Our Town, Our People, Our Sapulpa
Sapulpa had our beginnings LONG before Oklahoma became a state, LONG before the land was called Indian Territory (I.T.). Prior to the relocation of Native American tribes from the Southeastern states to Indian Territory in the mid-1800s, our land had been claimed by England, Spain and France.
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty, dated April 30, 1803 , included the area now known as Oklahoma. President Jefferson thought that the purchase of this vast territory would be just the place to put the Native Americans, whom the government thought were plaguing the people in the East. These native peoples, however, were just protecting their lands and culture.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 spelled doom for the Native Americans in the Southeastern part of the United States . The removal of the Creek (Muscogee) people took place during the final months of 1836 and the spring and summer of 1837. The U.S. Army troops organized what is now known as the Trail of Tears and forcibly moved these proud people to a new land-Indian Territory.
Our area became part of the lands given to the Creeks, whose country had covered nearly all of what is now Alabama and Georgia. The Euchee (Yuchi) Tribe was also included with the Creeks after relocation, although their language and culture were different. Sapulpa continues to have a large Native American population consisting of both these tribes.
A young Creek tribesman, whom we now call Sapulpa (only one name), made the move to Indian Territory around 1840 and settled about a mile southeast of the present-day city of Sapulpa. Here he established a trading post. During the Civil War, the man Sapulpa served in the Confederate Army. Following his discharge from the army he returned to this area and later began ranching.
Mrs. Elizabeth Sapulpa, who was married to Chief Sapulpa's son, James, was converted to Methodism early and devoted her life to home mission work. In 1894 she opened the doors of her double log cabin on the northeastern corner of her tribal allotment to all her friends for worship. When the circuit minister arrived, Elizabeth always had one room cleared of all furniture so her guests could meet and worship in comfort. Meeting day was a big day for all, with basket dinners served after services.
But Elizabeth wanted a church building, so she sold 30 acres of her tribal allotment and with those funds built a small white church. The church was Elizabeth's first love. She could see it from the window of her home. The door of the church was always open to any person, as was her home, and it is in this manner that early Sapulpans came to know the church—known locally as the Rock Creek Indian Methodist Church.
After her death in 1955, the church members felt that the church should be a shrine to the little Indian lady who gave of her wealth and herself so that her friends might have a place to worship. However, the church had fallen into a state of disrepair and was in great need of attention. Sapulpa Historical Society was granted a lease on the building and some of the area by the heirs of Mrs. Sapulpa and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Our dream was to restore it to its original condition as close as possible and maintain it as an historical site open to the public. However, provisions of the lease were too expensive for a new Society to handle, and the land was sold at auction. Unfortunately, vandals burned the church and this very important piece of our local history was lost.
In the early 1880s, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad built a spur from Tulsa to our area to transport walnut logs to Eastern markets. The man Sapulpa befriended the railroad workers, and they began calling this village "Sapulpa Station." In 1898 Sapulpa was chartered as a town, and since that time we have honored the man Sapulpa by bearing his name.
Sapulpa is approximately 15 miles southwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is located on Interstate 44, Oklahoma State Highways 66 and 97, and U. S. 75A.
Once called the "Crossroads of America", Sapulpa was at the intersection of U.S. Highway 66 and U.S. Highway 75. In the days before interstate highways
were constructed, U.S. 66 was the main east/west highway in our nation (running from Chicago to Los Angeles ), and U.S. 75 was the main north/south highway (running border-to-border from Canada to the Gulf Coast at Galveston, Texas.)
When the Glenn Pool oil field was discovered a few miles away in 1905, the area grew from a very small village to a prosperous city within a few years. Because of the availability of natural gas from the Glenn Pool field, glass plants located here. We are still home to Bartlett-Collins Company, which manufactures tableware, and St. Gobain (formerly Liberty Glass Company), which manufactures beverage containers. At one time we also had Sunflower Glass Company, which made window glass, and Schramm Glass Factory, which manufactured canning jars.
In 1938, John and Grace Lee Frank moved their Frankoma Pottery to our city. The plant is located north of Sapulpa and still manufactures beautiful tableware.
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty, dated April 30, 1803 , included the area now known as Oklahoma. President Jefferson thought that the purchase of this vast territory would be just the place to put the Native Americans, whom the government thought were plaguing the people in the East. These native peoples, however, were just protecting their lands and culture.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 spelled doom for the Native Americans in the Southeastern part of the United States . The removal of the Creek (Muscogee) people took place during the final months of 1836 and the spring and summer of 1837. The U.S. Army troops organized what is now known as the Trail of Tears and forcibly moved these proud people to a new land-Indian Territory.
Our area became part of the lands given to the Creeks, whose country had covered nearly all of what is now Alabama and Georgia. The Euchee (Yuchi) Tribe was also included with the Creeks after relocation, although their language and culture were different. Sapulpa continues to have a large Native American population consisting of both these tribes.
A young Creek tribesman, whom we now call Sapulpa (only one name), made the move to Indian Territory around 1840 and settled about a mile southeast of the present-day city of Sapulpa. Here he established a trading post. During the Civil War, the man Sapulpa served in the Confederate Army. Following his discharge from the army he returned to this area and later began ranching.
Mrs. Elizabeth Sapulpa, who was married to Chief Sapulpa's son, James, was converted to Methodism early and devoted her life to home mission work. In 1894 she opened the doors of her double log cabin on the northeastern corner of her tribal allotment to all her friends for worship. When the circuit minister arrived, Elizabeth always had one room cleared of all furniture so her guests could meet and worship in comfort. Meeting day was a big day for all, with basket dinners served after services.
But Elizabeth wanted a church building, so she sold 30 acres of her tribal allotment and with those funds built a small white church. The church was Elizabeth's first love. She could see it from the window of her home. The door of the church was always open to any person, as was her home, and it is in this manner that early Sapulpans came to know the church—known locally as the Rock Creek Indian Methodist Church.
After her death in 1955, the church members felt that the church should be a shrine to the little Indian lady who gave of her wealth and herself so that her friends might have a place to worship. However, the church had fallen into a state of disrepair and was in great need of attention. Sapulpa Historical Society was granted a lease on the building and some of the area by the heirs of Mrs. Sapulpa and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Our dream was to restore it to its original condition as close as possible and maintain it as an historical site open to the public. However, provisions of the lease were too expensive for a new Society to handle, and the land was sold at auction. Unfortunately, vandals burned the church and this very important piece of our local history was lost.
In the early 1880s, the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad built a spur from Tulsa to our area to transport walnut logs to Eastern markets. The man Sapulpa befriended the railroad workers, and they began calling this village "Sapulpa Station." In 1898 Sapulpa was chartered as a town, and since that time we have honored the man Sapulpa by bearing his name.
Sapulpa is approximately 15 miles southwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is located on Interstate 44, Oklahoma State Highways 66 and 97, and U. S. 75A.
Once called the "Crossroads of America", Sapulpa was at the intersection of U.S. Highway 66 and U.S. Highway 75. In the days before interstate highways
were constructed, U.S. 66 was the main east/west highway in our nation (running from Chicago to Los Angeles ), and U.S. 75 was the main north/south highway (running border-to-border from Canada to the Gulf Coast at Galveston, Texas.)
When the Glenn Pool oil field was discovered a few miles away in 1905, the area grew from a very small village to a prosperous city within a few years. Because of the availability of natural gas from the Glenn Pool field, glass plants located here. We are still home to Bartlett-Collins Company, which manufactures tableware, and St. Gobain (formerly Liberty Glass Company), which manufactures beverage containers. At one time we also had Sunflower Glass Company, which made window glass, and Schramm Glass Factory, which manufactured canning jars.
In 1938, John and Grace Lee Frank moved their Frankoma Pottery to our city. The plant is located north of Sapulpa and still manufactures beautiful tableware.
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Sapulpa is located just southwest of Tulsa (approx. 25 min away from Downtown Tulsa). Our town is located along the Historic Route 66 (connecting East to West) and Highway 75 (connecting North to South). The connection in our city makesSapulpa "the Crossroads of America."
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Sapulpa Historical Society & Museum 100 E Lee Ave, Sapulpa, OK 74066 Midtown Mini Storage 114 E Lee Ave, Sapulpa, OK 74066 |
Sapulpa Fire Museum 124 E Lee Ave, Sapulpa, OK 74066 Waite Phillips-Barnsdall Filling Station Museum 26 E Lee Ave, Sapulpa, OK 74066 |