
Circling Back and Forth
It is the first Saturday evening of November as I turn left into 11th Street. I am going to the movies where I will
Jacqueline Van Fleet
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It is the first Saturday evening of November as I turn left into 11th Street. I am going to the movies where I will
Jacqueline Van Fleet
I sit with sweat pouring down my back, the windows open to the hazy Cairo sky lined with minarets aglow. An unplanned
Hannah Cooper
On Interstate 35 north of Guthrie, driving through evening shadows I pass a rusting, stale green Chevy bouncing
Ken Hada
White sun hangs just above the falls. You look upstream at cascading water immersed in sound, frozen by its
Ken Hada
Filmmaker and provocateur Michael Moore is pictured here (larger image here) with a copy of This Land at the 2011
This Land
From Vol. 88, Iss. 1 of the Southwestern Historical Quarterly: In 1719, French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la
This Land
Tulsa, April 1970. Oral Roberts University is a glimmering, cornflower-yellow tourist attraction, only seven years
Lindsey Neal
The following originally appeared in Granta 63: Beasts. It is re-printed here with full permission from the
Gordon Grice
Thanks to Tom Dittus, Riverside Drive has never been more bustling with activity--even in the winter. Long-time Tulsa
Michael Cooper
Taken from the top of the Mayo of hotel, this 1929 photo depicts a 600-foot dirigible, the City of Los Angeles, as it
Steve Gerkin
Barbara Bartholic stands out as one of our city’s most daringly eccentric individuals. In fact, she stands out in
Shawna Lewis
UPDATE: Due to the weather (see this post), our pub date has been pushed back until after the 7th. Reader, you are
This Land
The Tullahassee Creek Indian Cemetery is located in Sand Springs at the intersection of Charles Page Boulevard and
Lee Roy Chapman
We're not sure if you've been watching the weather reports, but a few inches of snow recently dusted Tulsa and the
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“It must have been 1964 or ’65 when we met,” says longtime friend Delores Duke. We both lived on Brookside and
Shawna Lewis
Our Mayor Dewey doll has been extremely busy lately--but recently we captured him doing the kind of work Tulsa
This Land
The Luhring Augustine gallery in Chelsea is, like all of the galleries around it, minimalist, white and constructed
Denver Nicks
The Inside Story of the Oklahoman Behind the Biggest Military Intelligence Leak Ever Editor's note: Since it was first
Denver Nicks
It’s hell in Chicago when the wind sings a tune, But the worst thing in town is this Chicago Tribune. The Windy
Thomas Conner
Located at 504 East Archer in Tulsa, a plaque marks the intersection of Archer and Greenwood immortalized in Bob Wills'
Lee Roy Chapman
A true Midwestern man, Rabon Martin was a wild hobbyist, a tough man of the law and a sweet admirer of his people and
Shawna Lewis
Northern Israel, Christmas Eve, 1988. Phil Kaiser, a Tulsa expatriate and soldier in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces),
Joshua Kline
The following article is excerpted from the book, The Late American Novel: Writers on the Future of Books
Michael Mason
Pools of light illuminate the fine, faint under-painting: ghosts appear like a dirt road that ends in tall
Bill Turley
Curtis Beckwith is an artist, political activist, and rare record dealer. You can typically spot him on Saturday
Michael Cooper
A similar exterior shot of this house is featured in Larry Clark's 1971 photobook Tulsa. Located in the Cherokee
Lee Roy Chapman
J.J. Conley lounges against the cushions of a private room at Lucky’s. He studies his glass of Syrah and takes a sip.
Steve Gerkin
When I discovered Owassoisms–an Owasso-based community blog with a presence on Facebook, and Twitter--I couldn’t
Lindsey Neal
The words “law” and “justice” fit together like handmaidens. Historically and strategically,
Hannibal B. Johnson
I removed my contacts, washed off all the makeup, unbraided my hair, took off the bandages, slid the fishnets down my
Clara Nipper
Tulsa artist Bob Bartholic was a visionary. One of his visions involved a boat made of concrete that he planned to sail
Lee Roy Chapman
Pictured left-to-right: Chad, Jim, and Hunter Rodgers are the three men behind Cain's Ballroom. Jim, a local
Michael Cooper
“I thought she was the most exotic woman in the world,” Henson remembers. “She was certainly the most exotic
Shawna Lewis
I first encountered the history of jazz in the car, on the way to school in Dallas, TX. My dad would listen to the jazz
Steven Schrag
David Crosby and Graham Nash have been scheduled to open the Woody Guthrie Festival at the Cain's Ballroom July 13 of
Lee Roy Chapman
Mary Beth Babcock is ten pounds of Okie enthusiasm in a five-pound bag. She's the entrepreneur behind Dwelling Spaces,
Michael Cooper
Lee Roy Chapman writes: The United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX) in Florence, Colorado, aka
Ted Kaczynski
In September of 2010, This Land published the first feature article about the life of Bradley Manning, the Oklahoman
Denver Nicks
In Search of Lennon's Lost Letter to Oral Roberts In the early 1970s, Oral Roberts’ evangelical TV program was at
Lindsey Neal
The avian flu morphs yet again. (Those flu viruses are so adept at evolving.) The pigs had the flu, as did the
Rivka Galchen
“Once I was on Air Force One,” says Joe Marquette. It’s a typical beginning to one of his many anecdotes. The
Joshua Kline
Arnel Plumbly can see it before it happens, and he moves out of the way just in time. The surrey’s wheels hit the
Allison Amend
A path is worn smooth in the hardwood floor, heading out the front door. The window above the kitchen sink is cracked
Denis McGilvray
Part I: New York, 1996 You drop out of college and move to New York, a place you’ve only seen in movies. You
Maya Sloan
In 1919, at the end of the First World War and two years before the devastation of the race riot at home, Tulsa city
This Land
"Cajun" Ed Richard founded the world-famous Cajun restaurant/specialty meat shop Hebert's, where Louisiana natives have
Michael Cooper
On February 11, 1932, a Tulsa Police Department armored truck pulled up to the house at 513 East Young Street in Tulsa.
Lee Roy Chapman
It's official: This Land Press is now Oklahoma's first New Media company, and we've just hired a veritable dream-team
Michael Mason
For sixty years, everyone from college girls and trophy wives to exotic dancers, cross dressers, and various breeds of
Shawna Lewis
“I have seen dust rise until it would look like a rain cloud but would be nothing but the dust from wild horses
This Land
“That there is hereby created in the City of Tulsa, an office to be known as City Scavenger.” With those words,
Jack Blair
The room is dark, despite the noonday sun. Thick curtains have been pulled across the windows. Several people are lined
Joel Vandiver
Once located at 2nd Street and Frisco Avenue, this cemetery was established in 1882 and contained the graves of some of
Lee Roy Chapman
I originally joined the Peace Corps out of college. They invited me to serve in Somalia, a country I had never heard
Jim Shanor
Located on the northwest southwest corner of Greenwood and (then) Brady Street, this staircase is the spot where an
Lee Roy Chapman
Did you attend grade school in Oklahoma? If so, we could use your help. We're conducting an upcoming feature on how
This Land
Our Mayor Dewey doll is back on the street--and this time someone's looking over his shoulder. He'd better keep that
This Land
Michael Mason has started something big. And it all began with two pork bellies. Several months ago, when This Land
Vincent LoVoi
Esther and Stephen Hill started off as many newlyweds do, with nervousness and hope, but their plans stumbled when
Rebekah Greiman
The days may be numbered for Tulsa’s Union Public School system. In the wake of recent anti-union sentiment that is
Beau Adams
The brothers were opinionated and brutally honest. The two of them together was sometimes overwhelming. When they
Dan Riffe
dry Oklahoma burns from Ponca to Tulsa green tip pushes through stalk fingering down to shit and char lily hood
Grant Matthew Jenkins
In the early 1970s, a twenty-two year-old Lebanese immigrant trekked down the sidewalks of Sixth Street from his West
Steve Gerkin
At five am, thick bundles litter the front porch of the highway patrol, while all the newspaper boys in South Tulsa
Markham Johnson
Like a newspaper, a bowl of chili is a stew of unsavory, raw, ragged elements that boil down into a somewhat
This Land
I came to Tulsa in 1978 at the age of 22 with my brothers Steve and Rick and nothing but a suitcase. We had been in a
Tim Barraza
When Johnny Polygon tells me that “being from Oklahoma is like having an asshole brother,” he’s not being
Joshua Kline
On the front page of the Tulsa World's Dec. 22, 1921, issue, a headline ran with the title "Robed Klansman Honor Dead
Lee Roy Chapman
The following is an excerpt from Michael Wallis' Pretty Boy: The Life and Times of Charles Arthur Floyd which comes out
Michael Wallis
Laurie Keeley calls hers artform "yardistry." She's responsible for the eye-catching landscaping and design work you
Michael Cooper
“A lot of black kids are not exposed to folk dancing,” son Charles Walker said. “Especially the poorer
Shawna Lewis
POETRY AND THE NEWS by Scott Gregory 1. There’s a long poem by William Carlos Williams (from late in his
Scott Gregory
The Perryman Ranch located in Jenks, Oklahoma has its very own YvnvssvHetke, or white buffalo. Located on Elwood
Lee Roy Chapman
“There was an issue in Alabama where dogs were released on non-violent protesters,” nephew John Dowdell explained.
Shawna Lewis
Just when you thought This Land couldn't pack any more surprises, along comes our May 2011 issue, which is destined to
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The following excerpts were originally published on 22 April 1889 by Le Figaro newspaper in Paris, France. “Today,
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“There were two sides to my mother,” Pat Hadavi remembered. “She was a Muslim, and she was a
Shawna Lewis
When we walk–whenever we really walk, in an unhurried, unhassled way–we clear our heads, we get exercise, we
Scott Gregory
This Land's associate editor Natasha Ball will be bringing you regular writings that take you behind the scenes of some
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Located at 319 S. Main, the Drexel Building once housed the local clothiers Renberg's. This location has been etched
Lee Roy Chapman
I grew up in Tulsa, but was raised knowing next to nothing about the Race Riot of 1921. Though I considered myself
Adrian Margaret Brune
Wess Young was only four years old when he survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot, but has clear memories of it.
Michael Cooper
Located one mile north of the city of Pawnee, Oklahoma on Highway 18, this hand-cut native stone structure was built in
Lee Roy Chapman
“He loved tornadoes,” wife Lynne LeMoine remembers. “When a bad storm was coming, he would be up on the roof with
Shawna Lewis
Despite its significance as the worst so-called race riot in American history, even some Tulsans remain oblivious to
Hannibal B. Johnson
Editor's note: For years, this photo of a KKK funeral has circulated among several photography collections in Tulsa,
Steve Gerkin
It was an hour before dusk when we pulled into Idabel. The late summer heat yellowed the rim of the southern Oklahoma
J. Don Cook
The June 2011 issue of This Land is indeed a machine that demands accountability. But it also delivers some of the most
This Land
Many factors have influenced settlement patterns in Tulsa, but a difficult question persists: Why is Tulsa,
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Gaudy Liar In 1856, the appearance of the action-packed Life and Adventures of James P. Beckwourth, Mountaineer,
Michael Wallis
It’s been a longstanding Tulsa truism for artists: if you want to be successful, leave. At This Land Press, we’re
Michael Mason
For those of you who don't subscribe to This Land, you're missing out on one of the most intriguing stories buzzing
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In 1997, when Clyde Snow agreed to investigate claims from the Tulsa Race Riot, the forensic anthropologist was at the
Kevin O'Connor
Composed by Chris Combs for the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and Horn Quintet Chris Combs wondered if there was
Denis McGilvray
Mortals who decided to check out the comic book exploits of Thor after enjoying the thunder god’s adventures at the
James Vance
They met as softball rivals but wouldn’t compete for long. “We weren’t on the same team,” Toni Hill
Shawna Lewis
The question, “Have you always been this way?” causes Jim Elmore to grin. “What, nomadic?” he asks. “My
Rebekah Greiman
Tulsa’s court records are unpoliced and up for grabs. The DA’s office doesn’t feel obligated to report police
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Big Time Pawn is a family-owned pawn shop located on Route 66 at 11th and Pittsburg in
Lee Roy Chapman
As you loop along a curve on Interstate 244, downtown Tulsa drifts across the windshield, floating atop the fringe of
Justin Taylor