Betsy Horowitz, Civic Activist

by Michael Mason

09/19/2009

If you lived in Tulsa through the seventies and eighties, you either loved or hated Betsy Horowitz. Today, you’re probably grateful for her. When city planners were trying to put in a new highway system, it was Horowitz’s brazen and vocal opposition that ultimately killed the project. Today, she’s largely recognized as a visionary who helped preserve Tulsa’s architectural history.

In this episode, we hear Andrew Horowitz talk about his mother’s political aspirations. What emerges is a portrait of a larger-than-life Tulsan, one whose reach can still be felt–and seen–after her passing.