Expo Square

Expo Square. Route 66 Tulsa. Tulsa was once known as "The Oil Capital of the World". The flow of revenue from the oil fields created great commerce for Tulsa resulting in a vibrant central business district with ornate Art Deco style buildings and numerous individual acts of philanthropy which continue to benefit Tulsa, its surrounding communities, as well as those who visit., In 1923, Tulsa oilman J.E. Crosbie donated a 240-acre lot, one-half mile south of this intersection. The land was dedicated for public use and later became known as Expo Square., The first major project undertaken at the site was the construction of the Pavilion in 1931, an arena with seating for several thousand spectators. The terra-cotta roof line features Art Deco ornamentation reflecting an agriculture with livestock scenes mounted on a background of flowers. With vast acreage and the new Pavilion, in 1935, the Tulsa State Fair was moved to Expo Square, it's current home., The International Petroleum Exposition (IPE) Center, constructed in 1966, represented Tulsa's oil heritage. The structure was one of the largest clear-span buildings in the world at the time, containing more than 10 acres of space under a single roof. The 76-foot-tall Golden Driller was permanently erected in front of the IPE Center the same year and dedicated to the visionaries and workers of Tulsa's oil industry who strove in many ways to make a better life for others.