It's not up yet, but....

Coming soon: http://www.okchistory.com/. What is it? A place that celebrates OKC history, provides a central resource for researching Oklahoma City's past, and a watercooler for OKC history junkees.
Got suggestions? Post them here.
-Steve and Jack

COMING SOON!

An entirely new web site... devoted to providing a place to discuss Oklahoma City history and a central resource for researchers and history buffs (that means you, http://www.dougdawg.blogspot.com/Doug Dawg!).

-Steve and Jack

Check out this month's Downtowner!

Writer Kent Anderson provides an in-depth look at OKC Second Time Around. Learn about the book, and also get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the challenges that must be overcome to get a local history book published.

The work, we found out, only begins once the manuscript is complete.

We're also pleased to announce the manuscript for our untitled Skirvin Hotel book is complete, and we hope to have information to provide soon on when it will be out on store shelves.

Our next scheduled public appearance will be at the opening of the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library cafe on Saturday, July 28. We will release more details about the day in the next few weeks. We also are preparing for visits in Tulsa as OKC Second Time Around hits stores in our sister city.

- Steve and Jack

Springtime

And we're enjoying sharing our stories with Oklahoma City!

We are delighted to announce that thanks to the tremendous response to "OKC Second Time Around," the first printing is nearing a sell-out and our publisher, Full Circle Books, is preparing a second printing.

Look for a story about the book in an upcoming issue of Downtowner Magazine, and for our appearance on the book review show "Read About It."

In other news, we are happy to report we are working with a local publisher to release an in-depth look at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, with books hitting stores (hopefully) by Christmas.

- Steve and Jack

The Latest

Congratulations to Carl Brune, whose hard work designing "OKC Second Time Around" was recognized with a best design award at the recent Oklahoma Book Awards. We also are flattered that the book was a finalist in non-fiction, was one of only two titles recognized as a finalist in two categories.

We are scheduled to speak at two upcoming gatherings:
Downtown Lions Club, noon Tuesday, April 3, McAlpine Center, 428 W California.
Downtown Rotary, noon Tuesday, April 17, Petroleum Club, Chase Tower.

We are hoping to have books for sale and available for signings at both events. We may also soon have an exciting announcement in the near future about our next literary endeavor.
- Steve

Thanks!

We want to thank everybody for the great response so far to “OKC Second Time Around.” We are proud to share that the book is a finalist in two categories of the upcoming Oklahoma Book Awards; nonfiction and illustration/design. Winners will be announced March 10.

OKC Second Time Around competed against 62 other titles before being selected as a nonfiction finalist, and is one of only two books, by our count, selected as a finalist in more than one category (more than 130 books were entered in the overall competition).

Another thing that makes it especially sweet for us is that a recently-published book about Oklahoma written by a well-known, best-selling author whom we won't name here also is a finalist. We find ourselves in some rare air, and we are awed by our company.

On to other news -- During the next several weeks, we will be making the rounds at local civic groups, sharing our conclusions from researching the history of downtown Oklahoma City and sharing our thoughts on what’s next.

Upcoming appearances soon include:
Central Oklahoma's chapter of the American Institute of Architects
the Downtown Lion's Club.

Later in the year (April, if we recall correctly), we will present our work at the annual meeting of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Oh -- and here's a special TREAT. On Sunday, February 25, The Oklahoman is publishing a special, 12-page special section on the Skirvin Hilton authored by Steve.

It will include rarely-seen historic photos of the hotel, readers' memories, a look at how the public and private sectors came together to bring the landmark back to life, and a look at what’s inside the restored 96-year-old property. The Skirvin Hilton will be “unveiled” to the public on Monday, February 26.

Upcoming Appearances

Saturday, Dec. 2, 5:30 p.m. - "OKC Metro" on OETA (PBS)
Weekly in December on Cox Channel 20, "OKC Mayor's Show" (just look for the channel with the live shots of skating at Bicentennial Park)

Got Questions? We Might Have Answers!

Some of you may have questions as you read "OKC Second Time Around," or may want to know more about how we compiled this story.
We welcome your questions. Just leave a comment on this post or others, and we'll do our best to answer.

Interesting questions to date:
1. What do you think was the most viable building destroyed during Urban Renewal?
Answer: (Steve) Probably either the Criterion or Baum Building. Both were architecturally unique and stunning, both would have been very attractive candidates for restoration as tax laws and financing became more friendly to historic preservation in the early 1980s. Both were torn down to make way for one of the biggest failures of the Urban Renewal era - the Century Center Plaza.

2. What inspired you to write this book?
Answer: Insanity. Steve and Jack were hearing conflicting stories of who thought up the Bricktown Canal in the weeks leading up to its opening. It was then the pair of Oklahoman reporters realized they were witnessing history.

3. What stories stand out the most in OKC Second Time Around?
Answer: For Steve, it's the tale of how Neal Horton gambled everything to develop Bricktown and lost everything. For Jack, it's how close MAPS came to not even being submitted to voters.

Favorable buzz

Bloggers Charles Hill and Michael Bates talk about OKC Second Time Around:

www.batesline.com/archives/002895.html

http://www.dustbury.com/backlog/2006/11/saturday_spottings_e.html

More Signed Copies Available!

Writer's cramp? Let's hope not. But we have signed 180 more copies of our work at Full Circle Books, so there's plenty available (we were down to 1) -- but hopefully, only for a little while. Get them while you can, folks. Eventually, we will run out!

Update on Sales Locations

Full Circle Book Store, 50 Penn Place
The Painted Door, Bricktown
Myriad Gardens Gift Shop
Oklahoma City Museum of Art Gift Shop
Oklahoma City National Memorial Gift Shop (coming soon)
Best of Books, Kickingbird Plaza, Edmond (coming soon)
Bricktown Visitor Center (coming soon)
Oklahoma History Center gift shop (coming soon)

Our first, first review!

http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2006/11/okc-2nd-time-around.html

Once again, thanks so much for the high praise. For those of you not familiar with attorney Doug Loudenback's web sites, he has assembled an impressive collection of vintage city images and stories that range from the early days of the Oklahoma River to old downtown theaters to Deep Deuce.

First Review

"OKC: Second Time Around" is a remarkable preservation of a slice of Oklahoma history that gives credit where credit is due and maps for future generations the elements of success that can be emulated in any major city in the nation. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the story of the successful rebuilding of downtown Oklahoma City. "
- Sunday, Nov. 12 book review by Bob Burke, award-winning Oklahoma history author
To read the entire review, visit http://www.newsok.com/article/2969218/

OKC Second Time Around

Welcome to OKC Second Time Around, a blog established in connection the newly released book by the same title. Authors Steve Lackmeyer and Jack Money will answer questions addressed to this site, and from time to time will share additional bits of history that did not make it into the book.

So what is OKC Second Time Around about?

From the run of 1889 when 10,000 strangers came together in one day to build a city until the beginning of the turbulent sixties, Downtown had been the commercial, retail and entertainment heart of Oklahoma City. In the subsequent forty years, the city struggled to re-imagine and rebuild and in the process overcome the centrifugal forces of suburban growth and a brutally commodity based economy.

OKC Second Time Around is the narrative and visual history of that unique experience. Steve Lackmeyer and Jack Money's narrative pulls together the almost serendipitous combination of circumstances that resulted in today's growing, vibrant, downtown Oklahoma City. Illustrated with more than 250 historic photographs, OKC The Second Time Around will provide fascinating reading for those who have lived this renaissance, for students of Oklahoma history, as well as all those interested in the peculiar, frail and highly individual nature of a city's reinvention.

OKC Second Time Around is sold at Full Cirlce Books, 50 Penn Place, The Painted Door in Bricktown and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art gift shop. More sales locations will be added in the near future. Books can be ordered at www.fullcircle books.com.


Upcoming appearances:
5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, KSBI TV, channel 52, Cox channel 9, Oklahoma News Tonight

7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, KOKC 1520 AM, Steve and Jack visit with Randy Renner and will be available to answer questions, discuss topics in OKC Second Time Around with callers.