You would think there would be huge housing divisions like Edmond in here, but there doesn't seem to be much.

This has been discussed before but the area is part of OKC schools. Developers don't want to build out there when they can build a few miles north and be in Edmond schools.

Maybe on account of it is an historical watershed and looks better, undisturbed, than it would with a lot of crappy buildings piled on top of it? Nah. just a thought.

Good answer, RM.

A lot of that land was farmland and what has been developed has been done more in 5 acre tracts. The school busing and white flight in the area during the late 60's and early 70's stalled development in that area. There just has been little interest in residential development in the area south of the quarter section line between 122nd & Memorial due to the OKC schools situation in the area.

Many tracts are owned by corporate entities. I know the east side of Britton and Broadway was mostly owned by the Gaylord or Benham companies. At one time Benham had planned on developing an office park in addition to One Benham Place which was completed in 1983. Given the first building was done right after the oil boom died that stalled the rest of the development. After the acquisition by UK based Atkins around 2001 they sold off land for the other development that has since taken place.

This makes sense.


A lot of that land was farmland and what has been developed has been done more in 5 acre tracts. The school busing and white flight in the area during the late 60's and early 70's stalled development in that area. There just has been little interest in residential development in the area south of the quarter section line between 122nd & Memorial due to the OKC schools situation in the area.

Many tracts are owned by corporate entities. I know the east side of Britton and Broadway was mostly owned by the Gaylord or Benham companies. At one time Benham had planned on developing an office park in addition to One Benham Place which was completed in 1983. Given the first building was done right after the oil boom died that stalled the rest of the development. After the acquisition by UK based Atkins around 2001 they sold off land for the other development that has since taken place.

Along I-35 in the north okc/Edmond area, there used to be resturants and gas stations. They closed and basically fell down over the years. Who remembers the Mobil station where the pottery place is around Wilshire and I-35? My folks used to stop there while going across county to buy the large blocks of ice. Also there used to be a real long time ago a "filling station" on the west side of I-35 just south of 33rd if I remember right. It was falling down back when I was a kid if I remember right. I remember the drives from California to Chicago back in the 60's. Anyone else remember the old businesses? Not sure why Edmond I-35 frontage is developing so slow. For a long time it was not interstate and 15th and 33rd where lots of fun to try to drive across the highway traffic. One had to go to 2nd or Memorial for a bridge.

Back in the day there used to be a few buildings on the NW corner, one of which If I remember correctly was a motel/hotel, maybe named the white house or something like that.

Along I-35 in the north okc/Edmond area, there used to be resturants and gas stations. They closed and basically fell down over the years. Who remembers the Mobil station where the pottery place is around Wilshire and I-35? My folks used to stop there while going across county to buy the large blocks of ice. Also there used to be a real long time ago a "filling station" on the west side of I-35 just south of 33rd if I remember right. It was falling down back when I was a kid if I remember right. I remember the drives from California to Chicago back in the 60's. Anyone else remember the old businesses? Not sure why Edmond I-35 frontage is developing so slow. For a long time it was not interstate and 15th and 33rd where lots of fun to try to drive across the highway traffic. One had to go to 2nd or Memorial for a bridge.

There were two truck stops in that area. One on the east side and one on the west. Truckers Village was over there,... We used to test our machines on the concrete at that old Mobile station when it was vacant, before the pottery place was there.

I really wish the local news studios would move from this area to downtown like they are in most other cities. It will probably never happen as long as they've been out there but it would be nice.

Along I-35 in the north okc/Edmond area, there used to be resturants and gas stations. They closed and basically fell down over the years. Who remembers the Mobil station where the pottery place is around Wilshire and I-35? My folks used to stop there while going across county to buy the large blocks of ice. Also there used to be a real long time ago a "filling station" on the west side of I-35 just south of 33rd if I remember right. It was falling down back when I was a kid if I remember right. I remember the drives from California to Chicago back in the 60's. Anyone else remember the old businesses? Not sure why Edmond I-35 frontage is developing so slow. For a long time it was not interstate and 15th and 33rd where lots of fun to try to drive across the highway traffic. One had to go to 2nd or Memorial for a bridge.

Oklip,
I moved to the area in 1975 and have been to all of the businesses over the years. During the time you are referring to, there was a three or four mile stretch from the Northwest Expressway (actually, it was the Northwest Highway at that time) that was not I-35. It wasn't brought up to interstate specs until the late 70's/early 80's. I drove my Gravely garden tractor across the highway. Could you imagine what would happen to me now? I would be splattered all over I-35. What about the Texaco on the East side at about the same location, and they had a restaurant. The was an AmaCo where Love's is now located and the Shell on the Southeast corner of I-35 and 122nd was a Diamond Shamrock. I don't remember any restaurants besides the one I just mentioned, but there were restaurants in some of the hotels.
C. T.

Oklip,
I moved to the area in 1975 and have been to all of the businesses over the years. During the time you are referring to, there was a three or four mile stretch from the Northwest Expressway (actually, it was the Northwest Highway at that time) that was not I-35. It wasn't brought up to interstate specs until the late 70's/early 80's. I drove my Gravely garden tractor across the highway. Could you imagine what would happen to me now? I would be splattered all over I-35. What about the Texaco on the East side at about the same location, and they had a restaurant. The was an AmaCo where Love's is now located and the Shell on the Southeast corner of I-35 and 122nd was a Diamond Shamrock. I don't remember any restaurants besides the one I just mentioned, but there were restaurants in some of the hotels.
C. T.

Wow, I didn't get a license till 77, wasn't much out there then. Frontier City, gas station, and a truck stop Barney Brown owned. I was told later that the City went West due to the expense of sewer and water services, to much rock to go through. As far as the lands where all of the TV stations are, it was owned by a few individuals and the values have gone up as technology has made the antenna's semi-obsolete.