The Tulsa Driller was originally built in 1953 by the Mid-Continent Supply Company of Fort Worth for the International Petroleum Exposition. Six years later, it was temporarily erected again for the 1959 show. Due to the positive attention it attracted, the company donated the statue to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds Trust Authority which had it permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center for the 1966 International Petroleum Exposition. The statue's right hand rests on an oil derrick which had been moved from a depleted oil field in Seminole, Oklahoma. Just a few weeks ago the Tulsa Driller was cleaned and repainted and given a clean Bill of Health. He should be around for another 50 years.
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How interesting. I like it a lot.
ReplyDeleteSydney - City and Suburbs
An extraordinary structure.
ReplyDeleteLooks as if he could do with a Superman cloak.
Lucy
Nice pics. The Driller and the Praying Hands are the two icons of Tulsa for me.
ReplyDeleteBig guy, he should play basketball! :-D
ReplyDeleteWhat an informative story behind this structure.
ReplyDeleteHe looks pretty cool towering over the building and all.
I wonder if a coat of paint would give me another fifty years?
ReplyDeleteI love taking pictures of statues. This Tulsa Driller is a great one.
ReplyDeleteExcellent photo of the Tulsa Driller. I like your blog, thanks for keeping it so nice.
ReplyDeleteSantos Martinez
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