Golden Driller
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| 36°08′01″N 95°55′52″W / 36.133638°N 95.931158°W | |
| Location | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
|---|---|
| Type | statue |
| Height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
| Completion date | 1953 |
The Golden Driller is a 75-foot-tall (23 m), 43,500-pound (19,700 kg)[1] statue of an oil worker, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is the sixth-tallest statue in the United States.
Overview
It was originally built in 1952 by the Mid-Continent Supply Company of Fort Worth for the International Petroleum Exposition. Six years later, it was temporarily erected again for the 1959 show. Due to the positive attention it attracted, the company donated the statue to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds Trust Authority which had it anatomically redesigned [2] and permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center for the 1966 International Petroleum Exposition. The statue's right hand rests on an oil derrick which had been moved from a depleted oil field in Seminole, Oklahoma.
An inscription at the base of the statue reads: "The Golden Driller, a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind."
In 1979, the Golden Driller was adopted by the Oklahoma Legislature as the state monument.
As part of an online promotional contest sponsored by Kimberly-Clark in October 2006, the Golden Driller was named the grand prize as a top ten "quirkiest destination" in the United States, winning its nominator a $90,000 international vacation for two.[3]
See also
References
- ^ "Expo Square History". ExpoSquare.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2006.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ http://www.tulsagal.net/2010/10/golden-driller.html
- ^ "Tulsa's Golden Driller Honored". KOTV.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved October 25, 2006.
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External links
- Expo Square - Home of the Golden Driller
- Golden Driller appearance in Zippy the Pinhead comic strip from May 24, 2005
- 1953 sculptures
- Culture of Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Outdoor sculptures in Oklahoma
- History of Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Roadside attractions in Oklahoma
- Novelty buildings in Oklahoma
- Colossal statues
- Concrete sculptures in the United States
- Tourist attractions in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Buildings and structures in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Sculptures of men in Oklahoma
- Statues in Oklahoma
- 1953 establishments in Oklahoma