October Is a Great Time to Visit Osage County Before Seeing “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Highly anticipated film Killers of the Flower Moon is scheduled for release on October 20, 2023, and early reviews are raving about Martin Scorsese’s film adaptation of the book by David Gann. The movie unravels the enigma behind the Osage murders of the 1920s, shedding light on a grand conspiracy aimed at exploiting the oil-rich land owned by Native Americans. This gripping narrative not only delves into the Osage murders but also explores their connection to the birth of the FBI.
I read Killers of the Flower Moon more than two years ago while living in Osage County, the setting of the events. Our family moved from the Tulsa area in 2020, during filming of the movie in Pawhuska. Many of the Apple movie crew members were living and working in Pawhuska and nearby Bartlesville, and Pawhuska and Bartlesville residents played parts in the movie, whether as cast or crew. Everywhere you went, conversations revolved around the movie.
The book’s description of Osage County mirrored the rocky soil, tallgrass and wildlife that our family found as we explored the region. Knowing that we were just the fourth owner and first to ever build a residence on this Osage land made everything about the book and all that was going on with filming even more thrilling. On one of those explorations, we discovered an abandoned and very rusted car located down a ravine, deep in the thick of the woods. It looked to be a 1940s Studebaker, missing the engine and dashboard accessories. The car seemed to us like an image from the film of the real-life Osage saga.
A visit to Pawhuska to obtain our home building permit even came with movie-set challenges. We were instructed to enter through the back-alley entrance, as paved streets were filled with dirt for filming. Winding through offices and hallways that were not intended for the public to pass, we made our way to the counter and noticed all the windows were covered up as the outside was staged for the movie. While helping us through the permit process, the County Clerk couldn’t help but share the excitement that the movie had brought to this small town. She scrolled through photos she had taken through the gaps in the taped-up windows, showing us De Niro, DiCaprio and others in 1920s costume.
As the movie comes out, I would encourage people to take the short drive to Osage County, Pawhuska and Bartlesville to learn more about the Osage land, the culture and the environment. Hike through the hills at Osage Hills State Park, bike along HWY 60 and take in the beauty. Visit the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and some of the spots where filming took place in downtown Pawhuska. Or even pop by the Osage County permitting office. I promise they’ve got some great stories to share.
If You Visit Bartlesville This Month…
October is a beautiful month for a drive, and Bartlesville is only a 45-minute drive from Tulsa. Visit the Price Tower Arts Center (Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper), Frank Phillips Home (it has a John Singer Sargent painting), Bartlesville Union Depot if your kids like trains and the Bartlesville Area History Museum. I’ve had lunch at the Painted Horse Bar & Grille downtown and recommend a stop there.
Most of these events and more can be found at visitbartlesville.com.
- Farmer’s Market until Oct. 14 at Frank Phillips Park located at the corner of Frank Phillips Blvd. and Keeler Ave.
- Bartlesville Kiddie Park usually holds a Halloween Spook-A-Rama, 200 N. Cherokee Ave. Check their Facebook Page.
- Woolaroc Fall Trader’s Encampment: Oct. 6-7. See how the 1840s Mountain Men lived at this event!
- The Gathering at the Roc Car Show: Oct 7. Over 200 Hot Rods at Woolaroc.
- OKM Music Oktoberfest: Oct. 7, 3-9 p.m. in downtown Bartlesville.
- Buck Atom’s Cosmic Cowboy Concert: Oct. 14, 6-9 p.m. on the street between Frank and Lola’s and Cooper & Mill. 3rd Annual Robert Babcock Memorial Concert, benefitting The Journey Home.
- The Best of the Ghost Walk at Theater Bartlesville (tentatively 10/25 and 10/26), Rocky Horror Picture Show viewing at Theater Bartlesville (date is TBA). Check visitbartlesville.com.
- BooFest hosted by Sunfest: Oct. 21, Madison Blvd South of Tuxedo Blvd. Free event for families, 4-9 p.m.
- Pumpkin Patches: The Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch and Heritage Farm. Heritage also has hayrides, slides, pumpkin chunkin’, etc.
- Downtown Spooktacular: Oct. 27, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. along Dewey Ave.
- The Woolaroc art show and sale: Weekend of Oct. 13 through the end of the year.
