You only think you know Sapulpa.
Every week we publish stories of Sapulpa's history, recalling both the events at the time, and the nostalgia for days gone by. Dig in and learn more about what the Sapulpa of yesteryear was like.
Proudly brought to you by the Sapulpa Historical Society Museum
This Week in Sapulpa History: A Reel-y Big Fire
One of the more significant fires in downtown Sapulpa happened today in 1952, when the Reel Drug Store, and The Royal Cafe, buildings that had already caught fire once, erupted into flames again.
July 7, 2024This Week in Sapulpa History: Busy July 1906
As Sapulpa went from June into July in 1906, the town was seeing a surge of new business, new oil strikes (and fires), and new entertainment. Read about what happened in Sapulpa this week in history.
June 28, 2024This Week in Sapulpa History: Frankoma Opens in Sapulpa
How do you define "Frankoma?" More than the pottery, more than the man who created them—Frankoma means family, hardship, reconstruction, and Sapulpa history. Read more inside.
June 22, 2024This Week in Sapulpa History – County Road, Infamous Highway
This week in history, Sapulpa's Lowdermilk Road—later part of the Ozark Trail and Route 66, opened up access to the communities west of Sapulpa.
June 6, 2024This Week in Sapulpa History: Chasing cars, bullets, and robbers
At 407 West McKinley, the Hotchkiss Grocery was closed for the night. Except it wasn’t empty; nor was it quiet, safe, and sound. The Hotchkiss Grocery store was robbed by two men.
June 1, 2024This Week in Sapulpa History – Sapulpan graduates without a single absence or tardy
Edith Alice Cooper became the first person in recorded Sapulpa history to attend school and not miss a single day. As it turns out, it was a characteristic that runs in the family!
May 25, 2024
Do You Remember The Wills Building?
The building that now houses the Sapulpa Historical Society Museum has been important to Sapulpa since the very beginning.
Do You Remember Gene Autry?
One of the most prolific country and western singers of all time got his start right here in Sapulpa!
Do You Remember CB Radios?
Before cell phones and the internet, the CB radio was sweeping the nation as the latest “fad.”
Do you remember cruising?
Read about the favorite pastime for a lot of people who grew up in Sapulpa, which included not only drag races for pink slips, but sports like "bushwacking."
Do You Remember…High School?
High school was a place where I was no longer a "little kid," but that didn't mean that there weren't hijinks from time to time.
Do You Remember…Blue Laws?
Blue Laws, like the one that's up for a vote on Tuesday, have largely been repealed, but a handful of them still exist.
Do You Remember … Your Parents’ Curfew?
Those of us who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s lived under strict rules of behavior. One of those rules was our curfew.
Do You Remember April Fools’ Day?
Is there still a place for April Fools' Day, in today's world of 24/7 satire?
Do You Remember S&H Green Stamps?
Before Reasor's Rewards or Warehouse Market's blue Magic Coins, there was S&H Green Stamps.
Do You Remember…George Brite?
During George Brite's thirty-four-year tenure at SPS, many of his students went on to become accomplished and widely-acclaimed musicians, conductors, and high school band directors.
Do You Remember The Fourth of Julys of Your Childhood?
When I was growing up, the Fourth of July meant many things. There were picnics with homemade ice cream, potato salad, watermelon, and BBQ. Flags were flown on just about every front porch. Concerts with stirring patriotic music were held in the courthouse gazebo. But the most enjoyable part of the Fourth of July involved…
Do You Remember … The Civil Rights Movement?
For nearly a century after emancipation, black people couldn’t eat at the same restaurants, use the same toilet facilities, stay at the same hotels, go to the same schools as whites, or live in certain places. And then a black woman refused to give up her bus seat and sparked the Civil Rights Movement.