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 dwtaylor999
  
Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma
Gender: Male
 |  | Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
< on 11/18/2012 3:04 PM >
|  | | | Business was booming with the discovery of oil near Burbank in Osage county in 1920. Workers flocked to the field by the thousands, seeking their fortune. Merchants and other less reputable businesses soon followed and towns sprang up overnight. One such was the town of Apperson, located on the west side of what would become known as the Burbank Field.
Legend has it the town was named for the Apperson automobile, one of the many early automobile manufacturers, and that is probably true. Legend also said that Mr. Apperson payed $20,000 to have the town named after him, which is probably not. The townsite was plotted in August of 1920.
Like all boom towns, the money flowed, growth was rapid, and it looked like there was no end in sight. Where a year before, it had been nothing but a
lonely spot next to the AT&SF railway, a real town had been created. A large wooden school was built, The Apperson Telephone Company was formed and a telephone exchange was installed, and multiple businesses now lined the dirt main street, including a post office, lumber yard, garage, grocery store, rooming houses, barber shop, two teaming contractors, a bank, and multiple frame residences. . There was talk of building an improved road from the new boom town to Arkansas City in Kansas, and businessmen actually came down to tour the new town, and though proposed, never materialized.
Though the railway ran near the south east corner of the town, it was not a rail stop, the nearest being at Burbank and the railroad siding at Soldani. While this was only a few miles away, in this era, roads were basically cow paths, and many people still traveled by horse and buggy. The town petitioned Sante Fe for a depot and was refused. Apperson took it to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and at a hearing on April 20th, 1921, Apperson claimed the new stop would shorten the wagon haul to the oil fields lying west of Salt Creek for men and materials. Apperson further claimed that two trips could be made to the oil fields from Apperson instead of from one Kaw City. Sante Fe rebutted, stating the other stops were adequate and adding another at Apperson would not significantly reduce it's costs, and would in fact cost $53,307 to construct, which included additional right of way, house track, spur, drainage, highway crossing, well, moving of telegraph poles, etc. The Oklahoma Corporation commission felt that Sante Fe's costs were inflated, but agreed that the installing station facilities at Apperson would not add new territory or increased traffic on the Sante Fe.
The commission estimated the real cost to construct the siding and depot would be about $20,000 and it ordered that the parties to essentially split the cost. Apperson was to present a $10,000 draft to the railway before August 1st, 1921, and Sante Fe was ordered to build a siding and depot. The track would be 1,000 feet long from head block to head block which allowed for spotting of about 14 cars between clearance points. Sante Fe was to ordered to install the track and pre-pay station on or before the 15th of September, 1921, and so it was. The town celebrated when the station was opened, proud that they were now a "real" city.
Official population statistics for the boomtowns really don't exist. Estimates place Apperson's population somewhere between 2,000 and 5,000 at the peak, including the surrounding areas. By 1923, the school was far to small, and a brick high school was built.. The Apperson American newspaper began publication the same year.
As quickly as it began, it started to fall apart. Apperson was on the western edge of the field, and production had begun to drop off rapidly, with exploration moving further north. On July 28th, 1924, the Bank of Apperson failed. People began to move to other areas in the field, following the oil, and the bust had begun. By 1929, the high school was closed, it's final graduation class consisting of three people. A grade school remained. Most of the businesses and the hard fought depot had closed or moved to other nearby towns, with the final grocery store closing in 1935, relocating to Whizbang. The grade school was shuttered and consolidated with the Burbank school district in the early 1940's.
Very little of Apperson remains today, but surprisingly, through a small twist of fate, the depot still stands, though not in it's original location. It was
moved to Burbank, and sits just south of state highway 60 at Burbank, easily visible for the highway. It has served as a barn for the last 70 years. It's only customers today are horses.
[last edit 11/18/2012 3:07 PM by dwtaylor999 - edited 2 times]
Ruins, the fate of all cities. |
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Captain_Slow
  
The infamous Buttram Manfist
Location: Dallas, Tx
Gender: Male
Obviously capable of mediocre things.
| | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 1 on 11/18/2012 7:49 PM >
| | | | Fan-fucking-tastic, DW. You never cease to amaze me.
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tax_mouse
Location: SACRAMENTO, CA
Gender: Female
| | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 2 on 11/18/2012 8:25 PM >
| | | | I love a good history lesson. Awesome post!
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Quarantine
Location: Denver
Gender: Female
retired former old-school UE'er
| | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 3 on 11/18/2012 8:42 PM >
| | | | Your write-ups are always so meticulously-researched! I really appreciate the historic photos. Thanks for sharing!
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dwtaylor999
Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma
Gender: Male
| | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 4 on 11/19/2012 1:28 AM >
| | | | Thanks! Now that the leaves are off the trees, time to get back out there. Headed to the south eastern part of the state next weekend.
Ruins, the fate of all cities. |
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cdevon
 
Location: west county
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 5 on 11/19/2012 7:05 AM >
| | | | very well done- as always. thank you!
When I say I'm 'clean and sober', it means I've showered and I'm headed to the liquor store. |
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Keaven
Location: 15 miles from the Grassy Knoll
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 6 on 11/19/2012 1:03 PM >
| | | | Posted by Captain_Slow
Fan-fucking-tastic, DW. You never cease to amaze me.
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Yes!
I am always excited to see a new DWTaylor thread!
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Tenebrae
Location: The Wild West
Life's short; eat dessert first.
| | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 7 on 11/19/2012 2:32 PM >
| | | | Great set; such sad, bleak history.
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fatwax4
Location: somewhere i shouldn't be
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 8 on 11/22/2012 7:05 AM >
| | | | Im always amazed that you can find so many historical photos for you threads! Very nice set!
instagram
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Imbroglio
 
Location: DFW
Gender: Male
The glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
| | | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 9 on 11/22/2012 9:18 AM >
| | | | My favorite poster in the South Forum. Keep 'em comin' DW...excellent as always!
http://www.noelkernsphotography.com |
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metawaffle
King of Puns
Location: Brisbane!
Gender: Male
Purveyor of Fine Lampshades
| | | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 10 on 11/22/2012 12:56 PM >
| | | | This is pretty great.
http://www.longexposure.net |
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WestOhooligan
Location: Jersey City
Gender: Male
| | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 11 on 11/28/2012 10:44 PM >
| | | | Great job! I'm amazed how a town just seems to vanish almost overnight. Something very haunting about it, maybe it's just me.
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cr400
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Gender: Male
| | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 13 on 11/29/2012 4:37 PM >
| | | | Great stuff DW..... Thanks for all your hard work and passion.
You can see a million miles tonite, but you can't get very far.
Honorary member of UER lifetime acheivement award winning, 2Xplorations and Guide Services, Texas. |
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IIVQ
 
Location: La Sud-Est du cité majeur du North-Holland (Bijlmer), .NL
Gender: Male
Back in Urbex!
| |  |  | | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 14 on 11/30/2012 3:42 PM >
| | | | Nice writeup.
Just to see it from Google: http://goo.gl/maps/OTi2a is the location at present time.
Posted by MapMan | 18/9/2005 19:25 | Hedy Lamarr made porn?
Posted by turbozutek | 20/9/2005 2:29 | Dude, educate us! |
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Abert
Location: Reynoldstown, Atlanta, GA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Oil boom ghost town of Apperson, OK
<Reply # 15 on 12/4/2012 3:43 AM >
| | | | Love the historic pictures contrasting the current picture. Nice write up as well.
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