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PACE 8B
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008
RELAXING, PEACEFUL SURROUNDINGS
Be sure to allow as much time as possible for Frank Phillips' country home, Woolaroc Lodge,
Museum and Wildlife Preserve. It was named for the amazing woods, lakes and rocks that are
located on the property. Presidents, celebrities, cowboys and Indians are among those who
"Uncle Frank" hosted at his home.
PRAIRIE VILLAGE IN OKLAHOMA
At Prairie Song, you can experience the look and feel of an 1800s prairie village. It has more than
20 buildings, including a post office, trading post, doctor and dentist office, barber, sheet metal
building, rock jail house, chapel, covered bridge and train depot.
Exploring Bartlesville: Historic homes to skyscrapers to pioneer village
CALLS IT A HOBBY
One of the most amazing experiences we had during our visit
was the morning we spent with Kenneth Tate at Prairie Song.
At Prairie Song, you can experience the look and feel of an
1800s prairie village. The buildings are all filled with antiques.
If you go into the general store, you will find it fully stocked.
You can't help but want to go shopping as soon as you walk in
the door. Photos by Angela Gary
BY ANGELA GARY
Architecture lovers will find a treasure
in Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper
hotel, while history buffs will delight in
the grand homes and museums dedicat
ed to Frank Phillips, one of the oil der
ricks who came to Oklahoma in search
of adventure in the wild west. Fans of the
west and how it was settled by pioneers
will enjoy taking a step back in time in
a village created by the hard work of a
local man.
Add in shopping in unique one-of-
a-kind stores, such as Red Dirt Soap
Company and Keepsake Candles, where
the stories of how the locals made a
success is just as intriguing as the items
to be found on the shelves, and trying
a wide range of cuisine, from Italian
to barbecue, and it makes for a perfect
vacation.
Bartlesville, Oklahoma, is a great place
to explore and visitors will find enough
to keep them busy for a week-long visit.
The town is filled with one-of-a-kind
attractions that make for a wonderful
vacation. It’s a short two-hour flight from
Atlanta, and for those who really want to
explore, it’s a 13-hour drive. Divide that
into two days and you will find plenty of
interesting stops along the way.
Bartlesville developed due to the suc
cess of oil barons such as Frank Phillips
and his presence is still very evident in
the town today. A highlight of a trip to
Bartlesville is a stop at the two homes
owned by the oil baron — Phillip’s city
home and his country estate.
The two homes of Phillips, founder of
Phillips Petroleum Company, provide a
great look into the affluent lifestyle of
the oil men who developed this area of
Oklahoma. Phillips was a former barber
and banker from Iowa who moved to the
Wild West of Oklahoma for adventure.
His success in the oil business led to
Bartlesville being transformed from an
outlaw town to a small, sophisticated
town.
Frank Phillip’s city home was com
pleted in 1909 and occupied by Phillips
and his wife until their death. This
extravagant home has handcrafted mold
ed ceilings, mahogany woodwork and
beautiful furnishings.
Be sure to allow as much time as
possible for Phillips’ country home,
Woolaroc Lodge, Museum and Wildlife
Preserve. It was named for the amazing
woods, lakes and rocks that are located
on the property. Wildlife you see along
the drive include water buffalo, ostrich,
and albino deer.
Presidents, celebrities, cowboys and
Indians are among those who “Uncle
Frank’’ hosted at his home. Will Rogers
was a frequent guest, and he said, “Of all
the places in the United States, Woolarac
is the most unique.’’ Frank often said if
he could get someone to Woolaroc to
discuss business, he was sure to make
the deal.
As you drive along the winding two-
acre country road leading to the home,
you start to see some of the wildlife that
make the preserve home. It is so peace
ful on the 3,700 acre wildlife preserve
that it makes a great place to relax for a
few hours.
Inside the home, you see many of
the collectibles the Phillipses brought
into the home, including an amazing
animal head collection. Zebra, deer and
elephants are among the animal heads
you see on the walls of the home.
The museum on the grounds has over
55,000 pieces, including western art and
relics that tell the story of the American
West.
For more information, go to www.
woolaroc.com.
For more information on the oil baron,
go to Phillips Petroleum Company
Museum, which gives the history and
development of a small company to
a global energy empire. A fun stop is
at the LDL screens that flash Phillips’
commercials from the early 50s, 60s
and 70s.
For more information, go to www.
phillips66museum.com.
PRAIRIE VILLAGE
One of the most amazing experiences
we had during our visit was the morning
we spent with Kenneth Tate at Prairie
Song. At Prairie Song, you can experi
ence the look and feel of an 1800s prairie
village. It has more than 20 buildings,
including a post office, trading post,
doctor and dentist office, barber, sheet
metal building, rock jail house, chapel,
covered bridge and train depot. What
is even more amazing is that all of the
buildings are filled with antiques. If you
go into the general store, you will find
it fully stocked. You can’t help but want
to go shopping as soon as you walk in
the door.
For more information, go to www.
prairiesong.net.
Be sure to include some time for
the Bartlesville Area History Museum,
which is filled with history and memo
rabilia from the town. It provides a great
look at the history of how Bartlesville
was developed. Photographer Frank
Griggs chronicled the growth of the
town for more than 70 years. His work is
featured throughout the museum.
Depending on when you visit
Bartlesville, you might enjoy an eve
ning feature world class musicians. OK
Mozart is featured each June and is a real
treat. We attended three performances
of OK Mozart and found all three to be
wonderful. My favorite was the casual
concert on the grounds of Woolaroc.
Visitors brought chairs, blankets and
picnics and the evening ended with fire
works. For more information, go to
www.okmozart.com.
SHOPPING
Keepsake Candles has featured unique
“antiques in wax’’ since 1970. In 1969,
owners Ed and Alice Ririe made the
first candles in their kitchen sink for a
church Christmas bazaar. Candles were
molded to look like antique glass. The
couple made 60 candles and they were so
popular that they began to get orders for
more. The business continued to grow
and the distinctive candles are now sold
nationwide. The retail store is located
two miles west of Bartlesville on Hwy.
60. For more information, go to www.
keepsakecandles.com
Red Dirt Soap Company, founded in
1966, is named for the red clay found
in Oklahoma. In the early days, the soap
was offered at craft shows and by mail
order. Now, the soap is one of the largest
herbal manufacturers of herbal soap in
the country and it is sold by website, mail
order and in the retail store. A tea room is
located in the back of the retail store. Red
Dirt Soap Company is located at 118
West 2nd Street. For more information,
go to www.reddirtsoap.com.
WHERE TO STAY
Our first few nights were spent at
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Inn at Price Tower,
a 21-room suite boutique inn. This is
one of only three Wright structures in
the world that offer architectural fans the
opportunity to stay over night. The rooms
are like no other hotel you will find. The
rooms are very unique with furnishings
and decor. Spending a night in the 1956
skyscraper makes you feel as if you are in
a museum. It’s a great experience.
Wright completed the skyscraper in
1956 for the Price International Pipeline
Company. Each floor had office space,
as well as residential space. Be sure to
tour the museum and spend some time
exploring the hotel.
For more information, go to www.
pricetower.org.
We ended our trip with a few nights at
Hotel Phillips, which was originally the
Phillips Apartment Hotel and housed the
employees and families of the Phillips
Petroleum Company. In 1980, it was
converted to a boutique hotel. First class
service and hospitality make this hotel
stand out. Spacious rooms, convenient
location and on-site restaurant are other
special features. Another highlight for me
was the soft, comfy beds and huge closet.
A full hot breakfast is also served.
For more information, call
1-800-331-0706 or go to www.hotelphil-
lips66.com.
WHERE TO EAT
There are plenty of great dining
choices in Bartlesville. A few I recom
mend are:
•Price Tower’s Copper Restaurant,
which offers elegant dining and an
eclectic menu. For hotel guests, a free
continental breakfast is offered on the
16th floor of the hotel.
•Aroma’s Italian Restaurant is locat
ed in the historic downtown district of
Bartlesville and offers a wide variety of
pasta dishes. The tortellini is excellent.
•Dink’s offers authentic barbecue
cooked over a hickory-wood fire in
a seasoned pit. The pulled pork plate
with the sweet sauce made for a great
meal.
For more information on exploring
Bartlesville, go to www.bartlesville.
com.
SKYCRAPER HOTEL
Frank Lloyd Wright's Inn at Price Tower, a 21-room suite bou
tique inn. This is one of only three Wright structures in the
world that offer architectural fans the opportunity to stay over
night. Wright completed the skyscraper in 1956 for the Price
International Pipeline Company. Each floor had office space, as
well as residential space.
Small
Maraarita
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706-335-2787
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