MckLinky Monday: In My Hometown

Today's MckLinky Monday over at theRHOK.com is Where do you come from?? Tell us about your hometown.



I grew up, for the most part, in Bartlesville.  A not so small, very oil town about 45 minutes north of Tulsa (Population in July 2008: 35,914).

I lived there from age 4 on....my parents just moved from there 2 years ago.  They were there 30 years, same house. Even though it wasn't such a small town,  we lived in a small subdivison...8 of those neighbors were, or are still there 30+ years later.  All my sisters and I attended the same elementary, same jr high, and same high school.  So, while there were over 400 in my graduating class, we had a mall,  a civic ballet, and a skyline- it wasn't too big. It was the best of both worlds (please, excuse the horrible Hannah Montana reference- really I tried to think of something else but couldn't).   Also, it's where the Pioneer Woman is from, by the way.  Just a fun fact for ya.  I mean, she's no Chuck Norris, but, hey.

You know what else we have there? Awesome architecture. It's true. There is a Frank Lloyd Wright.  And our high school is an art deco masterpiece. Among, many many other beautiful structures like the Community Center and the home of Frank Phillips.  Which brings me to the expalnation of what has kept Bartlesville alive and from flatlining: Phillips 66.  Now known as Conoco/ Phillips. The largest employer in the city and the reason some of my friends lived in Houston, Borger, and then came back again.  People moving in and out was such a way of life there- but you always knew they might come back. Neither of my parents worked for Phillips.  We were minority.

Bartlesville will forever be my hometown- and I do miss going back there since my parents moved. The first time I'd been back in 2 years was 2 months ago. For my mom's funeral. What a reason, huh? Our church was just another beautiful building that I loved. Baptized there, friends there, married there- and now it holds a whole other sense. The town is sentimental to me now, more than before. It's where I'm from, where I lived for over half my life, where you should really visit sometime.  Being from there, you take all it's cool stuff for granted. I had a great childhood there, and still have friends from my Kindergarten class. That's really what I want for my kids, too.  How many of you are still in touch with your kindergarten class?