This historical property was original developed and owned by William Skelly of Skelly Oil, one of Tulsa's great oil barons, as a hunting and camping retreat on the outskirts of Tulsa. Over the years, many industrial and river port developments had threatened the property's pristine valleys and lowlands. The property had even seen many years of decline without any kind of maintenance in place.
When the current owner faced foreclosure, Open Lands purchased the property giving current ownership a reprieve and option to buy the property back. While the "hunting lodge" operation still failed and ultimately declared bankruptcy, Open Lands managed to guide the property through the bankruptcy estate and towards a new beginning. Ultimately, the lowlands were saved and sold to a few very large buyers, each purchasing over 1,000 acres, and development interests were limited to a few smaller parcels on the uplands.
