One man caught in the spirit of his city was William Balser "Bill" Skirvin. A native of Michigan, Skirvin had made the Run of 1889, then moved to Texas, where he made a fortune in land development and oil. In 1906 he and his family, including his oldest daughter Pearl, who later would become Pearl Mesta the Washington hostess, moved to Oklahoma City. Further investments in oil and land brought him new wealth, including four lots on the northeast corner of 1st Street and Broadway, just south of the Rock Island Depot.
William Balser Skirvin (November 10, 1860 - March 25, 1944) was an American real estate developer and oil millionaire. He is best known for his establishment of the Skirvin Hotel, an Oklahoma City landmark now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Born near Sturgis, Michigan, Skirvin left for the Oklahoma Territory in 1889 as an original 89er. He and a business partner acquired, and then sold, property in the new territorial capital of Guthrie, then moved to Galveston, Texas to engage in the real estate business. Skirvin developed the town of Alta Loma, and was present in Galveston at the time of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. Skirvin also engaged in the oil business with considerable success.
[Sources: "The Chronicles of Oklahoma" by Fred P. Branson (1944); Wikipedia article]
William Balser Skirvin (November 10, 1860 - March 25, 1944) was an American real estate developer and oil millionaire. He is best known for his establishment of the Skirvin Hotel, an Oklahoma City landmark now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Born near Sturgis, Michigan, Skirvin left for the Oklahoma Territory in 1889 as an original 89er. He and a business partner acquired, and then sold, property in the new territorial capital of Guthrie, then moved to Galveston, Texas to engage in the real estate business. Skirvin developed the town of Alta Loma, and was present in Galveston at the time of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. Skirvin also engaged in the oil business with considerable success.
[Sources: "The Chronicles of Oklahoma" by Fred P. Branson (1944); Wikipedia article]
One man caught in the spirit of his city was William Balser "Bill" Skirvin. A native of Michigan, Skirvin had made the Run of 1889, then moved to Texas, where he made a fortune in land development and oil. In 1906 he and his family, including his oldest daughter Pearl, who later would become Pearl Mesta the Washington hostess, moved to Oklahoma City. Further investments in oil and land brought him new wealth, including four lots on the northeast corner of 1st Street and Broadway, just south of the Rock Island Depot.
William Balser Skirvin (November 10, 1860 - March 25, 1944) was an American real estate developer and oil millionaire. He is best known for his establishment of the Skirvin Hotel, an Oklahoma City landmark now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Born near Sturgis, Michigan, Skirvin left for the Oklahoma Territory in 1889 as an original 89er. He and a business partner acquired, and then sold, property in the new territorial capital of Guthrie, then moved to Galveston, Texas to engage in the real estate business. Skirvin developed the town of Alta Loma, and was present in Galveston at the time of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. Skirvin also engaged in the oil business with considerable success.
[Sources: "The Chronicles of Oklahoma" by Fred P. Branson (1944); Wikipedia article]
William Balser Skirvin (November 10, 1860 - March 25, 1944) was an American real estate developer and oil millionaire. He is best known for his establishment of the Skirvin Hotel, an Oklahoma City landmark now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Born near Sturgis, Michigan, Skirvin left for the Oklahoma Territory in 1889 as an original 89er. He and a business partner acquired, and then sold, property in the new territorial capital of Guthrie, then moved to Galveston, Texas to engage in the real estate business. Skirvin developed the town of Alta Loma, and was present in Galveston at the time of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. Skirvin also engaged in the oil business with considerable success.
[Sources: "The Chronicles of Oklahoma" by Fred P. Branson (1944); Wikipedia article]
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