corner on 41st. When he would come back to Tulsa to visit us, his routine was haircut first and then to Claud's to sit at the bar and enjoy one of his favorite foods. We, of course, joined him. I think the barber has since died. So......fond memories of Claud's.”   B. Dalsing, Kiefer, Oklahoma


“I love that you’ve done one of my favorite skinny, greasy hamburger places, Claud’s. My father drove by it many times and always marveled at the full parking lot. He finally stopped one day. Now, this is usually where my “Mom” Lela and I go when we treat ourselves to lunch or her preferred place for birthday lunch.”
J. Edwards, Tulsa

Phoenix Cleaners, Mayo Hotel, Atlas Life Sign and Old Phillips 66 Station on Cincinnati:
 
"I am 92 years old (or young). I’m so glad the Mayo finally got refurbished. I have lots of memories of it. My Central class of 1935 had their banquet and dance there. My brother and I had my sister and brother's 60th wedding anniversary. My husband I and a couple of our friends had the last dinner served there.

I knew the man (and his daughter) who built the Atlas Life sign. The man who built it was from Sweden and one could hardly understand him.

But the piece de-resistance is your lovely interpretation of 'The Phoenix Cleaners'. My husband and I have spent many hours there. I kept the books. Then we bought a shop in Brookside and thought it, being smaller, would be less work. On the contrary, it was more work as the Phoenix customers came back to us. Our son ran it until he retired and now my grandson runs it. I used to have a little gift shop in the filling station you painted that was across the street. I sold salvage goods. I had all of Merle Norman’s things (beautiful) tons of Gibson’s cards, stationery, candles etc. I had my desk and typewriter there and would type the statements. We had 450 charge accounts. That was in the good old days."  E. Robinson, Tulsa  (Phoenix Cleaners has been in their family for 4 generations)

320 S. Boston Building:

“I've made many a client call in the 320 S. Boston building, and stood on top of the Bank of Oklahoma tower shortly after it was topped out in 1976, I believe. We all stood in disbelief as a plumb bob softly swayed on its mount, signaling the building was actually moving back and forth in the wind!  This is great to see. It takes me there.”   L. Clingman, Bixby, Oklahoma