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Memorial Day weekend 1973: Saturday night in Tulsa

For fun, I decided to look up the local newspaper from 50 years ago this weekend. I was particularly curious to see what kind of live entertainment was on offer, and what people were watching on TV. (News clips below are from newspapers.com. Click the image to see the original...

Posted by Michael Bates on May 28, 2023 3:52 PM

Bell's is back: Robby Bell outlines park's rebirth

The Bell family began building small kiddie rides in a garage at 8th and Lewis in 1951, gradually building a legendary amusement park on the west end of the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. The fun came to an end in 2006, when the Tulsa County Public Facilities Authority (the Fair Board)...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 3, 2013 8:42 PM

Bell's coming back -- a little at a time

This is encouraging news: In a few weeks, as soon as PSO puts the necessary electrical hookups in place, the Bell family of Bell's Amusement Park will be operating a few of their kiddie rides at the Saturday Flea Market in west Tulsa. The rides will be open on Saturdays...

Posted by Michael Bates on September 25, 2011 11:44 PM

Zingo on the auction block

Zingo is for sale. The Bell's Amusement Park roller coaster that thrilled generations of Tulsans is being auctioned off on eBay by Better Price Surplus Warehouse for $400,000 or best offer. Roller Coaster for Sale. Engineered and manufactured by Philadelphia Toboggan Co. Erected in 1968 and dismantled in 2006. The...

Posted by Michael Bates on January 10, 2011 10:28 PM

Wagoner County Commission's second thoughts

When you've been away from blogging for almost a week, it's hard to know where to begin again. We returned Thursday night from a week-long family vacation in Branson. We spent several days at Silver Dollar City, visited Branson Landing one night, went to the Butterfly Palace, and swam in...

Posted by Michael Bates on June 5, 2010 10:12 PM

Yes, we went to the Tulsa State Fair

We spent most of Saturday at the Tulsa State Fair. Despite my disgust at many of the decisions of of the Tulsa County Public Facilities Authority (aka the Fair Board), as I mentioned last year, going to the fair is a family tradition that predates my existence. The fair was...

Posted by Michael Bates on September 28, 2008 12:30 AM

KOTV investigates Bell's eviction

I just watched a lengthy investigative piece by KOTV about the Tulsa County Public Facilities Authority's decision to boot Bell's from the Fairgrounds. If you've been reading about the issue here and in Urban Tulsa Weekly, there won't be too much that you haven't already heard, but they do a...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 30, 2007 10:18 PM