On the night of April 27 2024, Sulphur, the seat of Murray County, Oklahoma, was hit by at least two tornadoes, one of which destroyed most of its east-side downtown. The old business district was a quaint assortment of bars, boutiques, and bakeries/cafes that catered mainly to the tourists who come to visit the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, take in the spa waters (hence the name, Sulphur), or gamble at the Chickasaw-owned casinos.
The twister wiped out much of this, and rebuilding will take many, many years. But this isn't Sulphur's first rodeo: the town has had to "Phoenix" itself several times.
At the turn of the 20th century, the entire town was forced to move to northward when its bubbling sulfur waters, waterfalls, and picturesque creeks were turned into Platt National Park. In doing so, the residents battled each other as to where, exactly, the town should be relocated: some settled east of Rock Creek, and some settled west thereof. Then, in March of 1922, the western side of town was visited by a tornado that leveled the courthouse and left 22 people dead. Forty years later, the Artesian Hotel, built originally in 1905 for use at the World's Fair in St. Louis, burned to the ground. This prominent building anchored downtown on its east side.
These past calamities should be used as inspiration to Sulphurians, because the town has been able to rebuild itself again and again.
In 1909, the city became whole once again when the East and West sides built the Washington Bridge, a streel truss bridge, over Rock Creek and placed a hatchet and horseshoe in the bridge to show their commitment to peace and prosperity. The tornado-ravaged courthouse was replaced a year after the tornado hit and still stands in the western downtown. And in 2013 the Artesian Hotel was rebuilt on the same location and using the same (albeit enhanced) architectural features. This building, thankfully, was mostly spared from the 2024 tornado.
Ultimately, what has been destroyed in Sulphur, Oklahoma has been resurrected. A silver lining can appear after a horrible, horrible disaster.
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