“All Crooks At Tulsa:
An Investigation”

Tulsa, Oklahoma has long prided itself on its status as the Oil Capital of the World. Oil is the identity of Tulsa—its most recognizable icon is the Golden Driller. Its museums, mansions, art deco skyscrapers, and parks, all sprung like magic from the riches produced in the Glenn Pool, Cushing-Drumight, Osage Nation, Red Fork, and other places.

It is, after all, the Magic City.

The wealth that accumulated in Tulsa banks was of global significance. It changed the entire economy of the United States. And yet the city’s original landowners—citizens of the Muscogee and Cherokee Nations—have been written out of the story the city tells about itself.

This newsletter is an attempt to tell one of those stories. In partnership with the Center for Public Secrets, this project will culminate with a book release and exhibition titled The Ghosts of Crook County, a completely true account of one oil fortune swindled from the Muscogee Nation and which ended up in the hands of Charles Page.

We’re asking for support from Tulsans who want to see this pivotal chapter in their city’s history reflected accurately, without fear or favor to any political faction or interest group.

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