When Did OKC Talk Start?

[PhiAlpha]

Searched for the oldest threads with at least one reply, looks like the first one was April of 2004.

First Thread I could find: https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=5&highlight=

Interesting one about ownership: https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=57&highlight=

Search for oldest threads: https://www.okctalk.com/search.php?s...d=11247793&pp=

Also of note, HOTROD & BG918 have Midtowner beat by a few months (7/2004). TStheThird is the oldest member who is still active (was on today!) and joined on 6/6/2004.

Member search by join date: https://www.okctalk.com/memberlist.p...rder=&perpage=

[Pete]

^

Yeah, it was Todd (original owner), Patrick, and Keith were the moderators; I was added a couple of years later.

Todd was never very active or interested; he only had like 500 total posts.

[gjl]

When you click on a name in that Member search by join date link the number in the URL is the order of them signing up. That is true for a lot of forums. So even that first name in that list, Karried is #23 so there were 22 others that joined before that person. In April of 2004 I wasn't much into forums other than a couple that had to do with my car hobby. I didn't get my first smart phone until May, 2011 which was an iPhone 4. My wile was insisting that we didn't need them and now she uses hers more than I do.

[Pete]

^

Karried was also a moderator and continued to serve in that role for a while after my purchase.

[gjl]

I'm glad I started this thread. So much about this site I didn't know.

[Pete]

It's funny to think I ran this site from Southern California for about a decade, and it taking off was one of the primary reasons I moved back.

I've told this story many times, but it fits here...


I would come back to OKC about once a year, usually around Christmastime, and of course I always had a list of things I wanted to go check on and photograph. Each successive year that list became longer and longer to the point it was hard to squeeze everything in.

A big part of me wanted to move back but I was pretty deliriously happy in SoCal and had been out there two decades. I loved California as much as anyone could love it, so it was very, very hard to think about leaving.

Then, on one of my trips back, I was sitting at the bar at Slaughter's Hall (now closed in Deep Deuce) and I struck up a conversation with a couple who was visiting from out of town. I happily told them about all the great things they should see and do and they were clearly already impressed with the area.

As I was talking to them I noticed the female bartender -- the type of person you'd usually think was so cool they hated absolutely everything, especially Oklahoma -- and she had what appeared to be '405' tattooed on her arm. I had to ask, "Is that the *area code* tattooed on your biceps??" And this tragical hip young woman said, "Yes. There is a whole group of us that have them. Young creatives that really love OKC."

And that was it. I knew I had to be physically here and be apart of moving things forward.

About two years later, I did the reverse Grapes of Wrath (after literally crying tears as I pulled out of my old driveway for the last time). That was eight years ago this week!