COVID-19 Oklahoma Test Results

As of 2021-12-27 at 7:00 a.m.

As Nelson and Lola Cresente sit, holding hands they realize the special gift they’ve been given this year. The gift of life.
Nelson nearly lost a battle with COVID-19. When doctors at the hospital told Nelson and his wife that he needed to be put on a ventilator they refused. He had been battling COVID pneumonia, but they feared a ventilator would be the end. They chose, instead, to go home with hospice care, to enjoy what time he had left together.
“The doctor told me I was going to take him home to die,” Lola said.
Just weeks ago, he was home on hospice care. A BiPAP machine aided his breathing. Ashley Henson, a nurse practitioner with Valir PACE, handled some of Nelson’s care at home.
“We even helped them call a priest,” Henson said. “It was that dire.” Week after week, Nelson kept fighting back, doing what he could to regain strength.
“I’m a fighter, 100%,” he said.
During one trip to their home, Lola was explaining to Henson and a hospice nurse how a neighbor had stopped by the day before to pray over Nelson, specifically that his lungs would open. That’s when they witnessed what they all believe was a miracle.
“I listened to his lungs and his hospice nurse listened to his lungs. We looked at each other and were like, ‘We’re hearing air here. Air is moving,’” Henson said.
Lola was shocked.
“You know what I did. I cried. And he did too. And praised God for it,” Lola said.
From there, Nelson continued to make improvements. He was moved off hospice care and began at-home therapies through Valir PACE.
Now, just a few weeks later, he can once again leave his home. He’s no longer connected to the BiPAP machine, using a portable oxygen machine instead.
“I really think he’s a miracle,” Henson said. Henson said the Cresentes were both vaccinated and she does believe the vaccine also played a role in his story. “I think even though he was vaccinated and came close to death, I think that probably would have been an inevitable thing had he not been vaccinated,” Henson said.
One of the few things Nelson has not regained is his sense of taste. He said he is really looking forward to the day he can enjoy tasting the delicious meals his wife makes – especially a steak dinner.

The Oklahoma History Center is pleased to announce the first Kilgen theater organ performance of 2022, featuring widely recognized organist Clark Wilson. He will provide the accompanying music and sound effects to the Harold Lloyd silent movie “Girl Shy.” The performance will be Monday, January 24, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $20 for nonmembers, and may be reserved by calling 405-522-0765. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City.
Silent movie icon Harold Lloyd, the star of “Girl Shy,” was recognized not only for his daredevil talents but also for his trademark horn-rimmed glasses. Of all the silent film comedians, Lloyd was the most profitable. His films out-grossed the movies of both Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, and he made more films than both of them together.
In his previous performance at the Oklahoma History Center in October 2017, Wilson played two sold-out concerts accompanying the silent movie classic “Nosferatu.” A resident of Ohio, Wilson began his musical training at age nine and has received hundreds of accolades and awards in the course of his career.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

For the past 17 years as a hospital chaplain, Mike Bumgarner helped patients and families with some of the toughest decisions they would ever face.
For nearly two decades before that, he served in ministry, helping guide individuals on their individual spiritual paths, navigating life’s ups and downs along the way.
“My greatest joy has always been just being with people. I’m an extrovert and I get energy from being with people,” Bumgarner said. “But focusing conversation and having a conversation around focused issues and helping people make determinations how they want to make their life better whatever that means … I get such great joy out of watching light bulbs come on in peoples’ minds.” (story continues below)

So there was little doubt in his mind that when he retired from the hospital and turned 70, the next chapter of his life would still be centered on helping people, this time as a life coach.
Bumgarner started his road to professional coaching in 2012 with formal training.
“I knew I wanted to do life coaching after I went through all of that,” he said. “The biggest challenge in doing coaching well is learning to ask really good questions instead of giving advice.”
Bumgarner is a member of The International Coaching Federation with the designation of Associate Certified Coach. Before serving as a hospital chaplain for 17 years, he served as a college minister for 22 years.
For 19 years he served on church staff as a college minister and pastoral care.
A staple in the Norman community, he also served on the Board of Education for Norman Public Schools.
He is able to incorporate his experience through years of chaplainship into his practice. He can help people through end-of-life issues, debriefing after tragedy, and general guidance for individuals and families facing traumatic experiences, terminal illness, or death.
It was friend Kelly Lashar, MA, LPC who Bumgarner says helped him make his dream a reality.
Lashar is co-founder of Restore Behavioral Health, a private counseling practice of independent contractors providing mental health and relationship care to the community.
With locations in Norman, Edmond and Midtown OKC, a team of different types of therapists and coaches, faith and non-faith based, bring a variety of education, training, experiences, personalities, and specialties.
The business plan for Bumgarner isn’t grandiose. He’s not out to build a practice for the masses.
He’d like to work two or three days per week, pouring into maybe 20-30 clients each month.
“None of us have it figured out,” he said. “A coach partners with a client or a team or a business to help them discover and put into action any agenda they deem will benefit their progress as a person or a company or a team.”
In short, coaching is designed to help a person maximize their potential.
That can take a lot of directions and oftentimes uncovers needs that have been hidden for some time. That’s why Bumgarner has a keen ear.
“If a client comes to me for coaching and it becomes obvious after two or three sessions that they are stuck in some issue from the past that is still greatly impacting their present, ethically I would offer the opportunity to refer them to a therapist,” he said. “You may not be knee-deep in the mud but you’re certainly ankle deep and you need to sit down and talk about this and that isn’t what I do.”
“Ethically, my job as a coach is to make sure I’m always distinguishing to you what I do as opposed to what you’re asking for.”
He says coaching is about discovery. Therapy is about recovery.
“I’m going to help you determine issues, challenge you on any kind of obstacles, any kind of belief systems or assumptions that could be inhibiting you from achieving whatever goal you’re setting,” he said. “That requires that I listen very deeply to what is said and what is not said and help you surface those things and help you design action plans to get you from where you are to where you want to be.”
And, ironically that is driven by the client.
“Coaches never tell clients what to do,” he said. “Clients in every session set the agenda. If they decide in the middle of the session they want to go a different direction the job of the coach is to go with them.”
But “there is a lot of collected wisdom,” Bumgarner smiled.

by Greg Schwem

The elves gathered around their home monitors at 2:40 p.m., per Santa’s emailed instructions. Unable to congregate in the main workshop or communicate face to face with their boss since COVID-19 struck the North Pole in March 2020, they wearily clicked the Zoom link Santa provided.
Soon, Santa’s grainy image appeared. The elves were perplexed. Normally Santa chose a holiday-themed background; there were hundreds to choose from since Mrs. Claus had installed a green screen in the garage housing Santa’s sleigh. But this time Santa sat at his kitchen table, a blank wall behind him. The table contained a legal pad and a half-consumed glass of eggnog.
“I come to you with not great news,” Santa began.
Yes, COVID-19 had caused supply chain issues, but the elves had pivoted and were still on track to produce the Marvel action figures, the Harry Potter Lego sets and the Jurassic World Super Colossal Tyrannosaurus rex toys that dotted kids’ online wish lists in 2021. Maybe the news involved the T. rex. It was no secret that Santa had added some “COVID pounds.” So, lugging dinosaurs down chimneys would be a tall order this Christmas Eve.
“This has been a very challenging year,” Santa continued.
“Well duh,” an elf responded, careful to first ensure his microphone was muted.
“The market has changed, and we have to change with it,” Santa said. “Some kids, particularly older ones, are opting for ‘experiences’ rather than toys. Try as we might, we can’t manufacture whale watching excursions and hot air balloon rides from the workshop.”
“That’s what gift cards are for,” another elf mumbled.
“Excuse me?” Santa said.
“Nothing, sir. That was my dog,” the elf replied.
“We are laying off about 15% of the workforce,” Santa said, removing his bifocals for emphasis. Audible gasps were heard, and a few elves responded with elf profanities, the most popular being, “Holy Snickerdoodle!”
“If you are on this call, you are part of the unlucky group,” Santa said.
His words hit the elves like the weight of a falling Christmas tree. How could Santa be so cruel? Hadn’t he learned anything from Better.com CEO Vishal Garg? On Dec. 1, the mortgage lending company’s founder terminated more than 900 staffers via Zoom. In his address, Garg said it was the “second time he had to do this.” The elves could never remember Santa doing anything similar and many had been the jolly man’s faithful helpers for upward of 300 years.
Garg’s video quickly went viral, forcing him to take time off, “effective immediately,” and putting him on numerous naughty lists for life. It didn’t take long for Santa’s address to experience a similar fate. CNN obtained a copy and, that night, Anderson Cooper conducted an EXCLUSIVE interview with fired elf Tinsel.
“I had to inform my wife and 37 kids,” Tinsel told Cooper. “We trusted Santa. Most of my kids were looking forward to the day they could join the workforce. Not anymore.”
“What are you going to do now?” Cooper asked.
“Not sure,” Tinsel replied. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities at the North Pole outside of toy making. But I’m putting my resume on LinkedIn tomorrow.”
The next day, rumors of a “toxic culture” in Santa’s workshop began to surface. One elf promised to produce emails of Santa calling the elves “lazy” and “not worth their weight in candy canes.” Lawyers stood at the ready, forcing Santa to issue a carefully crafted apology, courtesy of his marketing team.
“I failed to show the appropriate amount of appreciation and respect for all you have done,” the apology stated. “I shall try to do better. Until then, Merry Christmas.”
Santa’s offer of two month’s severance pay was generous but most elves reached for comment said they were meeting with financial advisers to discuss their futures.
Kids be warned; the Great Elf Retirement may soon be upon us.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

Story and photos by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

Oklahoma City and the state offer many options for seniors trying to make a decisive quality of life New Year’s resolution to get outside more to walk and hike. Hiking can grow to be an extension of taking a nice walk as close as your front door to stroll in your neighborhood, popular local walking trails, and Oklahoma’s many lakes and state park trails.
Hiking does not have to start as physically demanding and challenging. It can simply be an adventure full of pleasant experiences to spend quality time with nature offering a sense of personal achievement.
Although the multi-use, 9.4-mile loop trail around northwest Oklahoma City’s Lake Hefner claims the most popular trail system in the metro, another newer trail is catching up. Completed in 2015, the West River Trail (WRT) follows the North Canadian River’s north bank from N.W. 10th Street to Meridian Avenue. It is protected from Oklahoma’s strong south winds in spring and summer and winter’s cold north winds along the wooded riverside. (story continues below)

Its 7.5-miles run from N.W. 10th Street west of Council Road to S.W. 15th Street at Meridian Avenue. It picks up from the Overholser Trail to connect to the east to the Oklahoma River Trails, allowing hikers access to and from the Boathouse District and downtown Oklahoma City.
The WRT is one of the three new trails created by tax dollars from MAPS 3. The other two trails are the Will Rogers Trail and the hilly and woodsy Lake Draper Trail circling the lake.
The WRT is a close-in rural trek that takes users along the North Canadian River and around Crystal Lake, away from streets and traffic. The trailheads offer parking at N.W. 10th Street on the west end or Reno Avenue or Crystal Lake midway through the wooded, scenic trail.
It is a part of the more than 90 miles of Oklahoma City’s multi-use trails. The trails system offers recreation and exercise and a network of 10 interconnected trails that can take users to almost every point in the city.
The multi-skill level WRT offers several activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are welcome but are required to be kept on a leash. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail system. This child-friendly trail is ideal for family nature trips with newly installed water fountains along the way. Many residents walk and run the course while taking in the many river views.
It is a venue of unexpected ruggedness. It offers close-in, tree-lined boundaries in some sections. Parts of the trail fit the description of a nature trail. Most of the other city trails are open and windswept.
Again, the metro’s most popular place to walk is still Lake Hefner. The lake sits between Hefner Road on the north and North Grand Boulevard on the south and just to the west of the busy Hefner Parkway. The walkers, runners, bikers, and in-line skaters make for heavy traffic on nice days, particularly on the east side of the lake and around Stars and Stripes Park on the south shore.
“It’s crowded sometimes but still a great place to walk or ride a bike,” says city resident Rita Hejny, who lives in the Edgewater neighborhood south of Stars and Stripes Park. “It adds so much scenery and space to the area.”
In addition to the trail activities, Lake Hefner offers restaurants and a venue for many other outdoor activities, including sailing, golf, and windsurfing. These sports provide visual entertainment to those wending their way around the trail at Oklahoma City’s mecca for outdoor sports.
Other metro urban trails include Bluff Creek, just north of Lake Hefner; Dolese Park in west Oklahoma City near Putnam City High School; and Lake Overholser in far west Oklahoma City, just south of the old Route 66 bridge on N.W. 39th Street. All offer a quick fix for exercisers needing a workout.
The more adventurous can find challenging nature trails throughout the state, anywhere from 45 minutes to 6 hours from Oklahoma City by car. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, some 100 miles to the southwest off I-44, welcomes hikers to a rugged landscape filled with cactus plants and bison. It is the largest bison refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The pristine Charon’s Garden Wilderness Area offers stunning backcountry vistas, a sparkling waterfall, and a secluded lake to those who venture across the challenging granite boulder field.
Other hikes in the refuge include Dog Run Hollow and a short climb to the top of Elk Mountain, with both offering animal sightings and thick patches of blackjack oak. “I go down to the Wichitas at least once or twice a year for a hike or a bike ride,” says Oklahoma City resident Howard Lucero. “It’s really not far for such a great outdoor setting.”
True outdoor thrill seekers can make the six-hour trek via auto to the far end of Oklahoma’s Panhandle for the eight-mile roundtrip hike to the state’s highest point, 4,973-foot Black Mesa Summit. Once ascended, this peak provides a three-state panorama of buttes and mesas covered with cholla cacti, sagebrush, and other Western flora.
For those who need a guide to outdoor venues across the state, “Oklahoma Hiking Trails” is available. Written and illustrated with maps and photos by Oklahoma City residents Kent Frates and Larry Floyd, the book provides exact information on nearly 60 natural and urban trails. The book can be ordered online at: www.bestoklahomatrails.com.

The Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 was discovered in sewage samples collected in Tulsa on Friday, December 17.
The discovery of the Omicron variant was made through the efforts of a team comprised of scientists, epidemiologists and public health leaders from the University of Oklahoma, OU Health, the Tulsa Health Department and the City of Tulsa and supported by the Pandemic Prevention Institute at the Rockefeller Foundation. People infected with SARS-CoV-2 shed the virus in their waste before they develop symptoms of COVID-19, allowing scientists to provide an early warning of surges and, now, the presence of the new variant.
Since September 2020, the team has been monitoring wastewater drainages in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and, more recently, several smaller cities. Wastewater samples are collected by a team led by Jason Vogel, Ph.D., Grant Graves and Caitlin Miller of the Oklahoma Water Survey at OU and are analyzed by a team of microbiologists led by Bradley Stevenson, Ph.D., Ralph Tanner, Ph.D. and Erin Jeffries of the Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology at OU.
“By collecting wastewater from multiple communities across the state, we have a sampling network that represents more than 1.2 million Oklahomans,” Vogel said. “That has allowed us to sample more than 30 percent of the state’s population and detect the Omicron variant in wastewater as it starts to move into the state.”
“We have seen the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater increasing recently, to concentrations higher than we have ever observed. This increase has been driven by COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant. However, the recent detection of the Omicron variant in wastewater means that a significant number of Tulsans are now infected with it. While our data suggests that infections from the Omicron variant are still a fraction of the infections from Delta variant SARS-CoV-2, Omicron is on the rise. Monitoring wastewater will allow us to track its prevalence more quickly and with less effort than patient testing,” Stevenson said.
“The detection of Omicron in Tulsa’s sewage highlights the power of wastewater testing as an early signal and complement to other surveillance approaches. The Rockefeller Foundation and the team at the Pandemic Prevention Institute are proud to support this cutting-edge work,” said Megan Diamond, manager and wastewater lead at The Rockefeller Foundation.
Public health officials reiterated the importance of getting vaccinated or receiving a booster shot and wearing a mask in public indoor settings. Because wastewater analysis predicts the presence of the virus about a week before infections may be reported through human testing, researchers know the Omicron variant is already spreading in the state.
“Although the Delta variant of COVID-19 is still the most dominant variant in Oklahoma currently, Omicron will most likely become the dominant variant in a few weeks or months,” said infectious disease epidemiologist Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D. of the Hudson College of Public Health at the OU Health Sciences Center. “The evidence thus far shows that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than previous variants, so it is important that people get vaccinated if they’re not already, or get the booster if they’re eligible. Vaccinations are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations and death.”
“It is more important than ever that people who are unvaccinated get vaccinated as soon as possible and those who are fully vaccinated get their booster,” said Tulsa Health Department Executive Director Dr. Bruce Dart. “It’s also important to stay home when sick to prevent the spread of illness. Testing is a great resource to know your COVID-19 status before going around others. Masking indoors where social distancing may be difficult, regardless of vaccination status, is also recommended. The Tulsa Health Department encourages all residents to continue to take a layered prevention approach to stay safe.” Even though the Omicron variant appears to be more easily transmitted than the Delta variant, early evidence suggests that the symptoms of infection could be milder, Kuhn said. That points toward a classic trajectory for viruses in general, including possibly SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“For viruses to survive in the human population, in time they often evolve to become more transmissible but less lethal in order to keep multiplying,” Kuhn said. “That’s actually good news. Even though we may have to learn to live with COVID-19 indefinitely, a positive scenario is for it to become milder and eventually turn into something like the common cold.”
The characteristics of the Omicron variant also underscore the importance of wastewater surveillance, Kuhn said. Because people infected by Omicron may not experience major symptoms, they may not get tested; therefore, official test results won’t accurately reflect the infection rate.
“If people don’t feel as sick with an Omicron infection as they do with the Delta variant, they may not get tested, but wastewater analysis provides a picture of everyone who is infected whether they have symptoms or not and whether or not they get tested,” she said. “In that respect, it’s actually more important to monitor the wastewater because it gives us a very good indication of how much transmission there is in a community.”

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Central Oklahoma announces it has received a $17,300 grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and its Services for the Elderly iFund grant program. The grant will help fund its Provide-A-Ride senior transportation program and allow RSVP of Central Oklahoma to increase its level of service to older adults in Oklahoma County. Provide-A-Ride is a free medical transportation program for older adults who are no longer able to drive to doctor’s appointments. Caring volunteers pick up seniors at their front door, take them to their appointments, wait for them in the waiting room, and then safely return them home. Last year, even with the COVID-19 extended shutdown, our volunteers provided 1,470 medical rides to 133 low-income, older adults.
“It’s vital for us to help our elderly neighbors remain active, engaged, and healthy,” said Beth Patterson, RSVP of Central Oklahoma Executive Director. “For more than four decades, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation has been a strong community leader and financial supporter in improving the lives of older adults in our community. This grant will help RSVP continue to provide a critical service to some our community’s most vulnerable citizens.”
Since 1973, RSVP of Central Oklahoma has helped senior adults continue to live with purpose and meaning by connecting them with rewarding community volunteer opportunities, including RSVP’s Provide-A-Ride Senior Transportation Program, which started in 1994. The past two years, RSVP volunteers provided more than 95,000 service hours in the community at a $2.25 million value of service. RSVP is a partner of AmeriCorps Seniors and the United Way of Central Oklahoma. To learn more about the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, visit www.occf.org To learn more about RSVP of Central Oklahoma, visit www.rsvpokc.org.

Sailors help maintain America’s advantage at sea. This means they do not always get to celebrate holidays with their loved ones. An Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, native serving in the United States Navy will celebrate the holidays with their fellow sailors in Guam.
“I’ve always enjoyed Christmas time,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Crystal Smith. “I’d always be the first one to start decorating the tree and the first one to put on Christmas music. I would say that one of my favorite memories from the holidays would be when my dad and I would go to drive-thru Christmas light shows.”
Smith wants family back home to know they are missed this holiday season.
“I hope you enjoy this Christmas,” said Smith. “Please don’t worry about me not celebrating while out at sea because we are! There are ugly Christmas sweater contests, karaoke, Christmas card exchanges, white elephants and so much more going on. It is sad that I cannot be there, but please enjoy your Christmas. If you just put on ‘Baby, it’s Cold Outside,’ you can bet on me singing along a few thousand miles away.”
Smith serves as an operations specialist aboard USS Lake Champlain. As a member of the U.S. Navy, Smith, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance.
“To me, serving in the Navy means becoming the best version of myself for myself and for my country,” added Smith. “It’s a very prideful thing to be a part of.”

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

Many seniors have read that Oklahoma City was built in a day, although historians will tell you that many facets of its rich Western Heritage have not been brought forward to today. That could not be truer than what is commonly thought of as Oklahoma City’s history.
“The world can find the real story of Oklahoma City online at The First Eight Months of Oklahoma City (okgenweb.net), which provides a factual account of the birth of Oklahoma City in its two halves,” said Larry Floyd, 69. The adjunct U.S. history teacher at OSU-OKC said in an interview, “Research often bears out far more detail and sometimes a more surprising history than what gets published in popular accounts of any historic event.”
Although more than 50,000 settlers swarmed into the 2-million-acre “Unassigned Lands” of central Oklahoma Territory during the land run of April 22, 1889, Oklahoma City was not built in a day, month, or even a year. (story continues below)

Most future Oklahoma City residents came in by train to the Oklahoma Station townsite, arriving from the north and the south. The train coming north from Purcell was one hour late to the central depot for the three largest railways in the Southwest: Rock Island, Katy, and Santa Fe.
Because of this Oklahoma City began as two cities. Soon known as Oklahoma City and South Oklahoma City, this instant Western heritage was energized by people seeking the last of the free land folks had moved west to settle. Part of that heritage was the abundance of land, a fact that complicated the city’s beginning.
Many settlers wanted to claim their 160 acres while living close to the new townsite since it featured transportation and water as the North Canadian River ran through it. The 22 packed railroad cars arriving an hour late from Purcell brought new residents to a townsite already filled by hundreds of new Oklahoma Cityans. They had already staked their claims after arriving first on the train from Guthrie.
Oklahomans have consistently proven themselves resourceful, so the late arrivals set about creating South Oklahoma south of the Oklahoma City townsite. For every description of people staking claims and securing lots, the same took place on a prairie south of Reno Avenue in the new South Oklahoma City.
When G.W. Patrick found the most desirable lots taken and unable to do any better, he staked two lots on the south side of block three. His fellow late arrivals from the train followed his lead.
On April 23, Patrick began surveying south from the section line at Reno Avenue as the Citizens’ Survey began working north. Encountering no conflicting surveys, Patrick’s crew laid out 35 blocks along seven streets, and settlers made adjustments as required.
By Saturday, April 27, the citizens of South Oklahoma elected Patrick mayor and a full slate of city officials. They also drafted and adopted a city charter. Oklahoma City to the north elected Capt. W.L. Couch as mayor on May 1.
According to the City Directory published by the Oklahoma Chief newspaper in August 1889, South Oklahoma contained approximately 1,300 residents compared with about 3,700 north of Reno Avenue in Oklahoma City. The commercial district was mainly in Oklahoma City (except for the south side of Reno Avenue) and was the most densely developed portion of the two cities.
During the 15 months of its separate existence, South Oklahoma City saw three months of public schools, two churches, construction of an ice factory, lumberyards, and hundreds of homes built.
On May 2, 1890, the U.S. Congress passed the Organic Act, which provided for the organization of Oklahoma Territory and governing municipal incorporation. A petition was accepted on July 15, 1890, consolidating Oklahoma City and South Oklahoma into Oklahoma City.
This info is available online at https://www.89ertrail.com/12/# .
Capitol Hill was incorporated as a city in 1905. By then, a strong sense of community and civic activity made this area an economic and cultural force remaining independent until it joined with Oklahoma City in 1911.
The southern part of Oklahoma City continued to provide space to grow in the decade of statehood in 1907, Oklahoma City became the nation’s fastest-growing city from 1900 to 1910 and the new state’s capitol city.
Oklahoma City’s first major park, Wheeler Park, was established on the banks of the North Canadian River in 1903. The park included extensive gardens and places to relax and picnic. In 1904 the city’s first zoo opened in the park. After two great floods swept down the river in 1923, wiping out Wheeler Park, the zoo was relocated. The playground, park, and baseball diamonds were restored.
Oklahoma City’s first airport was built in south Oklahoma City. In 1911, the Oklahoma City Municipal Airfield opened the skies for future travel. The airfield brought new opportunities and visitors to the city, and in 1941 it was rededicated as Will Rogers World Airport.
Oklahoma City has since capitalized on its strategic central location from its beginning to its present status as the crossroads of America. Just like its beginning as a railroad hub, it assumed the crossroads are our nation’s two main interstate highways (I-35 and I-40). They intersect in Oklahoma City and share the same roadway for two miles. Even before the interstate highway system, OKC gained from being on historic Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.
Farmer-stockmen found the city’s location along the North Canadian River strategic and its railroad services a lifeline to the rest of the country. Once the area’s largest employer, the Oklahoma City Stockyards and its business district maintain a high profile, it is a tourist destination and unofficial Western heritage center. Although no longer a focal point for local slaughterhouses, the daily cattle auctions still make it the world’s largest stocker/feeder market.
The city has cultivated its place as the centrally located Western Heritage center. It hosts more horse-related shows and competitions each year than any city globally. The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum is the official steward of that Western heritage. After a recent expansion, it now houses the most extensive collection of Western art and Americana west of the Smithsonian.