'OKC: Second Time Around' Book Launch Tonight!!!

[ksearls]

Full Circle Press to Launch 'OKC: Second Time Around'

Thursday, November 2 at 6:30 p.m.

From the run of 1889 when 10,000 strangers came together in one day to build a city until the beginning of the turbulent sixties, Downtown has been the commercial, retail and entertainment heart of Oklahoma City.

In the subsequent forty years, the city struggled to re-imagine and rebuild and in the process overcome the centrifugal forces of suburban growth and a brutally cyclical commodity based economy.

OKC: Second Time Around is the narrative and visual history of that unique experience. It is a tale of false starts and misconceptions, of leadership and pedestrian politics, of terrorism and its remarkable after effects, and ultimately of the astonishing resilience of a community's common vision of what it could become.

Steve Lackmeyer and Jack Money provide the narrative that pulls together the almost serendipitous combination of circumstances that resulted in today's growing, vibrant, downtown Oklahoma City.

Illustrated with more than 250 historic photographs, OKC: Second Time Around will provide fascinating reading for those who have lived this renaissance, for students of Oklahoma history, as well as all those interested in the peculiar, frail and highly individual nature of a city's reinvention.

The publication of OKC: Second Time Around is a milestone for Oklahoma City and the Full Circle. Please join the authors Jack Money and Steve Lackmeyer in a signing and celebration on Thursday, November 2 at 6:30 p.m.

[ksearls]

OH, Sorry! It is at Full Circle Bookstore, 50 Penn Place.

Kim

[The Old Downtown Guy]

I stood in a long line with lots of other OKCitians last night at Jim Tolbert's Full Circle Book Store to pick up this new book and chat with Steve and Jack while they added their personal inscriptions. Abundant wine and snacks combined with lots of conversation with old friends and new aquaintences made the one hour wait fly by.

A good overview by State Historical Society Director Bob Blackburn gets it off to a good start and I'm looking forward to getting into it this weekend; also to seeing what Doug puts up here.

My personal thanks to Jim Tolbert for his years of community service, having the courage and determination to keep Full Circle open and committing his personal and financial resources to this publication project. Jim and Beth's tireless efforts make our city a better place to live.

[Doug Loudenback]

Da-amn! I got caught up working on a case and I forgot to go! Oh, well ... I'll drop by today and pick up a copy ... can't wait to get my hands on it! I'd have loved to hear Bob Blackburn's talk cause he's the really authtentic Oklahoma City historian guy (as well as the state's) these days. Bob's contributions are beyond measurement.

And, yes, I absolutely agree with what you said about Jim Tolbert! What a great job he has done ...

Thanks for the good report, ODTG!

[Steve]

Doug, your web site inspired the inside cover pages.
- Steve Lackmeyer

[Doug Loudenback]

Doug, your web site inspired the inside cover pages.
- Steve Lackmeyer

WOAH! That's tooooo cool and beyond belief! I am (altogether and at the same time) humbled, amazed, and, to be sure, proud!

Thanks, so much, Steve! Sorry I forgot about the event last night but shortly I'll be at Full Circle Bookstore to pick up what I'm sure is a fantastic contribution to Oklahoma City's literary and pictoral history! I read and enjoy every article you write in the Oklahoman!

Keep up the great work, and I'm glad you came here with your dad so many years ago! You are a fantastic ambassador for this home of mine, yours, and ours!

[Steve]

Thanks Doug. Just get ready to update the map on your web site.
- Steve Lackmeyer

[Doug Loudenback]

Thanks Doug. Just get ready to update the map on your web site.
- Steve Lackmeyer

The "map" on my website has been in the "updating" process since ... January 2006? But, then, my emerging Hornets compulsive/obcessive object consumed me and that topic took over the obcessive/compulsive time that I had available ... and then, in July the computer on which I maintain and upload to my server quit ... power supply, I think, so I resorted to alternative things rather than fixing it ... which accounts for the origin of Doug Dawgz Blog (since it's an on-line thing) and I started uploading pics at Photobucket instead of to my server for the blog project ... one of these days, I'll get back to the updating of the downtown map and pics stuff.

The last version of my later and greater revised clickable map (which I've not worked on for months ... I think this one was done in May) is ... (the Old Downtown Guy guilted me into expanding the boundaries, so he's to blame (in part) for the slow progress ... ha ha! no, he was right and it's just my fault for not getting it done ...). Since May, lots of stuff has occurred what with Banta's purchases (among other developments and items) which are not shown in the image below ...



... but it's still waaaaay incomplete and is not ready for prime time! But, with those kind words of yours, maybe I'll find the motivation to get back to that project, fix the broken computer, and start uploading once again!

Now, I'm off in my Hornet's Car to go to Full Circle to get your book! Maybe 2!

[Pete]

I can't find the book on amazon.com...

Is it only available in OKC area bookstores?

[Midtowner]

I'm excited to see this book.

Sounds like a good one.

[John]

Had a great time last night. I didn't get to hang around because I had to make it to Rose State for the governors debate.

Awesome book. Good work Steve and Jack!

[Steve]

Thanks for all the kind words. Hopefully this answer won't come across as overly self promotional or violate board rules. If so, I apologize.
Look for the book at Full Circle Books, 50 Penn Place, ground floor. We are favoring locally owned establishments first - The Painted Door in Bricktown, the gift shop at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will be the next addition for place our books will be sold at.
You can also order the books online at Full Circle Bookstore.
If you want to learn more about the book, you can read a story in this week's Gazette, OKC Business or online at NewsOK.com | Powered by The Oklahoman and NEWS 9.

[ksearls]

Steve,

It was a fun night! What a great crowd. The smile on your face was worth the wait! We are proud of you.

Kim

[Doug Loudenback]

Just got back from the Full Circle Bookstore. What a great place!

Steve's book is absolutely magnificent from the vantage point of one who enjoys Oklahoma City history. OKC, Second Time Around, A Renaissance Story, covers the 1955-2006 period of time.

The back cover jacket somewhat describes the time span covered ...

Downtown is dead and we helped kill it. There is no major retail, no major attraction and no place to eat. -- Oklahoma City Councilman I.G. Purser, April 17, 1988

[DL note: the above may have been immediately before the MAPS tax vote ... I've not checked]

... today Oklahoma City's downtown is thriving. The Bricktown district is buzzing with nightlife, people are moving downtown ... add to that two successful stadiums, a performing arts center, a central library, a "Riverwalk" type canal, clubs and restaurants, and the downtown of the once-sleepy city ... is bustling. -- Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2005

Inside the book are outstanding images Doug Dawgz eyes have never lusted over before ... too many to mention, but a few that stand out are ... Interior of the Criterion Theater (p. 5 and absolutely gorgeous), detailed images on what was proposed in the original Pei Plan, including drawings of the kinds of buildings we would all like to have seen develop but did not, and many others ... and, personal to me, an image on page 55 of my former boss and friend (and godfather of my outstanding son), lawyer Bill Peterson, but as a sculptor who poses with a bust of Charles Colcord he made for the lobby of the Colcord Building (p. 55).

But, there is so much more ... and the book is well indexed and tells the text story so very well of this period.

I bought 2 copies, one for me, and one for Bill Peterson's godson (for a Christmas gift, so don't tell him if you know him ... he's developing his dad's interest in Oklahoma City history, too!). Bill Peterson's godson's name is David, and I'm right proud of my little boy (though he is much bigger than me, these days)! We'll be going to the Hornets opener in Okc next Tuesday, with his son and my grandson, Tyler, ...

MY RATING: 5 stars ... a superior contribution to Oklahoma City historic stuff.

Steve earlier said that something I'd done at my website had "inspired" an inside cover ... well, if that is so, it was so much better done in Steve's book than anything at my website that it was beyond my ability to see any similarities! Ha ha!

MalibuSooner, you asked where to get this book. It was published by Full Circle Press (same as the bookstore) and as far as I know the only place to get the book is from it's website (other than what Steve mentioned, The Painted Door, the gift shop which is part of Nonna's in Bricktown) ... Full Circle Bookstore ... the cost is $39.95 and the money is well spent, imo.

Of course, being an Okie junkie, and not having been to Full Circle for many months, I had to have a look around ... before I left, my pocketbook was about $220 lighter ... there is no place in Oklahoma City that I know of that has a better range of books about Oklahoma and/or Oklahoma City than does Full Circle Bookstore ... and, sadly, that includes the Oklahoma History Center's gift shop ... it would do well to emulate the offerings of this great locally owned book shop at 50 Penn Place!

Addendum for ksearls: I've stopped by your place at least 3 times to meet you ... my barber is immediately to the west of your shop ... but you've never been there! I get only 4-5 haircuts annually, so it's a hit and miss proposition! Maybe next time, in December or so.

[y_h]

Just got back from the Full Circle Bookstore. What a great place!

Oh, man. I was there around 3:30 p.m. so we must have just missed each other. Quite a shame as I would have loved to have said hello.

I picked up a copy of the book from the display table and made mention of the fact that I was taking it home with me to St. Louis. The store clerk was kind enough to swap the one in my hand out for a signed copy at no extra charge. Just another reason why Oklahomans are high on my list of the friendliest people in the world.

I haven't had time to really get into the book yet (I'm still in the midst of catching up on all of the mail and other nonsense I missed while I was vacationing in OKC) but do plan on taking it in from cover to cover as soon as I can. I'm sure it will remain an excellent tonic for any time I'm feeling a bit "Oklahomesick."

[Doug Loudenback]

Oh, man. I was there around 3:30 p.m. so we must have just missed each other. Quite a shame as I would have loved to have said hello.

I picked up a copy of the book from the display table and made mention of the fact that I was taking it home with me to St. Louis. The store clerk was kind enough to swap the one in my hand out for a signed copy at no extra charge. Just another reason why Oklahomans are high on my list of the friendliest people in the world.

I haven't had time to really get into the book yet (I'm still in the midst of catching up on all of the mail and other nonsense I missed while I was vacationing in OKC) but do plan on taking it in from cover to cover as soon as I can. I'm sure it will remain an excellent tonic for any time I'm feeling a bit "Oklahomesick."

Thanks, y_h, yes, I would have liked to visit with you, also.

[Doug Loudenback]

Continuing the review ... the 3rd and last part

This synopsis covers Chapters 9- 14 and the Epilog of Steve Lackmeyer and Jack Money's OKC – Second Time Around, and gives my concluding impressions.

Chapter 9 is called, "Downtown is dead, and we helped kill it," a quote from Councilman I.G. Purser in 1988, alluding to the destroyed-but-not-replaced buildings largely along the south side of downtown, the loss of downtown's retail commerce, eateries, movies, and just about anything that is just plain fun for a person to do. Surveys showed that Oklahoma Citians had a low opinion of their city and its government and that many if not most would live elsewhere, given the opportunity.

Chapter 9 begins the remarkable story of how Ron Norick, elected mayor in 1987, turned that seemingly unchallengeable tide. One is left with the impression that, if he did not do that single-handedly, without him it is most likely that the tide would not have been turned at all, at least not within our lifetimes.

In political parlance, Oklahoma City is not what is called a "strong mayor" form of municipal government. See Mayor-council government - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia if you want a mini-course about that. Even so, reviewing the period of time between 1987 through the end of Mayor Norick's second term in April 1998, the authors leave no doubt that Mayor Norick knew what had to be done and that he was willing to risk his political position to at least attempt to accomplish it. Urban Renewal had stalled out and, in many substantial ways, failed, and downtown Oklahoma City was continuing to wither on the vine as a place that people would want to be and/or go after 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and/or at any time during weekends.

Sure, several new buildings resulted from Urban Renewal before the Oil Bust, the fall of Penn Square Bank and the ensuing series of bank failures which rippled not only through Oklahoma but the country – Kerr-McGee Tower, Oklahoma Tower, Murrah Federal Building, Fidelity Bank, Leadership Square, Corporate Towers, Myriad Convention Center, Myriad Gardens, and some others, but, notwithstanding, a desolate and vast hole existed between much of downtown south of Park Avenue to Interstate 40 and that area's environs, excepting a place here or there (e.g., Myriad Gardens). In some limited ways, Oklahoma Citians had been willing to tax themselves – e.g., for zoo improvements but not for library and other public needs.

Chapter 9 might be seen as sort of Mayor Norick's "learning" phase – he spearheaded efforts to locate a major United Airlines Maintenance facility here – close but no cigars as Okc lost out to Indianapolis, among other failed initiatives.

Why were we close but always losers, the mayor wondered. "When people hear of Oklahoma City, they just draw a blank," he concluded. "People just don't have a clue about who we are. I just think that we have got to do something."

Chapter 10 is sort of a "catalyst" chapter. The Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and the mayor had similar if not identical notions of what was needed to turn the tide. Not without dissension, the mayor knew his head and forged ahead, putting together a task force of both those who he thought might be adversaries and not, their purpose being to come up with a grand plan. A principle of Norick's vision was "mass" -- for most of the projects to be centered downtown so that one project could feed off of another ... some elements of which were contrary to the wishes of formidable Oklahoma Citians and/or interests, e.g., E.L. Gaylord wanted a new arena at the Fairgrounds, some wanted a totally new cultural center and not just an updated Civic Center Music Hall, etc., etc., etc. However, Mayor Norick, firmly involved in the process, held his ground. Of course, other projects were also involved ... upgrading the Convention Center, a new library, river improvement and development through south of downtown – and – canals and stuff in that ignored part of town that Neil Horton's dreams were hooked upon, Bricktown.

He wanted to proceed forthwith to put the grand design to a vote of the people, asking them to impose a penny sales tax upon themselves for five years to pay for the privilege!

Prior polling suggested passage to be unlikely. "The numbers, Deck and other task members decided, were bad, and almost everyone at the table the election might need to be postponed, at least until after the next mayoral election in March 1994. Instead of going along, Mayor Norick became increasingly adamant that the election needed to be held soon. "You know what?" Norick told the group. "I don't want to be mayor if we don't at least try to do this. If we take a shot at this and it doesn't pass and that in results in me not being re-elected, then so be it."

Chapter 11, "Swing the Vote," involves the efforts of getting people on board so that the vote might succeed, and how it happened. It was not always easy.

Newspaper publisher Edward L. Gaylord was among the skeptics. "You must be crazy," Gaylord responded after hearing the plan. "You'll never get it passed. And besides, that canal is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of."

But, others like Joel Levine, conductor of the symphony, made speeches supporting a new ball park for the city, and sports enthusiasts talked about the importance of bringing musicals and opera to the town.

As he campaigned, Norick remained focused upon the plan as a whole and what he felt it would do for the city. "Are you willing to defeat your symphony because you don't like baseball?" Norick asked arts patrons. He also rallied the senior vote, telling older city residents the plan was about the future. "You may not like it. You may not even be around for it. But, aren't your grandkids?"

Rick Horrow, paid Florida based conslultant but catching the fever, called the plan, "the boldest he had ever seen by a city to improve itself by dramatically raising the quality of life of its residents." Attendants at a December 1993 Myriad Convention Center rally were counseled by Coach Barry Switzer: "'The ball is on the one-yard line,'" Switzer screamed, closing out his talk in a manner he might have used with his players a time or two. "Let's put it in the end zone ... and then we'll be number one in the twenty-first century! You have got chance to make a difference, damn it! Do something about it!'"

Dirty tricks, all! But with these tactics and against all odds, the initial MAPS vote passed 54%-46%. Oklahoma Citians had just taxed themselves $200-$300 millions of dollars upon a dream of what they wanted their city to be like.

But, would it happen?

Chapter 12, "An Unexpected Challenge", describes the singular more horrific event to occur in our city, the Murrah Bombing. You know about it. I know about it. I still don't like focusing on it, so I'll indulge myself here and pretty much skip it, except to say that the words and graphics are as excellent as verbal and visual description can said to be upon such a topic. Sorry ... best I can do.

Chapter 13, "Butchering the Steer," is perhaps the most agonizing chapter in the book. It describes the infighting and politics that somehow managed to spit out a finished product. I'm not a fan of fiefdom's and self-interest and such things, so I did not like this chapter, even though it was necessary to the story.

In addition to the above, the public was becoming anxious as time went on with no dirt turned. Even sports writers like John Rhode got into the act:

Obviously, we all want MAPS to be handled correctly. But let's pick up the pace. How 'bout it, MAPS people? Sign some contracts. Dig a hole. Move some dirt. Lay some concrete. Plow down the old. Start building the new. When can you start? Sometime yesterday would be nice.

It didn't help that "supporter" Earnest Istook, who was in a Congressional position to make a difference, opposed the plan's light rail element, favoring instead bus-like trolleys. It didn't help that erroneous reporting occurred in the Oklahoman about the depth (14") of the Bricktown Canal. It didn't help that the NHL turned down Oklahoma City's bid to be an expansion team (but, personal privilege here taken, "Thank you, God!")

But, John Q. Hammons did take notice of what was going on and announced that he would build a hotel north of the Myriad Convention Center (the Renaissance Hotel).

In all of this, this reader is left with the unmistakable impression that Ron Norick was a maestro over presiding over diversity, chaos, unmet schedules, but, more, putting a vision before the city and encouraging them to dream ... sounds something like a Neal Horton with a pulpit, doesn't he?

Mayor Norick did not seek another term of office. Before his term was done, it was evident that construction costs and/or perhaps revenue generated (maybe both) did not result in these two items of the equation being equal: Cost to Do = Resources at Hand. So, what to do? Clip the sports arena (Ford Center)? What?

Councilman Frosty Peak said, "Absolutely not!", as to asking the city to impose an extension of the penny sales tax for 6-8 months to a year. The council did not act before Norick's term expired.

The ensuing campaign mainly pitted Guy Lieberman, the front-runner, who would scrap the sports arena, against Kirk Humphreys, who campaigned on a message to "Finish MAPS Right." He said, "By golly, we've come this far – let's finish it first class." In the runoff, Humphreys won hands down, 69% to 31%.

After the election, more than 13,000 fans attended the Bricktown Ballpark for its opening as outgoing Mayor Ron Norick threw the opening pitch.

In the process, many longtime residents rediscovered downtown for the first time in years. "This is a great place," said Jason Lively, a south Oklahoma City resident. "But I didn't know how much work they've done here. I'm going to come bak more often." "MAPS is really doing the trick," agreed James Chenney, an accountant who worked downtown.

First-time visitors to the park were surprised by its quality. As they walked the park's concourse, they were seen alternatively grinning from ear to ear and then looking around wide-eyed like a five-year-old child who just got his first bike for Christmas.

Chapter 14: A Real Life Sim City

The introduction on page 159 pretty much tells the tale and all that follows:

The public's attitude towards MAPS clearly had been in the upswing as the countdown began for the opening of Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark. The cynicism had faded, replaced by a new enthusiasm not just for the projects themselves, for all of downtown.

But, the holdover issue, whether to put to yet another vote of the people to continue to tax themselves a bit longer for the sports arena, proper funding for the convention center, fairground and river projects, had not been decided by the council to be put to a vote of the people.

Despite lingering controversies, Humphreys and allies at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce were growing confident they might persuade the public to extend the MAPS tax just enough to "Finish Maps Right." But would it pass? Throughout the history of downtown and river development, the city fathers had always dreamed u0p big plans for the future. Early efforts to tame the river, Pei's plan for downtown urban renewal and McGee's vision of a Myriad Gardens, all moved from drawing boards to construction. Each time, however, funding fell short. And each time, the visionaries had been forced to cut their dreams short of what originally had been planned.

Humphreys was nearing a decision about whether to gamble against history.* * *
***
[As to surveys], This is what caught Humphrey's eye. Nearly forty-four percent of those polled supported extending the MAPS sales tax to finish the projects right – up from just twenty-four percent in the earlier survey."It's not a slam dunk, but it looks winnable if we run the right kind of campaign," Humphreys concluded. He also reasoned that a vote on extending the tax could be interpreted as a referendum on whether he was doing a good job as mayor. "If they don't support it, then fine. I'll get out of the way and let someone else lead [sounds like he took a page from what Mayor Norick said several years earlier ... a good page to take].

Only council member Shwartz opposed the plan, doubtless considering the much earlier promise that the tax would not be extended. Even councilman Lieberman, Humphrey's mayoral opponent who had campaigned on a contrary platform, said, before the council's 8-1 vote,

I hope the citizens will support this. For the good of Oklahoma City, I think I have to support it and I will campaign for it.

On December 8, 1998, 44,000+ voters said, "Yes! We'll pay to finish it right", and, so, as a result, I got to attend 29 Hornets games last season, 2 preseason games this year and the home openener tomorrow night with my son and grandson!

There's lots and lots more, but this is a good enough place to end this long 3rd part review, and I'll even skip the last "Chapter" called "Epilogue". We know about that, don't we ... Maps for Kids, development of the Triangle, the Oklahoma River, and everything else.

Concluding Observations:

In retrospect, it seems to me that the authors have the same blood flowing in them as Neil Horton, a visionary, even if Horton did not have a pragmatic base, and of visionaries Ron Norick, and later, Kirk Humphreys, who were also visionaries but who possessed a measure of authority to make things happen. Other visionaries abound in this book as well.

The authors know of the Oklahoma City when many who lived here were not proud to say that they did, and they know of those live here now who are and who cannot wait until the next day dawns and the next development occurs. Count me as a member of both groups, then and now.

[shane453]

Doug, I knew you would love that book!

If any of you don't already have the book, get it ASAP- it's definitely a must for anyone who wants to ever post about the urban renewal and renaissance periods of OKC history... ever.

How many threads are there on this website (and others like it) trying to sort out IM Pei's plans and the this and that of urban renewal-- Steve and Jack did it, and it took them 7 YEARS. We should all be very grateful!

Besides the info, there is a wealth of pictures in this book of unrealized projects, destroyed buildings, old street scenes, Pei Plan renderings... It's amazing.

[Steve]

Doug, I've lost contact with Bill Peterson and haven't been able to find him to let him know the book is out. Can you help?
-Steve

[Doug Loudenback]

Doug, I've lost contact with Bill Peterson and haven't been able to find him to let him know the book is out. Can you help?
-Steve

He lives near my home ... later today, or tomorrow, I'll walk over to his home and try and catch him ... and show him his pic, and let him know you'd like to get in touch.

[Doug Loudenback]

This follows up my initial "review" of this marvelous book by Steve Lackmeyer & Jack Money. My 1st was based upon a "quick look" through each of the pages. This one is based on actually reading all of the text through the 1st 6 chapters, from the preferatory pages (small Roman numeral pages) through Arabic page 70 (the entire Arabic pages total 186, excluding the 10 pages of footnotes and index at the end.

And, these are "large" pages ... it's a "coffee table" size book.

Although lavishly illustrated with gorgeous images throughout, this book isn't just "pretty", it is a true "history" book which details the activity associated with downtown Oklahoma City as to events occurring from 1955-6 forward to the present day. I'm not a "fast" reader, and reading all the text takes time ... and don't think that the overall length of the book (196 Arabic pages plus several in the first which are Roman numeral pages) means that it is "short". I'm just guessing, but I'd suppose that the "text" portions of each page are probably 8 point font size, maybe 7, so that's a lot of text on each magnificent page. This is a "serious" history book, unlike any other I've seen of Oklahoma City history in its detail.

After numerous acknowledgments, the book begins with a magnificent 2 page "Foreword" by Bob Blackburn, Executive Directory of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

The Chapters are: (1) Urban Renewal, (2) "Downtown of Excellence", (3) A New Downtown, (4) Urban Renewal's Demise, (5) Neal Horton, (6) Big Plans, (7) The Crash, (8) Bricktown's Second Chance, (9) "Downtown is dead, and we helped kill it", (10) Visions of a New Frontier, (11) Swing the Vote, (12) An Unexpected Challenge, (13) Butchering the Steer, (14) A Real Life SimCity, and (E) Epilogue.

Having closely read through Chapter 6, I've not been disappointed in a single paragraph or page (save the nit-picky comments about the Criterion being a Cinerama theater, below). I've learned more stuff that I didn't know in pages 1-70 than I've read in hundreds of other pages elsewhere!

I said I rated the book 5 stars (highest rating) in my earlier "quick" review. I now give it a 5++++ stars. It is wonderful. It is a gem.

Not to detract from that opinion, the authors did get one thing wrong in some of their preliminary remarks ... when talking about the Criterion Theater on pages 5-6. On those pages, it is said that, "As late as 1960, Cooper Theaters was upgrading its stately Criterion Theater in downtown Oklahoma City, making it the state's only Cinerama Cinema."

Unless I am badly misinformed, the Criterion was never converted to Cinerama ... but, in fact, the former Harber (even before that, the Liberty) was, becoming the Cooper Cinerama in 1960. It was on Robinson, west side, immediately north of the Colcord. I think that probably the authors confused the Criterion at 118 W. Main with the Cooper in the 100 block of North Robinson. For more about downtown Okc theaters, see Doug Dawgz Blog: Let's Go Downtown To The Movies .



But, the Cooper wasn't the 1st Okc Cinerama (and not that the authors said that it was) ... around 1953-56 or so, the building which was originally the Overholser Opera House (1903), to become the Orpheum (1921), to become the Warner (1928), became Oklahoma City's 1st cinerama theater around 1953-56 at 217 W. Grand (Sheridan). It was razed in 1964. It is shown below in a 1956 or 1957 pic:



And, Tulsa had Cinerama theaters, too, though I'm not sure if there was one in 1960. Below is an advertisement for the Fox, which opened in 1966, advertising for Kubrick's Space Odyssey ...



... and in 1965 the Continental Cinerama opened in the NW part of town (now destroyed) and Tulsa had one of those, too.

But, aside from these nit-picky comments about Cinerama theaters in Oklahoma City, and that the Criterion was not one of them, I have nothing but praise for this great book.

[Doug Loudenback]

Continuing the review ...

I've gotten through Chapters 7-8, doubtless the hardest to read so far. Details of the Penn Square Bank and Oil Bust and Bricktown's "Second Chance."

But, to me, the emotional focus is clearly the story of Neal Horton which began in Chapter 5. Though it's a vast oversimplification for me to say, the book clearly portrays him as a visionary and one determined to succeed in developing Bricktown but who never did ... but not because he didn't give his vision all he had. Developing financial, health, and marriage issues, shortly before his death, he was homeless. Only with the financial assistance of some friends during the last months of his life would he even have a roof over his head.

The following quote picks up during this period ... Bricktown had turned the corner ...

The city, which for years had refused to participate in any Bricktown improvements, finally chipped in $444,000 toward improving sidewalks, curbs, and landscaping. Brewer, Tolbert, and Karchmer had also worked with the city to create an urban design committee to oversee building facade renovations. Despite his bad health and vanished fortune, Horton still presented himself with class when accepting visitors. He still wore the freshly pressed white shirts, a habit from his days he could not quite shake.

On a cold December day in late 1992, Karchmer visited Horton at his Seven Oaks Apartment. "The first nice spring day, I'm going to come get you, bring you down to Bricktown and drive you around," Karchmer said. Horton agreed - he was eager to see the old warehouses again. Horton, however, did not make the trip. Before then, he made one last trip to the hosiptal, where he finally succumbed to the emphysema that had dogged him since Bricktown had slipped from his grasp.

In his dying days, even Horton could not imagine was next for Bricktown ...

Horton's story smacks me as being the stuff of a modern day Shakespeare tragedy. You've gotta like this classy guy ...

Oh, yeah, these guys really know how to tell a story.

[Doug Loudenback]

Steve, if you're reading, I dropped by Bill Peterson's house this afternoon ... no one was home but I dropped a printout of this thread (through last night) in his mail slot with a note.

[Steve]

Thanks Doug, and thanks for your kind words.
You are, of course, correct about the ultimate outcome on the cinerama. To clarify, we were trying to portray what was going on at that moment, in 1960, when Cooper Theaters had designated the Criterion for Cinerama and they were boasting it would be the only such theater. Looking back, though, I wish we could have made the ultimate outcome of that clearer.

As an aside, it's interesting to note that at one point in history almost all the downtown theaters were owned by one person. But that story is for another day.

Doug, I have some videos you might want to see. They're posted online with the news article at newsok.com, but I'd be glad to get you the actual DVD of the videos if you would like to display them on your site.
- Steve Lackmeyer

[Doug Loudenback]

Thanks Doug, and thanks for your kind words.
You are, of course, correct about the ultimate outcome on the cinerama. To clarify, we were trying to portray what was going on at that moment, in 1960, when Cooper Theaters had designated the Criterion for Cinerama and they were boasting it would be the only such theater. Looking back, though, I wish we could have made the ultimate outcome of that clearer.

As an aside, it's interesting to note that at one point in history almost all the downtown theaters were owned by one person. But that story is for another day.

Doug, I have some videos you might want to see. They're posted online with the news article at newsok.com, but I'd be glad to get you the actual DVD of the videos if you would like to display them on your site.
- Steve Lackmeyer

WOW! I just noticed this one (I was busy doing a search in the Oklahoman's archives, don't you know! )

What a kind offer! I'll send you a PM about it.