Muskogee's First Urban Renewal Project
Muskogee's first urban renewal followed the disastrous fire of February 23, 1899. This fire destroyed most of the downtown commercial district. The fire left burning embers and some stone and brick walls of a few businesses. For a wide swath of the town, rebuilding would begin from scratch.
After taking stock of the damage, businessmen began making plans to rebuild. At the same time, the city council undertook an administrative role in supervising that rebirth. One topic the council members addressed clearly was the need for improved traffic flow throughout Muskogee. The council members understood the need for symmetry in promoting the town future development.
A look at a map of today's streets shows an orderly pattern. The council decision to reorient Muskogee streets corrected the haphazard pattern that existed previously.
Sometimes the impact of the council decision is overlooked. First, their decision covered more than just the area devastated by the fire. It reached throughout the whole town including the sparsely populated residential area. Furthermore, the council's decision is perpetuated down to the present day. Today's subdivision architects are mindful that city engineers consider the developers' plans for roads and utilities.
Within three months following the fire, Muskogee's city council hired a Topeka, Kansas, civil engineer named Howard V. Hinckley. Hinckley's job was to resurvey Muskogee streets. He purchased stakes and immediately started to work laying out new right-of-ways.
Street realignment caused the destruction or removal of some structures, both businesses and homes. This is because they were found to be jutting into the path after a new street right-of-way. How many structures were moved or destroyed is unknown. However, there are accounts of two cases. One fact stands out. In both cases, the clearing of a right-of-way occurred two or three years later.
Here is one typical case from 1902. "Bread Mary" was an Irish woman. She lived near the intersection of Okmulgee and Cherokee in a house marked for destruction. This elderly woman made her living by selling homemade loaves of bread. To help her out, some wealthier residents agreed to contribute money for the construction of a small house to replace the one she was losing.
The Elks undertook both large and small charity cases. In another case of street realignment, the members of the Elk's lodge promoted the pooling of money in 1903 for building a replacement home for the Samuel Yates family. Residents and business owners raised over six hundred dollars, mostly in $5 and $10 donations. Some of the donors were Miss Alice Robertson, Judge John R. Thomas, future US Senator Robert L. Owen and jailor Gus Lubbes.
Muskogee's first urban renewal project succeeded. Orderly streets promoted a sense of prosperity.
After taking stock of the damage, businessmen began making plans to rebuild. At the same time, the city council undertook an administrative role in supervising that rebirth. One topic the council members addressed clearly was the need for improved traffic flow throughout Muskogee. The council members understood the need for symmetry in promoting the town future development.
A look at a map of today's streets shows an orderly pattern. The council decision to reorient Muskogee streets corrected the haphazard pattern that existed previously.
Sometimes the impact of the council decision is overlooked. First, their decision covered more than just the area devastated by the fire. It reached throughout the whole town including the sparsely populated residential area. Furthermore, the council's decision is perpetuated down to the present day. Today's subdivision architects are mindful that city engineers consider the developers' plans for roads and utilities.
Within three months following the fire, Muskogee's city council hired a Topeka, Kansas, civil engineer named Howard V. Hinckley. Hinckley's job was to resurvey Muskogee streets. He purchased stakes and immediately started to work laying out new right-of-ways.
Street realignment caused the destruction or removal of some structures, both businesses and homes. This is because they were found to be jutting into the path after a new street right-of-way. How many structures were moved or destroyed is unknown. However, there are accounts of two cases. One fact stands out. In both cases, the clearing of a right-of-way occurred two or three years later.
Here is one typical case from 1902. "Bread Mary" was an Irish woman. She lived near the intersection of Okmulgee and Cherokee in a house marked for destruction. This elderly woman made her living by selling homemade loaves of bread. To help her out, some wealthier residents agreed to contribute money for the construction of a small house to replace the one she was losing.
The Elks undertook both large and small charity cases. In another case of street realignment, the members of the Elk's lodge promoted the pooling of money in 1903 for building a replacement home for the Samuel Yates family. Residents and business owners raised over six hundred dollars, mostly in $5 and $10 donations. Some of the donors were Miss Alice Robertson, Judge John R. Thomas, future US Senator Robert L. Owen and jailor Gus Lubbes.
Muskogee's first urban renewal project succeeded. Orderly streets promoted a sense of prosperity.
Labels: Bread Mary, Gus Lubbes, Howard V. Hinckley, John R. Thomas, Miss Alice Robertson, Robert L. Owen, Samuel Yates, The Elks, Urban development
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