The answer could be Jake Bartles, who owned a mill and a general store on the Caney River and traded with the Cherokee, Osage and Delaware, but it also could have been Carrsville for Nelson Carr who built the gristmill and also built the first school. Or Keelerville or Johnstoneville after George Keeler and William Johnstone who were investors in the 1870’s lucrative fur trade. All were notable citizens who invested their money, time and talents in the area to help found a thriving city that today even boasts of a Frank Lloyd Wright building in its downtown. I was charmed by the city and if I had to live in Oklahoma I’d choose Bartlesville.

Of course, oil had a lot to do with it too. Oklahoma’s commercial oil and gas industry was born in 1897 in Bartlesville Indian Territory when the Nellie Johnstone oil well came in a gusher. (Johnstone’s daughter Nellie dropped the explosive charge that released the oil 1,300 ft into the ground.) That led to a boom that created many oil companies and brought the railroad to town. Today, Conocophillips and Phillips 66 are the main companies in this area.

An important part of the story is the positive collaboration between the native and non-native people. Intermarriage was very common and for some an advantageous way for a non-native to acquire valuable land rights. It appears that some of the tribes became wealthy along with their white colleagues.

The Bartlesville Region Historical Museum contains many artifacts that capture this rich history. Here are some of the highlights.

Above is a replica of the one room schoolhouse that Carr built for his children and the other non-native children in the community. The tribal communities had their own schools that the non-natives were not permitted to attend.

Below is a reproduction of the Carr family parlor.

The Delaware, Osage and Cherokee were an important part of Bartlesville growth. The majority of photographs showed the Native Americans in Western dress, but the respect for tribal customs still remains with many native ceremonies and dances taking place throughout the area.