The Boomtown Economy

Killers of the Flower Moon

This flow traces the transformation of the Osage region into a petroleum boomtown and the unstable prosperity that follows.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Oil Leases Begin Oil Leases Begin from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Oil Leases Begin Signs Beneath the Surface An oil sheen in a creek leads to early exploration on the reservation.

Oil Leases Begin from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Oil Leases Begin Signs Beneath the Surface An oil sheen in a creek leads to early exploration on the reservation.

Oil Leases Begin Signs Beneath the Surface An oil sheen in a creek leads to early exploration on the reservation. Few initially understand the scale of the deposits below the rocky land. Leasing the Future The Osage approve drilling leases while preserving the mineral estate. Prospectors arrive with uncertain fortunes, beginning a transformation that will accelerate rapidly.

Derricks on the Prairie Derricks on the Prairie from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Derricks on the Prairie A Changing Landscape Drilling rigs and workers spread across the reservation, and new wells produce spectacular gushers.

Derricks on the Prairie from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Derricks on the Prairie A Changing Landscape Drilling rigs and workers spread across the reservation, and new wells produce spectacular gushers.

Derricks on the Prairie A Changing Landscape Drilling rigs and workers spread across the reservation, and new wells produce spectacular gushers. The industrial noise and black oil reshape the prairie economy. Wealth Arrives As royalties grow, Osage members receive increasingly large payments. The region attracts oilmen, laborers, merchants, and fortune seekers from across the country.

Auctions at the Elm Auctions at the Elm from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Auctions at the Elm Leases as Spectacle Oil leases are auctioned in Pawhuska, where bids climb into the hundreds of thousands and millions.

Auctions at the Elm from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Auctions at the Elm Leases as Spectacle Oil leases are auctioned in Pawhuska, where bids climb into the hundreds of thousands and millions.

Auctions at the Elm Leases as Spectacle Oil leases are auctioned in Pawhuska, where bids climb into the hundreds of thousands and millions. The Million Dollar Elm becomes a vivid emblem of the scale of the stakes. Power in the Crowd Magnates compete for access to Osage land, while the people whose mineral rights make the leases valuable are treated as spectators. The auctions display both the tribe’s wealth and the outside interests seeking to profit from it.

Fortunes and Resentment Fortunes and Resentment from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Fortunes and Resentment Public Fascination Newspapers describe the Osage as extravagant, often using racist caricatures to portray their prosperity.

Fortunes and Resentment from "Killers of the Flower Moon". Fortunes and Resentment Public Fascination Newspapers describe the Osage as extravagant, often using racist caricatures to portray their prosperity.

Fortunes and Resentment Public Fascination Newspapers describe the Osage as extravagant, often using racist caricatures to portray their prosperity. Reports rarely acknowledge the skillful investments or the cultural meaning of generosity. A Convenient Prejudice Public resentment helps justify government restrictions and private interference. The wealth becomes a reason to control Osage choices rather than recognize Osage rights.

The Boom Recedes The Boom Recedes from "Killers of the Flower Moon". The Boom Recedes Falling Income Oil prices and production decline, reducing headright payments.

The Boom Recedes from "Killers of the Flower Moon". The Boom Recedes Falling Income Oil prices and production decline, reducing headright payments.

The Boom Recedes Falling Income Oil prices and production decline, reducing headright payments. The boomtowns lose businesses and population, while family wealth is further diminished by guardians and fraud. A Changed Landscape Derricks fall quiet, and many towns become ruins. The Osage Nation persists, carrying both the memory of oil prosperity and the legacy of those who tried to control it.

1890s to early 1900s

1910s

1912 through the early 1920s

Early 1920s

Late 1920s through the 1930s