One Family- One House- One Hundred Years

 

Part I:  Rosemont Heights

Rosemont Heights was one of the earliest divisions or ‘additions’ of land that was graded, platted with lots for sale in what is now as the Renaissance Neighborhood.  It was platted in 1911.  Originally Muscogee Creek land, it was allotted to Mary Jane Perryman in the early 1900's.  Mary Jane would have been about 17 years old in 1911.  She had married young and by 1911 she and her first husband, John Robert Harkness, already had three children.  It would be very interesting to know how much she was paid for the property when purchased by a Mr. John P. Given.  According to her niece, Wavel Ashbaugh, interviewed in 2015 by Voices of Oklahoma, Native people were often taken advantage of with complex land contracts and white settlers"...didn't pay very much for it...". 

The present-day boundaries of Rosemont Heights are Delaware Avenue to South Florence Avenue and Thirteenth Street to Fifteenth Street.  Note:  The original plats below show old Tulsa street names.  Thirteenth is Roosevelt, Fourteenth is State Street. 

Big things were planned for Rosemont Heights.  Just look at the ad below that features images of stately two-story homes.  But then suddenly, plans came to a halt.  Oil and gas were discovered on the property and almost overnight, the Rosemont Oil Company sprang to life.

Tulsa Daily World, December 13, 1912

Tulsa Daily Democrat, December 16, 1912

August 2013

Tulsa Daily World, Sunday March 2, 1913

An oil rig seems to have drilled to a depth of at least 500 feet and some oil and gas were extracted.  The Rosemont Oil Company bought oil leases and drilled in other areas too.  However, by1925, Mr. John Given passed away and the company was officially dissolved. In the meantime, the platted lots in Rosemont Heights were back on the market and ready for houses. 

 

Part II:  Herman and Gertrude Petri

Mr. Herman and Gertrude Petri, a newly married couple, purchased three lots in Rosemont in 1922.  

Tulsa Daily Legal News, September 9, 1922

The couple embarked on designing and building a new home on their land.  They had plans drawn up and the home was built on the north part of their property in 1923. The original blueprints to the home survive but are undated.  Mr. George Hume is identified as architect and Mr. George A. Rose as draftsman.  Mr. Hume and Mr. Rose may have been working for a larger building company, or they may have been freelancers for hire.  The 1920 and 1930 US Census list them both as “bricklayers” by trade.

Architect and Draftsman from Original Blueprints

The Petri's home was a craftsman style bungalow with a wide front porch with a brick apron, large chimney with decorative brickwork and screened back porch. The exterior of the home was, for the most part, sided with teardrop lap siding.  In the 1950’s, the home was re-shingled with a durable cement composite shingle of a subtle, neutral green.  This type of shingle is still seen today in many of the older homes in Renaissance Neighborhood and even newer homes around Tulsa, as they are still in production today.

The home was roughly 1200 square feet and held two bedrooms, one bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, back porch and partial basement.  Small gas free standing furnaces and a fireplace heated the home and there was no air conditioning. 

The blueprints show details including a built-in ironing board, full length mirrors on closet doors and specify details about the construction. 

Hardware and fixtures to be selected by owner.  Edge Grain floor throughout, pine, subfloor throughout “B” grade pine finish, 1 ¼ “B” pine casing heads.  5” round edge case inside, stained and rubbed wood work.  Outside painting 3 coats, color to be selected by owner.  Plaster to be three coat job.  Lime trowel finish.  Brickwork will be local mat brick layered with 7/8 joint lime mortar tempered with cement out of joint.  Concrete footing under entire foundation.  Eight piers under house.  One girder, contractor to see that piers are placed property.  Inside doors, one panel.

At the time the bungalow was built there were very few if any buildings or homes nearby.  The University of Tulsa, known as Kendall College, was one of only a few neighbors and wide open spaces surrounded the home.  Most roads and driveways weren’t paved.  However, as the 1920's rolled into the 1930's many more bungalows and brick cottages sprung up creating a real neighborhood. 

Early image of the bungalow

Large Covered Front Porch.  Note the original teardrop lap siding.

Mr. Herman Petri, bungalow and automobile

Any one know the make and model of this automobile?

This picture shows the back porch of the bungalow

Mr. Herman Petri was employed by the Public Service Company (PSO) of Oklahoma as a switchman for 42 years.  In the early 1920's switchmen were used to turn electricity on and off in various parts of the city to maximize power where and when it was needed.  In 1927, Mr. Petri built a two-car garage behind his home.  Later, in about 1930, Mr. Petri built a steel fence around his property with parts salvaged from his work at PSO.  The fence surrounds the property to this day and is in excellent condition. 

Mrs. Petri was employed as a head seamstress and floor manager at The Tulsa Shirt Company which was located in the Nebraska Building downtown.  The Tulsa Shirt Company specialized in made to order shirts, night robes and pajamas. In 1913, the company employed twelve professional seamstresses and two traveling salesmen. The general manager was Mr. William T. Grieffenstein.  Mr. Grieffenstien’s father was an early trader in Kansas and Indian Territory and became known as “the father of Wichita”.  His mother, Catherine, was the daughter of the Chief of Potowatomie Tribe, Abram B. Burnett.   Mr. Grieffenstein and his wife Beaulah lived in a modest bungalow at 815 N. Cheyenne in the Tulsa neighborhood we now know as The Heights.  

Ad from the Tulsa Democrat.  July 2015.

Ad for the Tulsa Shirt Company.  Daily Tulsa Democrat. June 1913.

Part III: Twins!

In 1924 the Petris lost a baby girl, Genevieve, who only lived one year.  However, in 1933, Mrs. Petri gave birth to twins right there at home in the bungalow, boy and a girl - Mary Lou and Robert Lee. The twins necessitated more square footage and as a result, the back porch became an extra bedroom, bathroom, and  small sunroom. A swing set was also built for them in the back yard. 

The Petris kept a large garden in the lot to the south of their home and harvested okra, tomatoes and more.  The basement held a ‘summer kitchen’ with a two-burner gas stove for canning vegetables. The garage also had a separate room known as the 'chicken house', where they raised chickens for fresh eggs.  

Mrs. Petri in her large garden.

Mary and Robert attended Kendall Elementary which was located adjacent to Kendall College, behind the present-day BAMA building at S. Delaware Avenue and Eleventh Street.  The twins went on to attend middle school at Wilson and high school at Will Rogers. 

Petri Twins: Robert Lee and Mary Lou born at home in the bungalow

In the 1950’s, the Petris sold the lot farthest to the south and a low brick home was built on the property, but they continued to use the lot in between the houses for their large garden.

Mr. and Mrs. Petri with twins, Robert and Mary

Mary married and had a family of her own.  Three boys!  These three boys grew up with many early memories of the bungalow spending time in the garden, the home and with their grandparents.  

Mary's Three Boys.  Note bungalow fireplace in background.

After high school, Robert Lee enlisted in the Army and served as a radio operator in Japan.  Later, he furthered his education in Chicago, studying electronics.  Eventually, he returned home and worked for Seismograph Corporation in Tulsa and offshore in Houston for 25 years. 

Mr. Petri passed away in 1975, but Mrs. Petri continued to live in the bungalow.  Her son,  Robert retired and returned to Tulsa to assist his mother.  She died, as she wished, in the home in 1993.  After her death, Robert continued to live in the home. A lifelong bachelor, when he passed away in 2019, the home had been placed in a trust for his three nephews.  

Mrs. Petri in her later years with son Robert.

Part IV:  Neighbors and Family

A picture (below) of Petri family members and their stylish automobile captured a home across the street from their bungalow.  Look carefully and you can see the starting of what would become a magnificent river birch. 

Mr. Petri's sister "Pauline" and her husband pose in front of their automobile across the street from the bungalow

The small house across the street from the bungalow pictured above today.

Another picture (below) gives us a glimpse of craftsman bungalow built just to the north of the Petri residence.  Current images suggest the front porch was enclosed and home resided with rock. 

Mrs. Petri had a sister named Bertha who married a Mr. Garabeel Aghajan, an immigrant from Armenia.  Mr. and Mrs. Aghajan owned and operated Milady’s Cleaners on Eleventh Street. In fact, they built the building that stands at 1738 East Eleventh Street in 1930.  Not only did Milady's clean clothing, the company also completed alterations, dyed clothing, glazed and stored fur coats for the public and Miss Jackson’s Department Store. 

Milady's Cleaners at 1738 East Eleventh Street

Tulsa World Article about Milady's new building and a receipt from the business.

Photograph includes Mr. and Mrs. Aghajan

Part V:  Modern times and One final treasure

The youngest of Mary Lou's three boys, Steven, has always felt a deep connection to the property.  Steven describes feeling "warm and secure" at the bungalow and in the neighborhood- something he did not want to loose.  Stars aligned and he was able to buy out his brother’s shares and obtained full ownership of the bungalow.  Steven has done significant work to preserve and maintain not only the home but the garage and property.  Below are some images of before/after the renovations.

Original Kitchen before remodel

New Open Kitchen Design

Original Main Bathroom with Green Tile

Modern Double Vanity in Main Bathroom

Back Porch/Sun Room with Access to Basement

Updated Former Back Porch with Laundry and Basement Access

Steven even restored the swing set originally built for his mother and uncle!

Steven took his time with the project, spared no expense, and worked with a contractor for over a year to make the home clean and comfortable for modern living. Eventually, he even restored the detached two car garage which can now store four vehicles since the 'chicken house' is no longer needed.  The original garage doors were preserved and mounted inside for safe keeping and decoration.  

Garage with original door preserved.

When Steven took full ownership of the property, he discovered his grandparent’s 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II with 28,000 miles in the garage.  The car had been purchased brand new from Cox Motor Company located at Eleventh and Lewis.  After some family consultation, it was determined that Steven was very likely the last family member who had driven the Belvedere when he had been about age 18!  The car was brought to life with minor repairs and is just as good as brand new.  Steven likes to joke his Belvedere certainly fared better than the one buried at the court house in 1957! 

Herman, Gertrude, Robert Lee and one year old Genevieve Petri are buried at Rose Hill Memorial Cemetery in Tulsa, Ok.  

Mary Lou Petri Howell is interred at Floral Haven in Broken Arrow, Ok.

******

Thank you for reading about one of the Renaissance Neighborhood's earliest homes!  

Thank you to the home owner, Steven Howell, for sharing the pictures, blueprints and memories.  

Thank you to P. Casey Morgan for editing.

If you have history about your home, or would like me to research your home, send me a message at Arena300@gmail.com.

One final picture of the updated bungalow