Sapulpa author Kirby Davis is hoping readers will hear “the great beckoning” of the city’s past—and respond.
In a recent interview with Sapulpa Times, Davis discussed his newly released two-book series, The Great Beckoning, which explores Sapulpa’s history from its earliest days through the rise of Route 66. Both books are now available, marking a milestone not just for the author, but for local history enthusiasts eager for fresh material.
“We had hoped to have them done sometime this spring,” Davis said. “I foolishly said I could get them done in about three months, and it actually took about five.”
Despite the delays, the timing still aligns with a broader effort to celebrate the upcoming centennial of Route 66. The books are part of a larger series of events and initiatives designed to build momentum throughout the year, including community giveaways and future projects tied to Sapulpa Main Street and the Sapulpa Historical Society.
Davis said the response has already exceeded expectations. Both books reached bestseller status on Amazon in niche categories, including railroad history and U.S. local history.
“When I say we had a bestseller… on the chart ‘history of railroads,’ we were the number one new release,” Davis said. “We also made top new release on the history of United States local and state, which was a pretty large list.”
While the rankings may be specialized, Davis emphasized that they still reflect strong reader interest—especially for a work focused on a small Oklahoma town.
The first book in the series traces Sapulpa’s origins, beginning with Native American settlement and the arrival of the railroad. Davis said it was important to start with that foundation.
“Let’s start with the fact that we’re named Sapulpa… based on a Creek Indian name who decided to settle here,” he said, noting that early trade routes and westward expansion played a major role in shaping the area.
From there, the story builds into what Davis calls one of the most pivotal chapters in the city’s history: the rise—and eventual loss—of the railroad as a central economic force.
Sapulpa once served as a major regional hub for the Frisco Railroad, with jobs, commerce and development tied closely to its presence. But by the late 1920s, a combination of geographic limitations, water supply issues and competition from Tulsa led to a dramatic shift.
“Overnight… they ripped up everything but two lanes of rails,” Davis said of the railroad’s departure. “Sapulpa at that point lost all the high-paying jobs… the businesses that were there because of the Frisco… and the prestige.”
The event—referred to in the book as the “Great Divorce of 1928”—serves as a turning point, closing out the first volume on a note Davis describes as both sobering and hopeful.
“It’s a crossroads,” he said. “Are we going to let this put us down, or are we going to rise up and go forward?”
That question carries into Book Two, which shifts focus to the rise of the automobile and the development of highways, including Route 66. Davis said the transition from rail to road reshaped not just Sapulpa, but the entire country.
“The heart of that was the highway network,” he said. “If you didn’t build that, there’s nowhere for this place to go.”
The books are designed as accessible, fast-paced reads, priced at $9.99 and available through Amazon’s print-on-demand system. A hardcover, full-color edition is also in development, though Davis said it may take more time.
“We decided not to rush this,” he said. “She wants to do something really special… the book that you treasure.”
For now, Davis hopes the paperback editions will spark renewed interest in Sapulpa’s past—and its future.
“I refer to it as one of the little-known stories of the American West,” he said. “We want to make it more accessible and an easy read—something people will enjoy and come back to.”
And if the early success is any indication, that story is already finding its audience.
Watch the full interview on YouTube: