Samuel Burns (grandparents) migrated to Tulsa from Muskogee around 1929. They lived in a house on 13th and Boston.



Here are some more views of the house and neighborhood.




Across the street from the house was Al’s Grocery, Draughn’s School of Business and then Fred Jones Ford.
The elder Mr. Burns tried selling oil futures, but the Depression was hitting hard and they were broke, so he gave that up and took everything in the house and opened Noah’s Ark.
“My dad said he (Grandfather) used to go to the Coney Island next to The Orphus Lounge and hock his ring for something to eat, he would then go and try to find something to sell and would then redeem his ring and start all over again.”

He has vivid memories of running coffee and donuts from Uncle Willies Donut Shop to the Bliss Hotel, where all of the pro wrestlers stayed when they came to town to wrestle at the Coliseum. Unkle Willies was located between the Reeder Hotel and Harringtons (a favorite place to hang out).

In describing the area he says:
“When we were on First Street to the left of the store was Pruitt’s Tools, then a bar my dad called the Bloody Bucket (I think the real name was Phil's), next to that was a tiny watch shop. Going right was Paul’s Loans and next to that was D&B Gun and Loans then Unckle Willies. Across the street was Cook's Grocery Store then two barber colleges and Bardons Auctions.

There were rooms above the colleges and a Madam who had a monkey that used to crawl on the barber college sign while she sat in the window. My dad used to force me into getting my hair cut there. You always wanted someone in the front to cut it, the guys in the back were new students.
Most of the working girls did business through the Bliss Hotel, yes there was Mays Rooms but it was the bottom of the rung. I knew two retired gals that ran the New JuJu's Lounge on 17th and Main. They used to tell me stories about "parties" they threw with the police at the Bliss. JuJu's is now Renegades.”
More memories to come……