“In a wild and unlikely cauldron of outlaws and church-folk, Tulsa was born 50% sinner and 50% saint. Tulsa has proven to be exactly what the founders dreamed it could be, and that heart is still strong on the hilltop at 4th & Boston.”

Mullhaus Publishing Arts, Inc, 2016

This is the remarkable story of how the intersection of 4th & Boston in Tulsa, Oklahoma became the heart of the “Magic Empire,” an early euphemism for the Oklahoma oil fields that created fabulous fortunes seemingly overnight in the early 20th Century. Behind the unique collection of buildings that populate its four corners are stories of boom and bust, risk and loss, and courage and love. Like the city that surrounds it, 4th & Boston is a place where golden opportunity led towering egos to build wealth and power on foundations of ingenuity, sacrifice, and faith. This one intersection encapsulates the ongoing drama that always has and always will be embodied in the name “Tulsa.”

“Eddy Gibbs’ humble beginnings in a small, rural town, the limits of a high school education, and a series of personal tragedies hardly predicted his rise to manufacturing greatness. Someone Left the Gate Open speaks to the virtue of American ideals granted to all its citizens if only they will embrace the freedom to walk through the always-open gate of opportunity.”

The Edward L. Gibbs Trust, 2016

Sitting around the dinner table in the fall of 2015, Eddy Gibbs Family considered the improbable good fortune of the proud man, sitting at the head of the table. Eddy’s humble beginnings in a small, rural Oklahoma town, the limits of only a high school education and a series of personal tragedies hardly predicted his rise to manufacturing greatness. While Eddy revers the memories and influences of his mother, an uncle and a group of cherished friends and colleagues, Someone Left the Gate Open speaks to the virtue of American ideals granted to all its citizens, if only they will embrace the freedom to walk through the always open gate of opportunity.

“Built along the Arkansas River, the late-1800s cowtown of Tulsa became the world’s biggest oil slick. Rowdies, roughnecks, and renegades descended on the overnight oil industry, the “Oil Capitol of the World.” These and other historical events about “Tulsey Town” have been above ground for years. Yet, there are also hidden historical nuggets right below the surface.”

The History Press, 2014

The story of Tulsa’s transformation from a nineteenth-century cow town into the “Oil Capital of the World” has been above ground for years, but a great reservoir of Tulsey Town’s heritage has remained beneath the surface. These neglected tales include the dirigible flyover of 1929, the Hominy Indians’ victory over the New York Giants and the legendary final performance of Spade Cooley, convicted killer and the self-proclaimed “King of Western Swing.” From the horrors of the city’s early race riot and the proud legacy of Greenwood (aka Little Africa or Black Wall Street) to Tulsa’s iconic landmarks and unforgettable personalities, Steve Gerkin provides an evocative and enjoyable voyage through T-Town’s hidden history.