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WHAT’S INSIDE

what’s inside...

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Upfront

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Looking Back: The Story of Dick Kane

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Profile: Tim Sydebotham

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A Good Word: Things We Leave Behind

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Feature: The Ranch That Frank Built Feature Sponsor Story: Lt. Col. Albert Frank Coast Jr Legacy:100 Years: Uncle Frank’s Legacy

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Business potlight: Crafting Quitude

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Calling to the Good: All You Ever

Wanted to Know

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Kids Calendar

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Funny You Should Ask: What I Did Over

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Chick-fil-A Events Calendar

Summer Break

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Now You Know: Weaving Culture

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B the Light Update: A Community Giving Back

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Local Politics: Doing the Work: Todd Cone’s

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Local Living: Triple Digit Heat to Continue

Commitment to Community

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A Fresh Perspective: What Lies Beneath:

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Unsung Heroes: Elaine Sikola

Oklahoma’s Mining Legacy

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Out & About: Photos from Around Town

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Health & Wellness: Care When and Where

You Need It

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FEBRUARY 2025 SEPTEMBER 2026

UPFRONT

upfront

Welcome to September, friends!

Hopefully the start of fall will be coming soon. It has just been crazy hot. I don’t remember an August this hot in a long time.

In this issue, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Woolaroc. Frank Phillips founded this 3700 acre piece of land with woods, lakes, and rocks for him and Jane to have a place to relax far away from the hustle and bustle of his fastgrowing oil company, Phillips Petroleum.

I have to say, Woolaroc is a national treasure. Our history queen, Debbie Neece, has wanted to write this for years but had to wait for the 100-year milestone, and she hit it out of the park. One of the many things I love about Debbie’s stories is that no one researches like she does. I thought I knew everything about Woolaroc, but as she does in each of her stories, I became a student of history. Over the years I have been there way over a thousand times. Christy and I did a video for our Facebook page with the former CEO of the Frank Phillips Foundation, Bob Fraiser, in July of 2019. It is still our mostwatched video today, with over 50,000 views from every state and 13 countries around the world, and it was shared over 660 times. We have done many holiday videos over the years. We were lucky enough to see so much behind-the-scenes that many people never get to see, like going inside the Mausoleum and seeing where Frank and Jane are resting today.

Woolaroc is my favorite place to visit, and I always love taking the magazines out there each month. Every time I go there, I see something I didn’t see before. If you have never been to Woolaroc, or it’s been years since you have, please take the time to visit this Oklahoma landmark and see one man’s dream. One of our favorite events to attend each year is Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion, started by Frank in 1927, where he brought outlaws, Native Americans, and lawmen together for a big party.

Everyone had to leave their guns at the gate, and Frank also gave the outlaws an hour head start when they left the party.

As we draw closer to the end of the year, I want to talk about how blessed Christy and I

are to bring you this magazine each month.

Next April will be our 10-year anniversary with bmonthly magazine. One man, Brian Engel, gave us an opportunity to revive a dying 36-page magazine with thousands left on the rack each month. Nine years ago, there were two other magazines and the newspaper. Today bmonthly magazine is the only one left standing. The Examiner Enterprise just announced that they will only be printing 2 days a week, and they don’t even cover local news anymore.

Everything is done out of Tulsa. I believe by the end of the year we will not have a local paper - it will all be online with no local news. That is sad, but that is where print media has gone over the last 5 years. Today we are the largest media in Bartlesville, with over 20,000 readers, and we have subscriptions in 24 states. You can pick up the magazine at one of our 125 locations in 4 counties. It’s all FREE for you, the reader. Each month if we have 25 magazines left over, I would be shocked.

So if you’re a business owner reading this right now and you want people to see what your business does, contact us.

85% of our advertisers have been with us each month for over 7 years. You can buy a billboard from a company which is not a local company for over $1000 a month, a radio spot where they can’t tell you how many people heard your commercial, or buy a TV spot where they can’t tell you how many people are watching. I can tell you how many readers we have because I know how many magazines we print. I know for a fact that so many of our readers keep the magazine on their coffee table and go back through it many times, anticipating the next issue. To our readers, please use these advertisers because they are the ones who keep this magazine free each month. We will not be able to do local news every day, but we will bring you the history, the people, places, and events that make this city and the area so great each month. We do this better than any other city magazine in the state. If you find one better than bmonthly, I would love to see it. Thank you for supporting and reading the best magazine in the state.

Keith and Christy McPhail, bmonthly Managing Editors at Woolaroc Cow Thieves and Outlaws

God Bless. and Christy

Volume XVII Issue IX

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by

ENGEL PUBLISHING

Office located in the B the Light Mission

219 North Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003

www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com Graphics Engel Publishing matt@engelpublishing.com Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com Community Liaison Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com Project Manager Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com Administration Shelley Greene Stewart Delivery and Distribution Dewayne Engel Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com Contributing Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd Jay Hastings, Keith McPhail, Jay Webster Lori Just, Joe Todd, Greg Wheat Maria Gus, Brent Taylor

Contributing Photographers Bartlesville Area History Museum Kathy Peaster, Becky Burch Debbie Neece, Andy Dossett

Calendars Debbie Neece

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or otherwise, without prior permission of Bartlesville Monthly, Inc. Publisher & Editor of Bartlesville Monthly Magazine reserves the right to reject any content or advertisement in this publication.

ABOUT THE COVER

Looking at 100 years of Woolaroc, the Ranch that Uncle Frank built.

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail Design by Engel Publishing

Keith

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PROFILE SPONSOR

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PROFILE

Tim Sydebotham Woolaroc More Than Just A Place to Work

by Lori Just

For Tim Sydebotham, Woolaroc was never simply a place to work. It was a place he knew long before he ever took over the carpenter shop. He would become the third generation of his family to work at Woolaroc, carrying on a tradition that began with his grandfather continued through his father and eventually came to him.

“It was kind of home to me,” Tim said. “I went out there a lot. I was kind of raised out there.”

As a boy, he went there with his grandfather and his father and grew up among the exhibits watching his family help shape the place one project at a time. Today, Tim looks back on his years at Woolaroc with a mixture of pride, gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility for the legacy he inherited.

Established in 1925 as the ranch retreat of oilman Frank Phillips, the Woolaroc museum boasts a world-class collection of Western art and artifacts, including Native American relics.

consider taking his place.

“I had been doing some contract work for them, so they kind of knew who I was and what kind of work I could do, so I accepted,” Tim said.

For the next several years, Tim balanced his Woolaroc work with his career at the fire department.

In the 1930s, Tim’s grandfather, Searles Grant, operated a cabinet shop on Chickasaw Avenue in Bartlesville and earned a reputation as one of the town’s finest cabinet makers. As Frank Phillips developed his museum, he began contracting with him to build showcases and other pieces for the growing collection.

Eventually, Phillips asked him to close the shop and work exclusively at Woolaroc, which he did.

Taking over the carpenter shop meant more than maintaining buildings. Tim felt a responsibility to continue the tradition passed down from his grandfather, who worked directly with Frank Phillips, and his father.

Tim’s father, Curtis, followed in his dad’s footsteps. At about 14 years old, Curtis began working at Woolaroc under his father, helping construct some of the distinctive features that would become part of the museum. Curtis remained at Woolaroc for decades, eventually retiring around 2001. By then, Tim had already spent much of his life learning the trade.

That philosophy was reinforced when representatives from Christie’s in New York visited Woolaroc to appraise its collections. They told Tim that Woolaroc was one of the most unique museums in the world and encouraged him to preserve what made it special.

“I started working out there some in high school,” he added.

“I had a full-time job with Gormon Construction. Then I worked for some individual contractors framing and trimming houses and that’s kind of where I started getting my experience.”

In 1977, Tim joined the Bartlesville Fire Department and spent 27 years there, but even while working for the fire department, construction remained part of his life. BFD’s schedule gave him 48 hours off between shifts and he used that time to maintain his own construction business.

Around 1999, Woolaroc came calling when Tim’s father was preparing to retire and the museum asked Tim if he would 8

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“I tried to keep it as close to what they had always tried to keep it,” he said. “Whatever my influence was, that’s what I tried to use to keep it that way.”

“They said, ‘Whatever you do, try to keep it the same. There’s nowhere in the world like this place,’” Tim recalled. “That meant keep things like I’ve been taught to try to keep them. And that’s what makes Woolaroc, Woolaroc.”

For Tim, Woolaroc’s uniqueness extends beyond the art inside its walls. It begins miles before visitors reach the museum, with the two-mile drive through the wildlife. For more than two decades, that was his daily commute, and he never took it for granted.

“Every day that I got to go to work, I got to see all that stuff,” he said. “I got to see the elk when they would start bugling and the deer when they started rutting and the buffalo roaming. I got

PROFILE to drive through that and be a part of that, see that every day. I just thought that was a blessing to me.”

Tim’s years at Woolaroc were filled with projects, both large and small. He worked throughout the museum, updating exhibits and displays while preserving their original character. Among the projects he remembers most are the reconstruction of Frank Phillips’ office, the new gun room, the little house inside the airplane room, the chuck wagon display and renovations to the bunkhouse and other areas. The gun room remains one of his favorite projects.

Woolaroc’s Colt and other firearms collections are among the museum’s most significant holdings. Tim and his crew moved the collection from its previous location into a completely renovated room in the center of the museum’s lower level.

“It was one of the finest Colt collections in the world,” he added.

“We were able to display them in a way that better showcased the collection than they had ever been displayed before.”

Handling priceless works of art and historic artifacts might sound intimidating. Tim said you got used to it, but the responsibility never disappeared.

“If something had to be restored or have a deep cleaning, it would go to my shop,” he explained. “But nothing ever left the museum. Everything was handled with as much care as possible” Perhaps no part of Tim’s work represents their family legacy more than Woolaroc’s distinctive even patented bark frames. The idea originated from Frank Phillips and architect Art Gorman, who developed the process. Tim’s grandfather was among the first people to apply the process and construct the frames. Building a bark frame can take more than a year of preparation.

Tim traveled to Arkansas and visited sawmills where pine trees were being processed. The bark they needed was essentially a byproduct that otherwise would have been discarded.

Back at the Woolaroc shop, the bark went through a lengthy treatment process. It had to be boiled with treatments designed to kill insects and make it possible to separate the bark from the wood while keeping it intact. Then it went into a press to keep flat for about a year to dry good. Even then, the work wasn’t finished.

The bark requires periodic treatment to keep it from becoming too dry and deteriorating.

“My grandfather, my dad and I were the only ones that have ever made any of those frames,” he said. “That’s quite a legacy to have there.”

Some of the things Tim remembers most fondly were the collection of birdhouses around the ranch. Frank Phillips had wanted birdhouses designed to resemble businesses that existed in Bartlesville during his era. Tim’s grandfather helped take on the project and the family continued maintaining and rebuilding the

birdhouses as needed. Tim carried that tradition forward.

“A lot of times in the winter, that was a big winter project,” he said.

“I’d just trying to keep up with all the birdhouses to keep them looking good and to carry on that tradition that Frank started and liked.”

He also helped restore the carriage in which Frank and Jane Phillips were married. The carriage had been sitting in an old shed on the ranch for years when Tim and others decided to bring it back to life. They also restored another buggy and Tim built one from scratch that was displayed in the museum for years. It was the kind of work that required more than technical skill. It required an understanding of how things had been made in another time.

“Some of the things that you just know from the experience that I’ve had all my life in construction and some of what I got from my grandfather and my dad,” Tim shared.

The family connection extended beyond the carpentry shop, too. His mother worked at Woolaroc for many years as director of the lodge. At one time, the lodge hosted private events and business meetings for executives and organizations, including Phillips-related gatherings. Back then, a daily home-cooked lunch was provided for employees.

Since retiring, Tim has traded the museum’s carpenter shop for his farm south of Bartlesville. He tends to his cows, helps care for his father, fishes when he can and spends as much time as possible following his grandchildren’s activities.

He and his wife, Judy, whom he met through 4-H Saddle Club, have been married for 47 years. They have four children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild with another on the way.

There is another remarkable connection between Tim’s family and the Woolaroc story. Just south of Bartlesville, Tim owns a property he bought years ago and eventually restored. Today, the historic home operates as an Airbnb. But the property’s history runs even deeper. Griff Graham, who became Woolaroc’s first ranch manager, once owned the property in the 1920s.

“It was just kind of neat that I wound up with a place that was his about the time that he went to work for Frank,” Tim said.

He inherited something carefully built by his grandfather and father and spent his career making sure it endured. He learned to work with the materials they knew, preserve the traditions and pass along what he could. And in a place where the past is never far from view, perhaps that is exactly what the work requires: not changing the story but taking care of it.

“I hope that it was in as good or better shape when I left than it was when I came,” he said.

For a craftsman whose work was often hidden behind the scenes, that may be the most fitting legacy of all.

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Frank and his brother L.E. Phillips had a rough start in the oil business. However, lady luck shined upon them when they approached William Brown, grandfather of eight-year-old Anna Anderson, with a possibility that could break the Phillips brother’s dry hole streak, placing them and Brown in riches. On September 6, 1905, their hunch became reality; Anna Anderson’s Delaware allotment produced a gusher and gave the brothers the confidence and funding to drill at Lot/Lease 185.

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Osage County’s public oil and gas lease auctions began November 1912 and extended into the 1930s. Frank Phillips was often found tipping his hat, or scratching his nose, in a bidding war with the likes of Sinclair or Marland Oil under Pawhuska’s historic Million Dollar Elm tree. With auctioneer Colonel Ellsworth Walters at the helm, Frank Phillips and Bill Skelly were a tenacious biding team, often riding a bid to over a million dollars for the win.

Osage County is about 1.5 million acres and, at one-point, Frank Phillips’ piece of that pie was documented as being about 17,000 acres under lease or purchase, since downsized to a manageable 3,700 acres. Frank acquired Lot/Lease 185 in 1914 and steadily made the trek up “44 Hill,” south of Bartlesville, to check on drilling progress. They experienced dry hole after dry hole until March 18, 1917, when Lewcinda Oil’s drilling crews struck black gold. Frank established an oilfield camp and gasoline plant at that location, which became known as Phillipsburg.

Life for Frank and Jane Phillips was officially invested in Bartlesville when they built their neo-classical mansion at 1107 Cherokee Avenue in 1909. Felix Gorman was their builder, a relationship that would eventually connect the Phillips family legacy with four-generations of architectural and construction prowess: (1) Felix Gorman, (2) James “Arthur” Gorman, (3) Arthur Paul “Art” Gorman and (4) John Gorman; plus, (4) Tom Gorman as a Frank Phillips Foundation Trustee.

Although Frank and L.E. had a plethora of oil companies attributed to their names, it was not until June 13, 1917, that Phillips Petroleum Company became incorporated. Just before the incorporation, Frank hired Clyde Alexander as his general superintendent of production. Frank and Clyde had worked in 12

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the oil fields for years and Clyde had a reputation as a “get-erdone” type of man with a nose for oil. Six years later, Clyde was named vice president and general manager of the company.

Frank held offices in both Bartlesville and New York City, and was often host to businessmen and oilmen from across the states. The Maire Hotel was established in 1914, directly south of Frank Phillips’ 4th Street Bartlesville office building, which became convenient lodging and entertainment space for his out-of-town guests; but Frank needed entertainment space of his own.

With oil leases across the Osage Nation, Frank acquired acreage to increase his North Ranch, South Ranch and Phillips Osage Park beginning as early as 1922. The ranch was finally named Woolaroc, a name coined by Frank Phillips’ business associate Ms. Sydney Fern Butler, derived from the ranch’s WOOds, LAkes and ROCks. A short distance from Lot/Lease 185 was several stream-fed lakes, among them Rock Lake, where Frank had Clyde Alexander lay waterpipe and build a small log-cabin as his fishing retreat, away from the stresses of business. In Clyde’s honor, Rock Lake was renamed Clyde Lake. In addition, Frank incorporated the expertise of Phillips Petroleum Company engineers to layout the ranch infrastructure…bridges, dams, spillways, lake configurations, and fencing. His fortunes allowed him to be very philanthropic and indulge his whims while pursuing his interests with gusto.

In 1925, Griff Graham, Woolaroc’s first ranch manager, taught “the Choteau Springs fish to bite, tended the property and greeted strangers.” Original plans for Frank’s acreage called

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for a club house and golf course; however, those best laid plans evolved into a game preserve surrounded by a 7-foot heavy wire fence and soon the animals arrived like filling Noah’s Ark. In January 1926, three railroad stock cars arrived with bison from Fort Pierre, S.D., joining the deer and elk already roaming the ranch. Then, zebras from British East Africa, white fallow deer from Asia, antelopes, wild turkey, reindeer from Canada and many more species arrived. The reindeer did not survive, falling prey to pneumonia. At one time, the Woolaroc wildlife menagerie also included pheasants, guineas, camels, kangaroos, a rock enclosed monkey exhibit, and as many as 83 longhorn cattle; all cleverly numbered and tagged…the cows were tagged JP Woolaroc (Jane Phillips) and bulls FP Woolaroc (Frank Phillips).

The Woolaroc Lodge holds a story book history centered around happenings at Frank and Jane’s part-time retreat. The construction began in 1925 and was completed in 1927; although Frank’s definition of complete and Jane’s were quite different.

According to Lodge Manager Paula Blackwell, “Frank was good with the log lodge being completed without the logs being chinked. However, after the squirrels settled in and scared Jane, she told Frank she was going back to town.” Happy wife, happy life, so the chinking was completed in record time.

The lodge logs were secured from near Elk Springs, MO, and contractor Arthur Gorman noted, “The fittings and finishings are the best money can buy. The main room is 28-foot east/west and 52-foot north/south with massive native stone fireplaces at each end. The walls and rafters are finished in polished hewn pine logs with exposed bark and the poker room is 20-foot square.”

The late Joe Williams said sitting on the lodge porch, overlooking Clyde Lake could only be described as, “A place

where you can hear your heart beat.” Perhaps that was why the lodge meant so much to Frank, a sanctuary to step away from the city, check business worries at the front gate, and allow his heart to beat a little slower…surrounded by the Woods, Lakes and Rocks where he could find respite in the wonder and magic of Woolaroc.

April 1926, Frank donned a five-gallon hat, high top boots and a leather coat for the Phillips Petroleum Company’s annual meeting. Griff Graham raised a large tent beside Clyde Lake; Arthur Gorman prepared a barbeque feast of venison and bison; and Frank hobnobbed with bankers, railroad employees, and Phillips Petroleum’s stockholders and directors. That July, Frank invited Phillips Petroleum Company employees to a picnic at Clyde Lake where he held a “Miss Petroleum” Bathing Beauty Contest at the “Spring of Eternal Youth” near his stone bathhouse. For visitors in need of recreational exploration, Frank had canoes available and the bathhouse was supplied SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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with fashionable one-piece bathing suits and separate private showers for the ladies and gents.

The lodge was used the first time in November 1926 for the Phillips family reunion and became the entertainment mecca for Frank’s most notable guests. The lodge originally had nine bedrooms; one for Frank, one for Jane, one for the butler/chauffeur and six guest bedrooms with their own ensuite bathroom.

Currently, the lower-level bedrooms have been converted to office space, storage and restrooms with lounges. Jane collected autographed photos of Woolaroc visitors and filled her bedroom walls with her trophies…mostly men. Frank’s bedroom walls were decorated with family photos and those of Indian chiefs, allowing him to memorize the faces of future acquaintances.

Woolaroc’s rustic lodge is filled with western décor, polished wood floors, Navajo blankets and reportedly has 97 mounted heads and 127 sets of horns adorning the walls. Visitors are greeted by handsomely exhibited lions, tigers, bears, a monkey and more…all on display with their own stories to tell, including their journeys to claim their fame in the lodge. Most of the mounts lived and died of natural causes on the ranch or were gifts to Frank and Jane. During Woolaroc parties, the hides from the bison used to feed visitors were tanned and heads mounted to adorn the lodge. When you were a pet of Uncle Frank’s, not even death did you part.

One of the truest examples of Frank Phillips’ giving spirit was bringing “The Biggest Show on Earth” to Bartlesville’s airport for local school children in 1940. During his visit, John Ringling North of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus was involved in a heated poker game at the lodge where Frank bet an oilwell and Ringling bet the kitchen sink…the circus. Frank won, but fearing he would be managing a circus, he challenged North to one more hand the following day, resulting in Frank losing the 14

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circus back to North. Whew that was close! A short time later, a very large packing crate arrived at the lodge containing a mounted elephant head and a note that said, “Just a reminder of the time you owned my circus for a day.” Signed John Ringling North.

Oh, the stories the Woolaroc Lodge could tell. At one of the Phillips’ 1930s dinner parties, Frank hired Harry Blackstone, world famous magician, as entertainment. The evening was filled with card tricks, and the last amusement involved Jane.

Blackstone asked Jane to select one card from a fresh deck of cards and show it to the guests. Although Jane was skeptical, she agreed, showing the group the queen of spades. She put the card back into the deck, Blackstone shuffled the cards three times, and threw the deck of cards against the wall…the only card that stuck to the wall was the queen of spades.

Magic! Frank told everyone that card must stay on the wall to show that everyone gets fooled once. And so it remains there.

Frank had three obsessions…oil, aviation and Woolaroc. Enter Billy Parker and Art Goebel, both aviators with their own pursuits that aligned closely with Uncle Frank’s goal of establishing an aviation legacy while building Phillips Petroleum Company’s Nu-Aviation high-octane gasoline. Parker was instrumental in the creation of the aviation fuel and invested a 40-year career at Phillips Petroleum Company as the manager and promoter of the newly assigned Phillips Aviation Fuel Division.

Phillips Petroleum Company gained aviation clout when

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Frank Phillips sponsored his long-time friend and barnstorming daredevil Art Goebel’s participation in the Dole Derby across the Pacific Ocean, August 24-25, 1927. The sponsorship came with stipulations…the Travel Air single engine prop plane had to carry the name Woolaroc, after Frank’s Osage County ranch retreat, and Goebel agreed to use Phillips Petroleum’s Nu-Aviation highoctane gasoline to power the “Woolaroc” to victory at Hawaii.

Goebel brought home the $25,000 win and Frank built a rockfaced airplane museum in 1927 to house the winning Woolaroc plane. He took great joy in showing his trophy airplane to all Woolaroc visitors.

Woolaroc is an American treasure in the heart of America. As the world-class museum collection grew, additional space was added to the original structure, which now encompasses 50,000 square feet and even exhibits some oddities like shrunken heads, a dinosaur egg and a Mammoth molar. In 1928, a Horse Barn was built, converted to the Y-Indian Guide in 1972, now the 2021 Fraser Welcome Center and Prairie Dome Café; the 1927 Dairy Barn burned and was rebuilt in 2005, now the Petty Zoo; 1936 Bunkhouse, now an exhibit studio; and more. The sandstone used in the construction of most of the Woolaroc buildings was

quarried on the ranch.

The autumn glow in Osage County had just begun in September 1926, when Woolaroc was host to a Wild West Show, staged behind the Woolaroc Lodge. Guests arrived in “cowboy fashion” and were entertained with a parade of local trick riders, followed by acts of rifle expertise, animal performances, fancy roping and Indian Stomp Dances. In 1927, the event was refined and became known as the Cow Thieves and Outlaw Reunion.

In the words of Woolaroc’s ranch manager, Grif Graham, “The Cow Thieves and Outlaws event is a reunion of old-time riders, outlaws and Indians, men and women who made their homes in old Indian Territory before the days of railroads, bridges, telephones or automobiles. Grizzled old plainsmen, hard riding cowboys, ex-outlaws, city folk and millionaires all mingle to celebrate the occasion…there is not a gathering of people like it in the world.” Frank’s rules were solid…guns were checked at the front gate and a 24-hour truce was called between the outlaws and lawmen.

Art Gorman tells childhood memories of playing all over Frank’s ranch while his Uncle Arthur worked to bring the ranch

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Mary Church Terrell

buildings to fruition. In addition, during Cow Thieves and Outlaws preparations, Art followed his Uncle Arthur while gathering and preparing the buffalo and deer feast at Clyde Lake; but, when the alcohol arrived, Art had to go home. Uncle Arthur’s stone cooker still stands at Clyde Lake.

In Michael Wallis’ Oilman book, he describes Frank’s gatherings as “outlaw wingdings.” From 1927-1930, the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunions were in full swing; then, in 1931, there was no reunion due to Frank’s busy business schedule.

There were however many parties and local photographer, Frank Griggs, was ever-present to capture the events on film. After a 65-year break, in 1995 the highly anticipated annual Cow Thieves & Outlaw Reunion was resurrected with barbecue, fireworks and a host of entertainment, which continues as Woolaroc’s major fundraiser.

Frank was highly respected by the Osage Indian Nation. On March 13, 1931, Chief Fred Lookout adopted Frank into the Osage tribe and presented him the honorary Osage name Hulah-Kihe-kah, meaning Eagle Chief. Gifts from that day are on exhibit at the lodge and museum.

Bryant Baker is best known for creating a seventeen-foot-tall, twelvethousand-pound, bronze Pioneer Woman monument for E.W. Marland in 1930. In 1940, Marland was very ill and offered to sell the statue to Frank Phillips. Reportedly, Frank sent an art expert and the Woolaroc Museum 16

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director to fuse a deal resulting in Baker’s Pioneer Woman and Pioneer Man, along with Jo Mora’s The Indian, The Squaw, The Cowboy and Belle Starr becoming part of the Woolaroc collection.

This acquisition was devastating to Ponca City residents. Through a 2009 collaboration between the Frank Phillips Foundation, Marland Mansion Foundation, Carl and Carolyn Renfro, Bob Fraser and Pawhuska’s John Free of the Bronze Horse Foundry, reproductions of the original bronze statues were created and placed at the Marland Mansion for appreciative visitors to enjoy.

This goodwill gesture was chronicled in newspapers across America.

The world’s only talking buffalo once roamed the Woolaroc hills but upon his death, he was mounted, wired for sound and a vacuum tube concealed in this mouth to encourage visitors to feed him the garbage they found on the grounds. Buffo the Buffalo no longer speaks but the excitement of feeding him garbage is still a visitor attraction.

It takes a small army of staff and volunteers to manage animal care, keep the grounds and buildings immaculate, and supply visitors with answers to any and all questions. Over the course of the last century, the Woolaroc staff has exhibited generational and longterm dedication because they are passionate about Woolaroc’s core mission. The CEO’s have been: W.R. “Bill” Blakemore (1973-1990, 17 years), Dick Miller (1990-2006,

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Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral.

16 years), Bob Fraser (2006-2021, 15 years) and now Kevin Hoch (2021 to present). The Museum Directors have been George “Pat” Patterson, 33 years; Bob Lansdown, 32 years; Ken Meek, 25 years; now Shiloh Thurman, 2015-present. The Carpentry Shop has had five managers: Arthur Gorman, Searles Grant, Curtis Sydebotham, Tim Sydebotham and now Chris Buchanan.

The Ranch Managers have been Griff Graham, Joe Billam, Chuck Hankins, Glen Miller, Jim Marsh and now Skyler Rulo. The Lodge Directors have been Grace Billam, 43 years; Marjorie Sydebotham, 34 years; now Paula Blackwell, 2003-present. Paula’s sister, Beth Greene was the Gift Shop Manager, 38 years; Paula’s father was a ranch hand and her mother was Gatekeeper and Welcome Center Y Indian Guide, 40+ years. The Mountain Man Encampment of living history began in 1993 with Wes Butcher who retired July 2024; William “Wooly Bill” Newby took the reins. Currently the Gatekeepers are LeeAnn Bennett and Cinda Potts. In addition, 60-70 volunteers care for visitors; and there are six full-time ranch hands and six employees who live on campus year-round.

Woolaroc’s artisan carpenters work above and beyond, building and maintaining with vision. On exhibit in the Woolaroc Lodge, is a mahogany 1927 Steinway Grand Piano which has been covered with long-leaf yellow pine bark veneer. The century-old process was first applied in 1925 when Arthur Gorman instructed a carpenter in the department to apply the bark to a picture frame.

Gorman patented the process in 1942. The same bark process was used to veneer most lodge surfaces and almost all of the world-class art frames in the museum by the carpenters who followed. The carpenters also created the themed bird houses which are scattered about the ranch and the stunning showcases that house one of the world’s finest Colt firearm and Winchester rifle collections.

Frank Phillips was a man of brilliant vision and infamous wisdom. He had a rags to riches life; yet, never forgot how he reached his notoriety. He said, “During my lifetime, I derived a great deal of pleasure in building Woolaroc Ranch and Museum.

Through its medium, I tried to preserve and perpetuate a part of the country I knew as a young man…I hope the Ranch and Museum can be preserved and maintained as a monument to the West as I knew it in the days before Phillips Petroleum was organized.” To accomplish that goal, in 1937, he established the Frank Phillips Foundation. In 1944, just six years before his death, he penned, “Those of us who have been more fortunate have a debt to society, which I believe can best be paid by training and educating the youth of the nation. I dedicate this museum to the boys and girls of today – the fathers and mothers of tomorrow.

May they profit by a knowledge of man’s past and be enabled to plan and live a happier future.” That year, Frank donated Woolaroc to the Foundation and entrusted faithful, long-time employees to care for his legacy.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

17

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

After the death of Frank Phillips on August 23, 1950, Phillips Petroleum president Kenneth S. “Boots” Adams said: “His life exemplifies the best American traditions. By his own initiative, he founded Phillips Petroleum Company and became a great leader in American industry. He had the gift of acquiring and the wisdom of giving. In his private life he was known for his humanitarianism and his deep understanding and warm appreciation of people.

Frank Phillips’ life is an inspiration for all of us.” In addition to his sense of business and humor, Uncle Frank’s philanthropic heart made him approachable and gained him an exceptional base of friendships in business, employees and the residents of Osage and Washington Counties. A legacy from a life well lived.

Tucked into a hill overlooking Elk Lake is the stone-clad Phillips Family Mausoleum where Frank Phillips (1873-1950), Jane Gibson Phillips (1877-1948) and their son, John Gibson Phillips Sr. (1898-1951) rest in eternal peace. The 24-square-foot mausoleum required dynamite excavation to begin the year-long construction. Behind the chamber’s bronze exterior doors and ornate wrought iron secondary gates are 18-inch-thick concrete walls with red and gold individually inlayed one-inch tiles, similar to the entrance of the Museum. Just inside the entrance are eight Italian marble columns under a 10-foot dome ceiling, similar to the dome room at the Museum entrance. In his effervescent

humor, Frank had a telephone installed, in case he needed to call home. The air-conditioned chamber echoes of a time Woolaroc has not forgotten.

As CEO Bob Fraser prepared to pass the Woolaroc torch to Kevin Hoch, he spoke about his own legacy, “I hope I was able to shine a light on the legacy of Frank Phillips. It was a large footprint that the man left behind and if I have been able to shine a brighter light on that over the last 15 years, then I feel really good about that accomplishment.”

Bob also left large footprints. Volunteer Docent, Janet Lightfoot shared she was making her way to the Museum when she saw workers digging a ditch. True to Bob’s leadership style, he rolled up his sleeves and jumped into the trench to help forward the task to completion. The true character of a good manager is on full display when he does not ask employees or volunteers to perform a task that he is not willing to do himself.

Each employee has brought their own vision to the Magic of Woolaroc. Under Bob Fraser’s leadership, he concentrated on fundraising and adding luster to the visitor experience that extended well past the nuts and bolts that holds the buildings together. Bob brought the magical experience to life and he became the face of Woolaroc. Just before Bob’s retirement, the Fraser Welcoming Center opened in 2021 with all the bells and whistles shining brightly. Kevin Hoch took the reins with an even greater vision...the future. Kevin has plans that will take Woolaroc into the next century with a grander history than ever imagined.

Watch Woolaroc grow and be part of the future! Become a member, support the growth, attend events and most of all, enjoy the wonder and magic of Woolaroc.

Interesting fact: Woolaroc was established in 1925 and the address of the Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve is 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road. In addition, October 15, 1987, Oklahoma State Highway 123 was designated as the Frank Phillips Memorial Highway, the 12-mile stretch between Bartlesville and Woolaroc.

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SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

FEATURE SPONSOR STORY

Lt. Col. Albert Frank Coast Jr. A Man of Compassion and Uplifting Spirit

As of 2026, over 430,000 service members have been laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, marked by uniformly engraved, stark-white marble stones. Each year as the cherry blossoms bloom and fill the hollowed cemetery hills with sweet floral scents, memories of Albert Franklin Coast are in the forefront of his family and friends.

“Frankie” Coast was Ramona born in 1933; son of Albert Franklin Coast Sr. and Loleta Thomas Hicks. He graduated from Ramona Public Schools in 1951 and Oklahoma State University in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science Degree; then obtained his law degree from LaSalle University. He completed the Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) during college and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant on 18 September 1954. He married Murrel Dean Roberts in 1955 and the family grew with two sons, David and Daniel. He was building a life… until the military required his presence in Vietnam.

Albert Coast entered the Army November 1955 and graduated from infantry school at Fort Benning, GA, where he learned motor transportation and maintenance duties of infantry unit and earned his First Lieutenant rank. His career advancement was intense and purposeful. On October 5, 1970, Army Lieutenant Colonel Albert Franklin Coast took command of the 4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry, recognized as the “Old Guard.” During 29 January 1971 to 9 April 1971 combat operations, Coast’s leadership of the Old Guard was accredited with 122 enemy KIAs during Operation Lam Son 719, earning combat streamers for their efforts.

Then, at just 38 years of age,

by Debbie Neece

tragedy struck. On April 20, 1971, while returning from an exhaustive mission, Coast was struck by the propeller of a light observation helicopter. He was medevacked to the 91st Evacuation Hospital at Chu Lai but succumbed to his injuries.

The sign of a great leader is a man of compassionate and uplifting spirit. A man who inspires motivation and integrity while seeking to improve the expertise of others. Coast was mission-driven but never lost sight of the welfare of his men.

After his passing, his “memorandum notebook” was discovered with notations that represented the type of moral fiber that walked with him in life and battle: “SP4 Bemis needs size 5 boots; SSG Erwin needs a compassion leave…check on 14-day leave for troops.” In addition, when donations were gathered to supply the 91st Evacuation Hospital with televisions for patient viewing, Staff Sergeant Thomas J. Bennett donated a television in the memory of Lieutenant Colonel Albert Franklin Coast.

When the sunset too early for LTC Coast, it was the memorial whispered in his wake that said “a job well done” by the soldiers he served with, not over…WITH. Each and every man in his command recognized Coast’s support as an exemplary war leader and role model.

The Vietnam War lasted 19 years, 5 months, and 29 days (November 1, 1955-April 30, 1975) and cost America approximately $135 billion. We sent our boys to war and they became warriors.

Tragically, over 58,220 American war heroes did not survive, including our highly acclaimed Lieutenant Colonel Albert Franklin Coast. RIP. SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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We live, work, and play in Bartlesville, and we’re proud to serve our neighbors with integrity Experienced, Honest, Local

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LEGACY

100 Years: Uncle Frank’s Legacy

by Kevin Hoch, Woolaroc CEO

If the wildlife preserve represents conservation and the natural beauty of Woolaroc, the museum embodies its cultural and historical significance. Completed in 1929, the museum began as a sandstone pavilion built to house the Woolaroc airplane, a single-engine monoplane that successfully conquered the 1927 Dole Air Race from California to Hawaii. But as gifts, artifacts, and artwork continued to pour in, the museum expanded—becoming one of the finest collections of Western art and Native American artifacts in the entire country.

Frank’s passion for history was deeply personal. He believed that preserving the past was a duty to the future, and the museum remains a testament to that philosophy. Unlike the sterile halls of many other institutions, Woolaroc offers a museum experience that feels intimate, immersive, and deeply tied to the land on which it stands.

Woolaroc was so much more than just a private retreat for Frank and his family; it was a meeting ground for some of the most influential figures of the early 20th century. Over the years, it hosted U.S. presidents, Hollywood celebrities, Native American chiefs, and foreign dignitaries. Frank believed that Woolaroc was a place where all people—regardless of background—could come together to appreciate the beauty and history of the West.

One of Woolaroc’s most famous annual events is the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion, a lively gathering

of business moguls, political leaders, and ranchers, who dress as cowboys and bandits to celebrate the rugged past of the frontier. These legendary parties that still occur to this day solidify Woolaroc’s reputation as a place where history isn’t just observed—but where it is proudly lived and celebrated.

Although Frank passed away in 1950, his vision for Woolaroc still endures. The property was placed under the stewardship of the Frank Phillips Foundation in 1937, ensuring that its mission— to preserve the history of the West, educate, and entertain— would thrive in perpetuity. Today, visitors of all ages continue to explore the wildlife preserve, lodge, museum, and trails, experiencing firsthand what Frank sought to protect.

While the world outside Woolaroc has changed dramatically since 1925, the heart of this Oklahoma treasure remains largely untouched. The rolling Osage Hills still whisper stories of the past, the museum still houses relics of an untamed frontier, and the bison still roam freely under vast Oklahoma skies.

Woolaroc is more than just a destination—it is a bridge between the past and the present, a place where history, nature, and culture converge. And for those who walk its trails, stand before its paintings, and gaze upon its majestic wildlife, the spirit of Uncle Frank still lingers, reminding us of the importance of leaving the world in a better place than we found it.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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SEPTEMBER

CALENDAR

SPONSORED BY 2

OKWU Eagles Women’s Soccer vs MidAmerica Nazarene Univ. 6 p.m.

19

OKWU Eagles Women’s Volleyball vs Mission Univ. 2:00 p.m.

3

Bruin Varsity Volleyball Vs Stillwater 6 p.m.

23

4

Copan Football vs Crossover Prep 5 p.m.

Dewey Football vs Newkirk 7 p.m.

OKWU Eagles Men’s Soccer vs Louisiana State Univ., LA 7 p.m.

OKWU Eagles Women’s Soccer vs Ottawa University, KS 5:00 p.m.

OKWU Eagles Men’s Soccer vs Ottawa University, KS 7:00 p.m.

25

Copan School Closed Caney Valley Varsity vs Nowata 7:00 p.m.

26

OKWU Eagles Women’s Volleyball vs Bethel College KS TBA

Every Tuesday & Thursday, Times Vary at Children’s Musical Theatre, 101 S. Wyandotte

Bartlesville Public Library Weekly Storytime

5

OKWU Eagles Women’s Soccer vs Missouri Valley College 11:00 a.m.

7

Labor Day, All Schools Closed

28

Start of Bruins Home Coming Week

11

Bruin Varsity Football vs Collinsville 7:00 p.m.

29

Bruin Volleyball vs Broken Arrow 6:00 p.m.

16

OKWU Eagles Women’s Volleyball vs Evangel Univ. MO 6:00 p.m.

30

18

Copan School Closed Copan Football vs Webbers Falls 7:00 p.m.

Caney Valley Varsity vs Allen (Home Coming) 7:00 p.m.

OKWU Eagles Women’s Volleyball vs Southwestern College KS. 6:00 p.m.

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

EVENTS On the Rock After School Program, pickup by 6

3rd-5th Grade Monday: Kane, Jane Phillips, Osage Hills,

Ranch Heights 3rd-5th Grade Tuesday: Wayside, Wilson, Hoover, home school/private school drop off 9th-12th Grade Thursdays: Rock bus picks up at BHS after school, 6th-8th Grade Fridays: Rock bus picks up at Madison, Central, Osage Hills after school

Bartlesville & Dewey Boys and Girls Clubs

Mon – Fri, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

BGC Bville, (918) 336-3636, BGC Dewey, 918-534-8209

Children’s Musical Theatre Fall Classes

Every Wednesday & Thursday, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Ave, Room A

Kiddie Park Open Saturdays Only

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Kiddie Park, 205 N. Cherokee Ave, Bartlesville

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

25

SEPTEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR Know of an upcoming event you would like to see on our calendar? Visit us at bartlesvillemonthly.com for a free listing!

Every Monday

Every Tuesday & Wednesday

SEP 1

SEP 5

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Times Vary.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Sept 5-6, Sat 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Beginning Spanish Class

Bartlesville Public Library ELL Conversation Class

BPL in the Kitchen with Susan

Every Thursday

BPL presents the Johnstone Irregulars Book Club

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

600

S.

Casa Hispana, 3850 Frank Phillips Blvd., Bartlesville

Every Monday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Intermediate Spanish Class Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library

600

S.

May 1–July 7 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

S.

FREE Citizenship Classes Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

Johnstone

Avenue,

600

S.

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Crossing 2nd Trivia in the Garage

Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Bartlesville Public Library ELL Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Bartlesville Public Library ELL Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Every Tuesday through Saturday

Library,

8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Area Farmers Market

Frank Phillips Park, Frank Phillips Blvd and Keeler Avenue Unity Square, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

S.

SE

Sat 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Sun 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Washington Park Washington Blvd.

Mall,

2350

SE

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Good Times Oklahoma 2026 Show N Shine Car Show

OSU Alumni Chapter Monthly Meeting - Washington County

BPL presents Sakura Storm Mango Club Library,

Sooner Park, 420 SE Madison Blvd., Bartlesville 8:15 p.m.

FreedomFest Fireworks Presented

by Kiwanis 600

S.

Sooner Park, 420 SE Madison Blvd., Bartlesville

SEP 8

SEP 4

2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.

8th Annual Red Dirt Weekend Sept. 4-5, 2026

Angelo’s Tavern, 130 S Cherokee Ave, Bartlesville

Bartlesville Public Library 2nd Tuesday Craft Club Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

600

S.

2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Dudes and T.A.C.O.S.

Cooper and Mill Brewing Company, 200 S. Dewey Ave.

Kiddie Park, 205 N. Cherokee Avenue

Friday 8:00am - Noon

2350

SEP 6

Bartlesville Kiddie Park Open for summer season

Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 5:00pm

600

Sept 3, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Mall,

Washington Park Mall Indoor Farmer’s Market

SEP 3

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Still Open For You

S.

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

S.

Sun 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Time Travelers Geeks & Antiques Indoor Market Washington Park Washington Blvd

Scissortail Brewing Company, 623 E Don Tyler Ave., Dewey

Every Saturday, May 2 – October 10 S.

S.

7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Every Thursday

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

600

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

BPL Make It So Book Club

Every Tuesday

Every Tuesday

Library,

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room A,

Every Thursday

Bartlesville Area History Museum Presents “Our Culinary Past” BAHM, 401 Bartlesville

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

William Davito, DO

Mark Erhardt, DO

Elizabeth Sherrock, MD

M. Ryan Vaclaw, MD

Exceptional Care For Your Whole Family

918-331-2300 www.primarycareassociatesbartlesville.com

SEP 10

SEP 14

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Sept 10-11-12, All Day

19th Annual Kan-Okla 100 Mile Highway Sale in Northeast OK & Southeast KS Maps at 323 E Don Tyler Ave, Dewey

Sept 10-11-12, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

112th Washington County Free Fair

Washington County Fairgrounds, 1109 N Delaware Street, Dewey 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Grandparents Support Group

Big Country Breakfast Benefit - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma

10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Visit Dewey Second Saturday

Washington Park Mall Indoor Farmer’s Market

Sept 10-11-12, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The Book Club Play

Theater Bartlesville, 312 S. Dewey Ave.

SEP 11 6:00 p.m.

AbilityWorks Annual Fundraiser

Hillcrest Country Club, 1901 Price Road 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

2350

SE

Richard Kane YMCA Parents Night Out

S.

Boots Hollow Golf Club, 5801 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville 9 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

CPR Training at Elder Care

Elder Care, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

Frank Phillips Home Music on the Lawn

Paddle Party hosted by Bartlesville Civitan Club

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 290 E. 9th Street, Bartlesville

SEP 13 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

SEP 12

Dewey Band 2nd Annual Mattress Fundraiser

Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve, South of Bartlesville

600

Richard Kane YMCA, 101 S. Osage Ave.

311 ½ S. Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville

Woolaroc Fall Trail Ride

Library,

2026 Tee It Up for United Way Golf Scramble

1908 Mixology Tales: The Golden Age

7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Sept 15-16-17-18, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Mall,

The Red Cross presents a Blood Drive

BPL presents Gently Reads Book Club

SEP 15

Downtown Dewey Merchants

Washington Park Washington Blvd.

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Elks Lodge #1060, 1060 Swan Drive (Behind Walmart)

ElderCare, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville

SEP 17

Dewey Middle School, 1 Bulldogger Rd., Dewey 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Just for Today, 5K & Fun Run

Sooner Park, 420 SE Madison Blvd., Bartlesville

Frank Phillips Home, 1107 Cherokee Avenue

Library,

600

S.

Together With Veterans Social Hour Tumbleweeds Steakhouse, 4049 Nowata Road 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

BPL presents 3D Thursday Sept 17, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library, Johnstone Avenue,

600

S.

SEP 18 Sept 18-19, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Sept 20, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Book Club Play

Theater Bartlesville, 312 S. Dewey Ave.

SEP 19

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

BPL Presents Cinema Discussion Club Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

600

8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

S.

Downtown Dewey

SEP 16

10:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

BHS Class of 2006 - 20 Year Reunion

Sept 16-17-18, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Exploring the Versatility of Acrylics with Patricia Ridge Bradley

Bartlesville Art Association, 217 Comanche Ave., Comanche Center

Oldies’n Goodies Car & Motorcycles Show

Hilton Garden Inn, 205 SW Frank Phillips Blvd.

S.

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Washington Park Mall Indoor Farmer’s Market

Home Decor • Gifts • Apparel Gifts & Clothing Mon-Fri 10am-5:30pm Sat 10am-4pm

112 E 2 St Bartlesville, OK 74003 nd

118 E 2nd St Bartlesville, OK SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

27

NOW YOU KNOW

Weaving Culture

Cherokee Culture and Language Preservation

by Debbie Neece Hello or “Osiyo” In 1801, Christian Moravian missionaries were instrumental in building the first schools in the Cherokee Nation. However, it was not until a silversmith named Sequoyah (also known as George Guess/Gist) invented the Cherokee Syllabary, in 1821, that the Cherokee people began to read and write their own language.

Cherokee Elias Boudinot published a weekly newspaper titled the Cherokee Phoenix, printed bilingually in English and Cherokee, which became an outlet for Cherokee news and cultural advancement. The first issue was printed at New Echota, Georgia on February 21, 1828. In 1829, the newspaper name was changed to the Cherokee Phoenix and Indians Advocate, which continued through 1834, suspended due to funding issues. The Cherokee Advocate was published bilingually at Tahlequah by the Cherokee Nation from 1844 until October 2000. At that time, the newspaper was restored as the Cherokee Phoenix, now celebrating 198 years of press.

DURBIN FEELING

In your educational opportunities, were you given the chance 28

bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

to learn a foreign language? Do you use these language skills now, or have they faded into your distant past? For Cherokee citizens, language opportunities have exploded!!! The Cherokee language is profoundly inclusive; an artform woven with storytelling, culture and tradition, using an 85-character syllabary. However, even though the Cherokee language is quite alive, as fluent speaking elders expire, the language has become extremely endangered and the Cherokee Nation recognizes that threat.

Beyond Sequoyah, there have been a multitude of strong Cherokee advocates who have been instrumental in forwarding Cherokee language preservation; among them, Betty SharpeGann Smith, Ruth Bradley Holmes, Prentice Robinson, Durbin Feeling and Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.’s Cherokee language warriors.

Betty Sharpe-Gann was born February 9, 1931 near Stilwell, OK to James Sharpe-Gann and Jennie Foreman. Her parents spoke their native Cherokee language so the language was natural for Betty. However, the influence of modern education required her to learn English as well. Betty went to Maryetta School near Stilwell until her tenth or eleventh grade; at that time, the family moved to Tulsa where she graduated high school. She married Harry Lee Smith and their family grew with three daughters: Duronda, Dora and Darla.

In 1969, linguist Ruth Bradley Holmes began experiencing Cherokee language classes with Betty. The educator/pupil relationship became a collaborative five-year project to create

NOW YOU KNOW the first comprehensive, twentyseven lesson, Cherokee language textbook, “Beginning Cherokee.”

Although both educators have passed on, their educational legacy helped pave the path to Cherokee language preservation.

This year, we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the 1976 first printing and the audio instruction included in the 1977 Second Edition.

from Durbin, creating a full circle of preservation. He once said, “Within one generation the language could all be gone.

Saving the language will take a lot of work and dedication.” No truer words have been spoken.

He concluded with, “To preserve the Cherokee language, we must work together: ‘Gadugi or gahdoo-gee.’”

Broken Arrow’s retired educator and half-Cherokee, Prentice Robinson began teaching Cherokee in 1974 after being inspired by a Cherokee minister. Robinson’s devotion grew to include language recordings, books and flash cards. From 1992-2007, he and his wife operated the Cherokee Heritage Indian Educational Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization that produced a collection of “Cherokee Made Easy” learning tools. “When a people lose their language, they lose their identity,” said Prentice Robinson. Therefore, he made it his mission to educate.

Cherokee language preservation and revitalization was a life-long pursuit for Cherokee linguist Durbin Feeling. Born in Locust Grove, OK, in 1946, Durbin’s mother was a fluent Cherokee woman and he was raised to speak Cherokee.

During his school years, punishment was swift if he didn’t speak English so his determination grew strong to master both languages. During his Vietnam service, his mother answered his English written letters with Cherokee postcards. He discovered speaking and writing Cherokee were two different animals; but, soon it became easier. After the war, with a Purple Heart in hand, he continued his education and taught Cherokee at various universities.

In 1975, Durbin co-authored the first-ever Cherokee-English Dictionary and continued to write or contributed to additional Cherokee language books. In 2011, Feeling was honored as a Cherokee National Treasure for his life-long language preservation. Additionally, in 2022, the Durbin Feeling Language Center in Tahlequah was named in his honor, located on Betty Sharp-Smith Street.

DORA SMITH BASKET WEAVING

Cherokee Linquist, Durbin Feeling, died August 19, 2020. In the words of Cherokee MasterApprentice Manager, Howard Paden, “Everything we have built has been built on the shoulders of Durbin Feeling.” Many of the people who teach the Cherokee language now, once learned

Enter Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.’s Cherokee language warriors. Chief Hoskin was sworn in as the 18th Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation on August 14, 2019 with a fierce determination to excel the BETTY AND Cherokee language preservation DORA SMITH efforts. His immediate focus became working with the Council of the Cherokee Nation to pass the Durbin Feeling Language Preservation Act, which provides funding to strengthen language preservation. Chief Hoskin said, “If we lose the Cherokee language, we will have lost something that goes to the core of what it means to be Cherokee.”

In 2022, the new Durbin Feeling Language Center opened, a state-of-the-art center to house the Cherokee Immersion School, adult Cherokee Language Master-Apprentice Program and translation department. The Cherokee see this effort as a generational goal. The fruits of their labor will be harvested slowly, but proficiently, as they work together for the common goal.

Betty Smith’s daughter is District 12 Cherokee Tribal Councilor Dora Smith-Patzkowski who continues to weave the Cherokee culture by teaching traditional basket weaving to the public. A skill she acquired from her mentor Kathryn Kelly, a Cherokee National Treasure basket weaver. Dora is also a co-founder of the Oklahoma Native American Basketweavers Association.

Her involvement in the Cherokee and Native Community has been an unceasing, lifelong passion.

Until we meet again: “donadagohvi or doe-nah-dah-go-huh-ee.”

Did You Know?

Betty Smith was my neighbor-mother for 38 years and Granny Bell for my children and her own grandchildren.

About 2006-2007, her likeness became a life-cast mannequin at the Bartlesville Area History Museum for their Cherokee Heritage exhibit. And, at Betty’s 75th birthday party, she thrilled visitors by angelically singing “Amazing Grace” in Cherokee. She passed away shortly thereafter, but her work to forward Cherokee education has become a national treasure. A family tradition of weaving Cherokee culture and language preservation.

Now You Know * SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

29

Todd Cone For Washington County Associate District Judge

A Judge You Can Trust.

A Neighbor You Already Know.

Todd Cone isn’t just a candidate—he’s your neighbor.

Married 32 years with five children, Todd has built his life here and devoted his career to serving here…34 years as a practicing attorney, 18 as a Municipal Judge.

He doesn’t just know the law—he applies it with integrity, fairness, and respect for every citizen. Our community deserves a judge who serves with the same dedication he's shown throughout his career.

TODD

ONE for JUDGE 2026

COMMITTED TO FAIRNESS. GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY. Learn more by scanning this QR code.

30

PAID FOR BY COMMITTEE FOR TODD CONE FOR JUDGE 2026

ToddConeForJudge.com

bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

LOCAL POLITICS

Doing the Work...

Todd Cone’s Commitment to Community

by Maria Gus

There are people who volunteer because they enjoy being at the center of an event, and there are people who are content to work behind the scenes, making sure the details are handled and the job gets done.

Todd Cone has spent plenty of time in the second category.

Over decades in Bartlesville, Cone has served organizations supporting public education, the arts, youth, senior adults and some of the community’s most vulnerable residents. His involvement includes the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation, Bartlesville Civic Ballet, American Red Cross, Washington County Elder Care, Bartlesville K Life, The Journey Home and Heart Matters. He has also taught at Oklahoma Wesleyan University and served as a guest lecturer for OK Mozart.

It is an impressive list, but lists do not necessarily tell you much about a person. What may say more about Cone is the kind of work he is willing to do.

Anyone who has volunteered in Bartlesville knows community service is not always glamorous. There are budgets to review, meetings to attend, applications to read and countless details to resolve. Cone is comfortable with those details. For him, the reward is seeing something worthwhile succeed.

His work with The Journey Home is one example. Cone has served on its board for six years, but his involvement began before the nonprofit opened its doors. He provided legal expertise as the organization established its legal standing and later helped with projects, fundraising and other needs.

“Todd Cone is a champion of nonprofits,” said Doug Quinn, longtime supporter of The Journey Home. “His years of service with The Journey Home have helped us expand care for some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens.”

Brennen Bissinger, executive director of The Journey Home, has seen that commitment firsthand.

“Todd helped with our legal formation before our doors even opened,” Bissinger said. “I know Todd will always be a phone call away if we need him.”

That willingness to serve was modeled early in Cone’s life. His father, Don Cone, was an enthusiastic volunteer who seemed to operate under a simple philosophy: If something needed doing and he could help, he did. His mother, a longtime teacher, demonstrated service differently, regularly giving extra time and attention to her students.

“My parents taught me by example that a strong community is built by people who are willing to give their time and talents to others,” Cone said. “I’m honored to follow in their footsteps and be part of a community where so many extraordinary people make a difference simply because they care.”

Cone’s community involvement has put him alongside educators and artists, young people and senior adults, business leaders and nonprofit volunteers. It has meant working with people who may have very different experiences, concerns and perspectives.

That is part of what community is.

We live in the same place, but we do not necessarily experience that place in the same way.

That understanding seems particularly relevant as Cone seeks election as Associate District Judge of Washington County.

Cone has practiced law for more than three decades and has years of experience as a municipal judge. His legal qualifications will rightly receive attention during this campaign. But there is something to be said for knowing a community beyond the courtroom, too.

Some responsibilities in our community are supposed to rise above politics. The courtroom should be one of them.

Choosing a judge brings important questions. Does this person know the law? Does the candidate have the temperament to listen before deciding? Can a judge recognize the humanity of the person standing in the courtroom, regardless of income, background, beliefs or circumstances? Will the law be applied equally?

Cone has expressed his view simply: “Every person should be treated fairly and with respect.”

Volunteer service alone cannot tell us what kind of judge someone will be. But it can tell us something about how a person has chosen to spend his time and what he has learned along the way.

For years, Todd Cone has been willing to sit through the meetings, study the details and take on some of the unglamorous work that helps good things happen in Bartlesville.

Not every contribution to a community happens in the spotlight. Sometimes it is simply a matter of showing up, paying attention and being willing to do the work.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

31

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

UNSUNG HEROES

Elaine Sikola

... Army Nurse Called Into Duty After Pearl Harbor

by Joe Todd

Elaine White Sikola was born 29 May 1920 in Fresno, California. She went through school in Bakersfield, California and graduated in 1938. After high school, she entered Nurse’s Training at the Fresno County Hospital. She was in her third year of Nurse’s Training when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and she knew something terrible was going to happen. Her training was cut short because nurses were needed for the military.

She went to the Fresno Army Air Field and put in her application to join the Army Nurse Corps. Due to her surgical training, she was quickly selected for the Nurse Corps. Her number was N784267 and she was called to active duty in September of 1943. She was sent, with other nurses, to Camp White, Oregon, and began her Army Training. She was assigned to the 76th General Hospital, which was being organized at Camp White to go overseas.

The nurses were taken out one morning before daylight and given instructions how to march. An older nurse was instructing them when a voice came over the loudspeaker, “Get those damn women off the runway.” They were marching on the runway and airplanes were preparing to land. She said that ended their marching instructions, which lasted one hour.

The hospital was sent by rail train to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and boarded a ship in March of 1944. She was seasick the whole trip to England. The ship landed at Mersey Docks at Liverpool, where the nurses were put on the train, bound for Southern England.

She recalled D-Day and the terrible loss of life on both sides. They crossed the English Channel and landed at Omaha Beach four weeks after D-Day. They crossed France into Belgium and set up hospital tents in an open field near the city of Liege. They received wounded and worked many long and hard hours to mend the injured so their commanding officer said they should get some time off; however, the Battle of the Bulge began.

The Germans surrounded the hospital and the nurses began receiving American and German wounded from the

fighting. She recalled one very young German soldier who had been burned in a tank and unable to swallow. She took care of him and had to hand feed him while thinking how terrible the war was.

One of her Corpsmen was ordered to the front and gave her a letter to mail to his wife and his newborn son whom he had never seen. She mailed the letter and the Corpsman was killed and it still bothers her to this day.

During the Battle of the Bulge, they had four nurses in each surgical and operating room tent, working 12-hour shifts. An artillery round hit the hospital, destroyed all the medicine and killed 30 men that worked in the hospital. She recalled trying to find ribbons and greenery to decorate the tent for Christmas but they couldn’t find anything. On her birthday, the patients in the hospital gave her a bouquet of flowers. She was so deeply touched that she began crying. She still doesn’t know where they found the flowers.

After the war she went to Mannheim, Germany, where she worked during a flu epidemic. She was honorably discharged and came home on the USS George Washington.

Once in California, she married her high school sweetheart, Leonard Sikola, and they had one son, Bill, a Bakersfield police officer who was killed in the line of duty at the age of 27.

Mr. Sikola passed away in 1970 and Elaine moved to Selma, California, to care for her elder mother and work as a registered nurse until 1996 when she moved to Claremore to live with her brother and sister-in-law. There, she was accepted into the Claremore Veterans Center in January of 2000 and was tenderly cared for until her passing in 2008.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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OUT & ABOUT

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LOOKING BACK

The Story of Dick Kane An Officer and a Gentleman

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures On October 15, 1917, a boy was born to John H and Louise Kane and he grew up to be a very humble and generous man; Richard Kane, better known as Dick.

Dick grew up in the neighborhood of Frank Phillips. He remembered attending birthday parties for the Phillips girls. He even traveled with his father who was an Executive Vice president and General Counsel of the PPCO, to visit Frank Phillips in N.Y. and he played with his toy cars on Frank’s floor.

In 1928, ten-year-old Dick attended the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Picnic at Woolaroc. His mother made him wear knickers and a long sleeve shirt with a tie. He was not very happy about it, but it has become a famous photo and statue.

For his 7th birthday Dick rode with Billy Parker in an open cockpit biplane. If you have ever taken a tour of the Woolaroc Lodge, you most likely heard the story of the magician Blackstone who performed a card trick that was hard to believe. Dick witnessed it and liked to talk about it. The Kane family loved to travel, especially internationally.

One funny story has been told of young Dick sliding down the banister at the Vatican.

After graduating from Bartlesville High School, Dick

attended the University of Kansas and University of Michigan Law School. He was also a ROTC graduate and attended officer training.

Dick married Mary Muder in 1940. The next year, he served in WWII. After the war, Dick finished law school and came back home to work in his father’s law firm, which is presently Kane, Kane, Kane and Roark in the former Carnegie Library, where Dick attended Kindergarten.

Even though Dick practiced law, he especially loved ranching with his brother on the Redbird Ranch. His children and grandchildren are now involved with it.

Dick was always very involved in the community and church. One of the organizations he was very involved with was the YMCA. Several years ago, the Bartlesville Y was named the Richard Kane YMCA. Kane Elementary School was also named for Dick and he always enjoyed visiting the children, participating in their parades.

Dick enjoyed attending the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion at Woolaroc, from 1927 until the last one before his death. To ensure Dick would always be at the CTOR and to honor him, Woolaroc had a bronze statue made of young Dick from the 1928 photo. He was the last person off the dance floor at his last CTOR in 2008.

The two most important things in Dick’s life were his family and his trust in God. According to his DIL, Gale, “Richard Kane is most remembered by his family and friends as a man of truly noble character. He was always cheerful. He was a man of personal, humble faith and trust in God.” The world lost a very generous, wise and godly man when Dick Kane died on April 20, 2009.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

A GOOD WORD

Things We Leave Behind

by Greg Wheat

to change anything. But wave after wave, little by little, the landscape was being shaped.

In 1925, Frank Phillips had a dream. He looked across 3,700 acres of the beautiful Osage Hills and imagined something that didn’t yet exist. He called it Woolaroc—a name created from three things he loved about the property: woods, lakes, and rocks.

Sitting there with my grandchildren, I thought about how much that resembles life.

Every one of us is shaping something— our children, grandchildren, friendships, communities, and even people we may never realize we’ve influenced.

What began as his private ranch has become one of Oklahoma’s greatest treasures—a place where buffalo still roam, history comes alive, and generations of families continue making memories nearly one hundred years later.

We may never build something like Woolaroc. Our names may never appear on a building or in a history book. But that doesn’t mean our lives don’t leave a mark.

Growing up in Bartlesville, I spent a lot of time there. But like so many things in life, I didn’t fully appreciate it until I was older and had moved away.

That’s legacy.

Sometimes we’re so busy looking toward what’s next that we don’t recognize what’s happening right in front of us.

Then I became a father.

I wanted my children to experience the town that was part of me—the place where their mother and I met and married as high school sweethearts. So each summer, Janell and I would load up Kylie and Kyston and head home. Woolaroc was always on the list.

They had to see their Grandpa Don working as a docent, the dancing Indians in the giant glass display case, the shrunken heads, and the airplane named Woolaroc that won the daring race from California to Hawaii. And, of course, there was the talking buffalo that ate cans right out of your hand and the petting zoo where, as a boy, I learned that goats apparently think fingers make a pretty good snack.

Some of my favorite memories were made there.

Then something beautiful happened.

My children grew up loving Woolaroc too. And now, when we return, our grandchildren are there with us.

Something given to me as a child is now being passed to another generation.

Frank Phillips created something nearly a century ago that is still bringing families together today. He left behind something that continued to matter.

Not long ago, I was sitting on a beach building sandcastles with my grandchildren when I found myself watching the waves.

Far from shore, each one would begin to rise, a line of white forming across its crest. It would roll toward us and finally break across the sand. Then another came. And another.

And suddenly it occurred to me: Every wave was shaping the shoreline.

Some made an obvious difference. Others barely seemed

One day, you’ll pick up your child for the last time and probably won’t know it was the last time. One summer will become that family vacation everyone talks about for years. A simple afternoon may someday become one of your favorite memories.

The difficult thing about life is that we rarely recognize the moments that are becoming our memories while we’re living them.

When we’re young, we spend our time waiting for tomorrow.

When we’re older, we’d gladly give tomorrow for just one more yesterday.

So slow down.

Chase your dreams with everything you’ve got, but don’t sacrifice the people you’re chasing them for. Run after those dreams like you’re on fire, but don’t run so fast that you miss the hands you’re meant to hold along the way.

Take the trip. Hold the hand. Build the sandcastle. Make the memory.

And leave the little piece of the world you’ve been given better than you found it.

Your time matters because your influence outlives the moment.

Because someday, the future we’re waiting for will become the past we’re remembering.

Maybe that’s what the things we leave behind really are— the lives we’ve touched, the memories we’ve made, the love we’ve given, and the little piece of this world we’ve helped shape for those coming after us.

How will the shoreline be different because you were here?

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Imzan Hussein’s Journey of Wood and Words

by Jim Johnson

In March 2025, after 36 years of writing and a long career in systems engineering, Guyanese-born artisan and author Imzan Hussein retired — and finally allowed a manuscript he had carried since 1988 to become a book. He spent the next year editing and designing it himself, self-publishing The Simple Freedom in February 2026. Months later, the book found a home of its own: a storefront in downtown Dewey bearing the same name.

Step inside The Simple Freedom, and the reaction is almost always the same.

“WOW” is the word most customers say first, before they’ve even had a chance to look around. It is a response Hussein has come to expect, and one that inspired the shop’s tagline: “Let’s WOW someone for you.”

The rich smell of exotic hardwoods fills the space — walnut, cypress, and timbers sourced from around the world. Copies of the book rest alongside handcrafted keepsake boxes, engraved plaques, and one-of-a-kind art pieces, each bearing Hussein’s mark. No two are ever alike, and every piece is Made in Dewey, Oklahoma, a point of pride for both the artist and the community.

“The book and the art come from the exact same place,” Hussein reflects. “Working with timber requires patience. You have to respect the natural grain, the live edges, and the time it takes to finish a piece properly. Writing The Simple Freedom required that exact same discipline for almost forty years.

Neither can be rushed.”

Hussein calls himself an artist first, and woodworking is simply his medium. Using a professional laser engraver alongside traditional hand-finishing techniques, he creates original wood art in exotic materials, hand-selected for every

commission. Nothing comes off a template. Customers are part of the creative process from the start, working alongside Hussein to shape the design and approving it before a single cut is made.

The focus leans toward cultural, religious, patriotic, and keepsake pieces — work meant to mark a milestone, honor a person, or hold meaning long after the moment has passed. Some finished pieces reach as much as $5,000, a reflection of the material, detail, and time invested in each one.

Since opening, Hussein has built a growing reputation for this kind of collaborative art, including recognition and retirement pieces for the Bartlesville Police Department and several local organizations. Every one of them is designed in-house with the customer’s input, made entirely by hand, and built to be unique to the person receiving it.

What makes that growth notable is how it happened.

Hussein has never advertised. Every customer who has walked through the door came by word of mouth — one person telling another about the shop where the book lives beside the art, and where walking in tends to end in the same word: WOW. “The goal was never just to open a store or publish a book,” says Hussein. “It was to create a space that offers people a moment of peace. Whether someone comes in to talk about writing, order a custom piece, or simply pick up a copy of the book, they are always welcome.”

The Simple Freedom is located in downtown Dewey, with the book also available worldwide online. To explore the book, commission a custom piece of art, or learn about upcoming community events, visit in person or find them online at thesimplefreedom.com.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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We Remember

At bmonthly Magazine, we remember September 11, 2001 by honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the heroes who responded with courage and sacrifice. We remember the families forever changed, the unity that followed, and the enduring spirit of America.

We will never forget.

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

CALLING TO THE GOOD

All You Ever Wanted to Know

by Kelly Hurd

Ignorance is bliss.

I asked ChatGPT what “bliss” was. Here’s what it told me: “Bliss means a state of deep happiness, peace, or complete joy—the kind of contentment where, for a moment, everything feels right.”

I don’t know about y’all, but bliss sounds like a blessing to me and according to the old adage, it seems to be synonymous with ignorance. ??

I think I’ll define ignorance for us, and today it means the state being uninformed about the negative facts or imaginings of another’s mind. In simple terms – not being in the loop on the latest gossip going around your zip code.

as abundantly and generously as I want to because I am wealthy enough in mindset to spread it around.

And this little investment in others pays the best darn dividends too. It opens doors to developing genuine friendships, community comradery, and it also actually can lead to economic development because it sows into a positive momentum towards changing the atmosphere of a community for the better.

You see, I believe negativity builds walls of separation between people and within communities – but ignorance enables one to walk right through a wall because we didn’t even know it was there.

This type of ignorance allows us to enjoy the bliss of just thinking the best of someone or something. And you know, that kind of ignorance is almost a gift to the subject of the gossip mill on any given day.

Each one of us is a representative of where we come from wherever we go. We set the tone and the atmosphere of our community, church, business, and home. There’s just nothing more welcoming than blissful people who are ignorant on purpose to the negative mindsets so prevalent in today’s world. I want to walk into a room full of those people every day of the week.

I’ve had friends call me before and say, “I’m sure you’ve already heard such and such about me,” and I’ve been happy to let my ignorant blissfulness out of the bag and tell them that not everyone has heard whatever it was because it hadn’t made its way to Charley Creek yet.

The best part of being this kind of ignorant is that it knows no bounds. You can be wealthy and be ignorant. You can be well educated and ignorant. You can be successful and ignorant. You can be poor and ignorant (but this kind of ignorant makes you my kind of wealthy, so that kind of negates the poor thing).

I like to give the gift of thinking well of someone to them. It’s a gift that can remove a weight, lift a spirit, and even provoke a smile. But – it can also change the atmosphere of a community.

Well, here’s to the ignorant folks who make their communities worth visiting!

Yep, you don’t have to live at Charley Creek to be ignorant. You can be ignorant right there in town – you just have to decide to do it on purpose and with intention.

And you know what I love best about giving the gift of thinking well of someone? I have a limitless supply and an ability to give it

This is me over here at Charley Creek saying what we need more of in this world is ignorant folks willing to be generous with it. Lol Y’all go make your communities blissful and I’ll keep Calling to the Good over here at Charley Creek! #ShopLocal #BeIgnorant SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK

by Jay Webster If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you

I’m going to have to get used to, and I’m aware of that. I just

likely know that each year I interview my daughter for an

don’t know what that’ll look like yet. I don’t know why, but

installment we call “What I Did Over Summer Break.” It

it does feel like such a significant step.

has become a fan favorite, though I’ve mentioned before that it’s hurtful because it includes the least of my actual writing talent.

That being said, here we go: (note: per usual, this interview is sponsored by the word “like”) J: Please tell the at-home audience your name and what grade you’re going into.

E: Hi, I’m Evanjalyn, and I am going into ninth grade.

J: Wow… okay. So it is time once again for our annual installment of “What I Did Over Summer Break.” You know, we’ve talked a lot here about transition seasons and how they can be challenging for people. This has actually been a pretty significant transition season for you this summer, hasn’t it?

E: It has, yeah, it’s been pretty crazy. I mean, okay, so this summer I started a lot of new things and also just stopped a lot of things that had been like pretty consistent in my life. And then, of course, I’m going into ninth grade, so I’m going into my freshman year, my first year of high school, yeah. So it’s just the whole situation is that I’m not necessarily scared of high school, or I wasn’t necessarily like scared of these upcoming things; it’s just that I know there’s going to be a lot of adjusting…so it’s just something 52

bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

J: I mean, you’re leaving middle school, and you had a great middle school career. (Laughs) You were really accomplished, but now you’re going to a bigger school, and for whatever reason, high school feels a little bit like, oh, this is a step into the rest of my life. Like, the classes you choose to take in high school, especially the electives, really have to do with your interests, like things you might like to do as a professional or in a career. So it is a big move. Not to be intimidating, but are you sure you don’t want to just drop out? (Laughs) E: (Laughs) Yeah, but it’s a big transition. When you’re a kid, you just like watch all these movies; it’s like there’s like a million about high school and having this amazing life.

That’s like completely like fictional, but…

J: I guess that’s true. There’s no movie titled “13 Candles.”

E: Yeah, so it’s like high school is this huge thing, and it, of course, only happens once in your life, so it’s something that everybody looks forward to, even from a young age.

J: Okay, so did you go on any kind of vacation this year?

E: Yes! My mom has always had a bucket list trip to go to Spain, and this year it finally happened. It was really, really cool.

FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK J: What was it like when you were anticipating the trip?

E: I was kind of like busy getting out of 8th grade. I

J: So now that you’ve been doing it for a little bit, what’s it like?

didn’t really have time to adjust. And I don’t want people to

E: Um, it’s okay. The first day, I was like, this is terrible.

think that I’m like this, like richy rich…like a person who just

Why would anybody sign up to do this? The second day,

gets to do this all the time. I was like, my parents saved this

I was like, Oh, this is terrible. I hate this, but it’s a little bit

money for a long time. And Mom has wanted to go since

better. And then we got back on Monday. Still terrible,

she was my age in middle school. Like, this is a really, really

but it’s not as bad as it was on Thursday and Friday. You

big thing for us.

understand why it’s like such a big commitment, with all

J: What were your overall impressions of the trip?

E: Well, my favorite city we visited is Barcelona. That was really cool. We went to Barcelona, Valencia, and

the practice hours we truly need.

J: What are you looking for, study-wise or experiencewise, or culturally as you head to high school?

Madrid, and while we were in Madrid, we did um, uh a day

E: So I’m really excited. I’m excited to do something

trip to Toledo. But my favorite place is Barcelona because

new. I like to switch it up every once in a while. So it’s like…

of the Sagrada Família, which is like the biggest cathedral

I’m so excited to just like expand my views and meet more

in the entire world. Yeah, it’s literally 200 years in the

people. Like, finding people who are really, really helpful to

making. Its architect was Gaudí, who was like this, like

me in becoming the best me, and vice versa, you know? I’m

really just crazy good architect, and it was really, really cool

excited to take more courses that align with what I want to

to see something that like… I don’t know. It’s just crazy to

do with my life and my career.

see something so intricate yet so huge. It was almost like powerful.

J: Hopefully, you won’t be too important or too big to do this with us next year. I appreciate it.

E: Okay, so I came home from the trip, and maybe a week or so later I started working on staff at On The Rock Ministries. Yeah, which is a really, really cool place in our hometown.

J: What kind of stuff were you doing for them?

E: It’s possible. Yeah, I mean I thought I was this year, but apparently not…

J: Anything you want to tell the at-home listening audience before we go live?

E: Yeah, be yourself…

E: I was doing a lot of work, doing a lot of like arts and crafts and stuff, but most of the time I was there, I was working at the soda fountain. We had ice cream and sodas, and a bunch of food. So I really, really enjoyed it, and I liked working with the kids most of the time… except when they

J: Okay, friends, thanks for joining us. Thank you, Evanjalyn Jayne Webster, the 3rd, for doing this with us one more year. How would you rate your summer as a whole on a scale from one to ten?

E: So, six-seven out of ten …

were like screaming a lot.

J: OK, thanks for that.

J: So did you feel like you had kind of crossed over since you had your first job and got paychecks and all that kind of stuff? Does that make you feel like, oh?

E: I mean, it felt like a new era when it started. I

You can hear my full interview with

Evanjalyn

don’t know, it was cool to get the paycheck, though. I

on

really like working with people my own age and all the

for

contemporaries. At least I have a few connections at the

podcast, available

high school before I go.

everywhere.

J: And then, in the last few weeks of summer, what did you do?

E: I started marching band as a percussionist. It was really, really, really hard. On the first day, I thought I was gonna cry and jump off a roof and bawl every night, and only listen to Radiohead for the rest of my life.

the

Hope Humans It’s

well worth a listen.

Until

next

month, let’s get on with doing the good we can do!

See you out in the Ville.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

53

FIREWORKS SHOW Sunday September 6th 8:15 PM @ Sooner Park

54

bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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Green Country Pet Cremation Service offers private pet cremation with timely return of ashes in your choice of a decorative wooden urn with an engraved nameplate. If no return of ashes is requested, the ashes will be gently scattered on a beautiful pastoral/garden property.

We are located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and gratefully serve pet owners from a wide area surrounding Bartlesville, Dewey, and Northeast Oklahoma.

For our fee schedule, please feel free to call us at any time.

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

Like us on

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Newly remodeled semi-private and private rooms available, subject to availability.

Bartlesville Health & Rehab Community provides a comprehensive continuum of senior healthcare services, all under one roof. Locally owned, BHRC offers 24-hour skilled nursing care along with inhouse physical, speech, and occupatonal therapy. We also provide specialized care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders within our newly remodeled, secure Memory Living Area. In addition, BHRC’s senior living apartments offer the independence of home while fostering comfort, connection, and the companionship of a supportive senior community. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (918) 333-9545.

Medicare, Medicaid, private pay, and most insurance plans accepted (Determined by on level of care).

3434 Kentucky Place • 918-333-9545 • www.bartlesvillehealthandrehab.com 44

bmonthly | JANUARY 2026

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

info@b-thelight.org

B THE LIGHT

B the Light Update: A Community Giving Back When we began to recognize the need for something different in Bartlesville, God placed a shared vision in both of our hearts—a vision that we are now watching become a reality.

We knew He had a plan and a purpose for His people, and we felt called to help create a lasting place where individuals could find hope, discover their God-given purpose and rebuild their lives for generations to come.

We have always said that this is not about one individual.

It is about what people can accomplish when they are given an opportunity, encouragement and the example of someone who has gone before them and shown that change is possible. Sometimes, people simply need to hear, “It can be done—and you can do it.”

As the new school year began, we were grateful to connect the children staying at the Mission with some of the wonderful programs and organizations available in our community. Pack the Backpacks provided each child with a backpack and the school supplies needed to begin the year prepared and confident.

A Sunday school class from First Wesleyan Church also donated funds to help our school-aged children purchase new clothes. Each child was able to begin school with a new pair of shoes, new jeans and a sharp outfit for the first day.

These may seem like simple things, but for a child entering a new school or beginning a new year, they can make an enormous difference.

It has also been wonderful to see the school bus arrive at B the Light Mission each morning to pick up our children and bring them safely home at the end of the day. We currently have 6 students attending schools; Wilson Elementary School, Central Middle School and Bartlesville High School.

Watching children of different ages head out each morning, ready to learn and experience the consistency of a normal school routine, is a beautiful reminder of why stable housing and community support matter so much.

Our adult residents are also making tremendous progress. One resident is returning to school to pursue a degree, while several others are now employed throughout the community. We are thankful for employers such as Paths to Independence, Blue Whale, Painted Horse, First Wesleyan Church, Oilfield Pipe and Supply, Ross Sprinkler System and Martha’s Task for giving our residents opportunities to work, grow and regain their independence.

would become: a place where people do more than get back on their feet. They discover their abilities, rebuild their confidence and begin contributing to the community that helped them along the way. As residents earn paychecks, pursue an education, care for their families and take responsibility for their futures, they become part of the community’s strength and success.

None of this would be possible without the volunteers who serve inside the Mission every day. They bring their knowledge, talents, strengths and deep ties to Bartlesville into our building.

Our volunteers represent many churches throughout the community, including First Wesleyan Church, New Hope Indian United Methodist Church, Pathway Christian Church, Legacy Church of Christ, St. John Catholic Church, East Cross Church, Miracle Temple, as well as many other organizations and businesses.

Although they come from different backgrounds, they serve together with the same purpose: to offer hope, encouragement and practical support to our residents. Each volunteer brings something unique, and together they are creating a strong network of care and opportunity around the people we serve.

The community continues to pour into B the Light Mission—and now, our residents are beginning to pour back into the community. They are proving that when people are given structure, encouragement, accountability and opportunity, lasting change is possible.

We have always known that we live in a community filled with generous and supportive people. But we also want those coming through B the Light Mission to recognize that they are the ones doing the hard work. They are taking the steps, making different choices and pulling themselves out of the situations that once held them back.

They do not need someone to do the work for them. They need the opportunity, encouragement and support to do it themselves. They need a hand up, not a handout.

To learn more about volunteering, donating or simply keeping up with everything happening at B the Light Mission, please visit www.b-thelight.org or email bthelightbville@gmail.com.

Thank you Bartlesville Keith and Christy

This is what we always hoped B the Light Mission SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

61

LOCAL LIVING

Triple Digit Heat to Continue

by Tim Hudson

Very hot local condition continue to create problems for many residents as local officials encourage people to be aware and act accordingly.

“The heat is continuing and from what I’m seeing in the forecast there’s no relief for at least the next 7 days” Washington County Emergency Management Director Kary Cox told the Wiley Post Friday.

“It’s not looking good.”

The area has seen very high temperatures for several weeks with heat indexes soaring and Cox says that while there haven’t been any deaths reported in conjunction with the hot conditions, heat related calls have been prevalent as of late.

“I know the ambulance has run on several heat related calls, there were 3 or 4 heat related runs today” he said.

“They are things like “a lady passed out in the back yard or someone is having chest pains after working outside.”

While the area is currently not under a burn ban, Cox says that officials are closely watching the conditions.

“We are seeing that flash drought is mostly the western part of the state but it’s been slowly progressing to the east the last few week. Probably by the end of the next week if the conditions continue as they are supposed to then the drought index could be in bad way locally” he said.

“Right now it is moderate here and in OKC it is severe and in some cases critical and it’s marching this way.”

Some local missions are a place people can go for some relief if necessary.

“Anytime the temperature or heat index goes over 100 degrees we are open” says Keith McPhail with B the Light.

“We are open everyday Monday through Thursday from 10 to 2 for showers, water, food, clothing, resources and to cool off if they need” he said adding that B the Light is also the headquarters for the Red Cross when there is a disaster in Washington, Nowata or Osage county.

Unfortunately the forecast calls for the weekend to be very hot and Cox says that Saturday is “looking at 115 heat index” and it takes only a few minutes to have an effect, noting that if people are working outside they should be vigilant of the heat and take a few precautions: “If you have to work outside take frequent breaks and definitely stay hydrated” he said. “You can’t drink enough water and you need electrolytes. You sweat all that out and you have to recharge.

It is also advisable for people working outside to wear light clothing and stay in as much shade as possible.

“Wear large brim hats and even long sleeves, as that can help with direct sunlight.

Sweating is your natural air conditioning but you have to replace the moisture” he said.

He also advises to check on neighbors and family that could be working outside.

“Especially those that are elderly because they can be easily affected by hot weather. Little things to help others can mean a lot” he said. “Let’s all stay safe.”

62

bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

What Lies Beneath...

Oklahoma’s Mining Legacy

by Brent Taylor Oklahoma’s history is often told through oil—derricks, boomtowns, wildcatters, and fortunes made beneath the prairie. But another extractive industry helped shape northeastern Oklahoma: the mining and smelting of lead and zinc.

Nowhere was that history more dramatic than in Ottawa County, a region that became part of the Tri-State Mining District. Mining began there in the late nineteenth century, but everything changed after a major ore discovery near present-day Picher in 1914. Mining reached its peak during the 1920s, with underground rooms and tunnels extending beneath a landscape increasingly dominated by mills, rail lines, mine shafts, and enormous piles of waste rock known as chat.

The ore beneath Ottawa County became especially important during the First and Second World Wars. Lead was essential for ammunition, while zinc had countless military and industrial uses.

Mining created jobs and communities and contributed to the industrial growth of the nation. The last significant production in Ottawa County was recorded in 1970. What remained were abandoned underground workings, contaminated water and millions of tons of mine tailings. Some chat piles rose as high as 200 feet above the surrounding land.

In 1979, water from the abandoned mines began flowing to the surface near Commerce and into Tar Creek. In 1983, the EPA added the Tar Creek site—encompassing roughly forty square miles of northern Ottawa County—to the Superfund National Priorities List.

Lead and other heavy metals were also discovered in residential soils, schoolyards and places where children played. Residents of Picher, Cardin and Hockerville were eventually offered relocation and buyout assistance, leaving behind communities that had once been home to generations of mining families.

Bartlesville has its own chapter in Oklahoma’s zinc story. Three zinc smelters—Lanyon-Starr, Bartlesville Zinc, and National Zinc— opened here in the early twentieth century, taking advantage of the region’s abundant natural gas. National Zinc remained an industrial presence in Bartlesville until 1997. Like Ottawa County, Bartlesville eventually confronted the environmental legacy left behind. Cleanup of the National Zinc site was completed in 2001, although long-term protections remain part of its environmental legacy.

There is an uncomfortable duality to this history. Mining and smelting created jobs, supported families, built towns and supplied metals that helped the United States through two world wars.

The people who worked in those mines and smelters were not abstractions in an environmental report. They were fathers and mothers, immigrants and farmers, ballplayers and church members. Their labor helped build modern America. Yet the land remembers something else as well.

Across northeastern Oklahoma, towering remnants of chat remind us that prosperity can leave debts for later generations to pay.

For me, this story is personal. My family has deep roots in northeastern Oklahoma, and I’ve spent the past year writing my debut novel about a fictional mining town shaped by this same landscape. It’s called Seven Hills, and it grew in part from what I knew about my own ancestors—Cherokee people and migrant miners whose lives were tied to this corner of Oklahoma. In the novel, a conversation between two boys who are leaving for college the next day captures the quiet resignation of coming of age in a place that is disappearing.

A gust moved across the field, lifting dust and chaff around their legs. Clay picked up the next bale. “You think we’ll come back?” Percy looked at Jasper, then at the road leading away from it. “I think we’ll spend the rest of our lives trying to decide what home means.” Clay laughed. “That’s not an answer.” “No,” Percy said. “But it’s probably the truth.” They worked until the wagon stood high with hay and the sun dropped lower over the hills. The field smelled of dust and cut grass. Clay looked at the wagon, at all that cut grass squared off and lifted into order. It made him feel proud and strong. Percy slapped him on the shoulder. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s finish this like champs. Might be our last shot at farming before we enter the genteel commerce of the mind.”

Although Seven Hills explores environmental injustice and the decline of an American mining town, it is ultimately a novel about inheritance—not only the inheritance of land, but of memory, faith, sacrifice, silence, and love. The book asks a question that has stayed with me throughout the writing: Does telling the truth about a place we love diminish it—or finally allow us to remember it whole?

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

63

When every second matters, confidence matters, too Nationally certified stroke care, here in Bartlesville No one plans for a stroke, but knowing where to turn can make all the difference. Jane Phillips Medical Center is now an award-winning, certified Primary Stroke Center, meeting national standards for timely evaluation, treatment and coordinated care — from the ER through treatment and recovery. Know where to go.

ascension.org/StJohnStroke

Jason L. King, MD Neurologist And the stroke specialists, ready to care for you If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, dial 911 or go directly to the ER.

64

bmonthly | SEPTEMBER 2026

© Ascension 2026. All rights reserved.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Care when and where you need it Kimberly N. Davis, MD Family Medicine

Appointments available — schedule today

Megan E. Giddens, PA-C Family Medicine

Family medicine is primary care for each member of the family.

When you or your child isn’t feeling well, getting care shouldn’t feel complicated. For minor illnesses and injuries that are not emergencies, your primary care doctor is a great place to start.

Our care team provides personalized care for minor illness or injury and ongoing needs, including: • Vaccinations

• Yearly physicals

• Screenings

• Connections to specialists, other services and Ascension Rx or your preferred pharmacy

• Care for new symptoms or chronic conditions Judy A. Carpenter, APRN, CNP Family Medicine

• Sick visits

• Care for emotional health

Ascension Medical Group St. John — Primary Care 3400 SE Frank Phillips Blvd., Suite 501 Bartlesville, OK 74006 Dori A. Raycob, APRN, CNP Family Medicine

Lyndee J. Taylor, APRN, CNP Family Medicine © Ascension 2026. All rights reserved.

To schedule an appointment, call 918-331-2415 or scan the QR code.

SEPTEMBER 2026 | bmonthly

65

Bartlesville’s Real Estate Elite!

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