Things Not in Tulsa Anymore: Bell's Amusement Park

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There was a video series out a few years ago titled “Things Not in Tulsa Anymore.” At the time, I thought it was kind of a cool video. In hindsight, and in view of the recent eviction notice given Bell’s Amusement Park, its a sad rather than nostalgic video, and a sad state of afairs in Tulsa. The producers of this video may have to create “Things Not in Tulsa Anymore - Part II.” You can thank an ambitious county commissioner for the distinct possibility of adding this Tulsa landmark on the list of Things Not in Tulsa Anymore. What’s could be next?

These are the type of occurences which signal the demise of what Tulsans know as "Tulsa."

I’m not opposed to economic development. To the contrary. But economic development can happen in conjunction with the preservation of historical aspects of the city.

Here is what I see is happening: all these historical and cultural “intangibles” are being or have already been razed, and there is nothing left of “Tulsa”. After a few years, and after the life has been sucked out of our city, we get people coming along with these “bold new projects” in order to create something exciting. The reason: there’s nothing in Tulsa that will bring people in.

My response to that reason: Its because the reasons that people have to fall in love with Tulsa have been destroyed - in the name of "development" which of late, usually means a huge tax increase.

Isn’t it a shame that anytime something like this happens, there’s some campaign money and political favors floating around it?

I cannot even begin to tell you how many fond memories I have of this park. Don’t get me wrong, its no Six Flags, but it’s still a part of Tulsa.

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