The Pearl District, or simply The Pearl, is a neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma just east of Downtown. The neighborhood is roughly bounded by I-244 on the north, E 11th St on the south, S Utica Ave on the east, and S Peoria Ave on the west.
It is one of Tulsa's oldest neighborhoods and contains many residential homes, commercial storefronts, historic landmarks, public art, galleries, and museums. It has seen an economic boom in recent years due to its positioning along U.S. Route 66 and a newfound revitalization campaign for the route's tourism.[1]
History
The neighborhood saw rapid growth in the 1920s and 1930s due to the explosion of growth from the city's oil industry. The north side of the neighborhood benefited from the placement of the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (M.K.T.) and had mostly working class residents.
In the 1930s, the neighborhood sustained a glass factory, cannery, and an oil depot. There was also a barbershop, drugstore, shoe repair, tavern and two small grocery stores. A trolly system connected the area to downtown as well as the University of Tulsa and Cherry Street.
The neighborhood sustained economically into the 1960s and began to decline in the 1970s. [2]
In 1972, rock musician Leon Russell purchased an original 1915 Grace Methodist Episcopal Church building and converted it into a recording studio for his label Shelter Records. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It began restoration in 2016 and reopened to better accomadate recording sessions and serve as a museum dedicated to the Tulsa sound.[3]
Features
The Meadow Gold sign on Route 66
The south end of the neighborhood sits along U.S. Route 66 and is a hub for tourism in the city. This area is sometimes considered the "Meadow Gold' area of the neighborhood due to the famed Meadow Gold sign which sits on the corner of 11th and Quaker.
Other notable features include Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios, El Rancho Grande, and Ike's Chili, the oldest restaurant in Tulsa.
The east side of the neighborhood contains Veterans Park, Oaklawn Cemetery, and the Tulsa Fire Alarm Building, a historic Art Deco-style fire department building. Hillcrest Medical Center sits on the south side near U.S. Route 64. The Pearl is in close proximity to other neighborhoods, like Kendall-Whittier to the north and Cherry Street to the south.
References
↑ Pearl District". Retrieved September 26, 2025. "Pearl District". Retrieved September 26, 2025.
↑ Pearl District History. Retrieved September 26, 2025. "Pearl District". Retrieved September 26, 2025.
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