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.
