Historical Marker Program

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B. B. McKinney Cabin

Murray County
Location: at the Falls Creek Conference Center at Turner Falls south of Davis (OBHC)
Sponsor(s): Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
Topics: Arts; Religion/Philosophy; Social/Cultural

The legendary Southern Baptist composer, who directed music at Falls Creek from 1925 to 1947, wrote the song, "Wherever He Leads I'll Go," in this cabin.

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Boulder Springs

Murray County
Location: at Falls Creek Conference Center at Turner Falls south of Davis (OBHC)
Sponsor(s): Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
Topics: Natural Resources; Recreational/Service; Social/Cultural; Water

The springs were formerly known as the "Devil's Bathtub," due to the unique shape of the pool.

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Cross Section

Murray County
Location: on I-35 at scenic turnout between mile markers 49 and 50
Topics: Environmental/Cultural Ecology

Explains the Arbuckle Mountain Anticline geological structure. A nearby marker explains that the technique of oil exploration using reflection seismograph was born here.

Note: This marker was reported missing.

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Falls Creek Memorial Park

Murray County
Location: at Falls Creek Conference Center at Turner Falls south of Davis (OBHC)
Sponsor(s): Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
Topics: Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Government; Religion/Philosophy; Transportation

Baptist leaders prayed here to dedicate the grounds to Baptist youth in 1917.

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George A. Ramsey and the Mountain Highway

Murray County
Location: the Turner Falls Scenic Turnout on Highway 77
Coordinates: 34.427300, -97.145737
Sponsor(s): Citizens of Ardmore
Topics: Transportation

Two markers commemorating the construction of a highway through the Arbuckle Mountains. One is dedicated to George A. Ramsey, who initiated the highway’s construction. The other notes that the highway was constructed by prison laborers between 1925 and 1926.

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Initial Point/Indian Meridian

Murray County
Location: near OK-7 in the Arbuckle Mountains west of Davis
Topics: American Indians; Government; Settlement Patterns

Initial Point marks the exact location of the intersection of the north-south Indian Meridian and the east-west Base Line. Following the 1866 treaties with the Five Civilized Tribes, who agreed to the survey of their lands, the General Land Office in 1870 directed E. N. Darling to select the Indian Point (near Fort Arbuckle). The two lines he ran represent the basis of all future land descriptions in Oklahoma except the Panhandle. The rough stone pillar that marks Indian Point is on private land.

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Oklahoma, Where Reflection Seismograph Was Born

Murray County
Location: the Turner Falls Scenic Turnout on Highway 77
Coordinates: 34.427285, -97.145737
Material: Granite
Sponsor(s): Oklahoma-Kansas Oil and Gas Association
Topics: Environmental/Cultural Ecology

Oklahoma is the birthplace of the reflection seismic technique of oil exploration. This geophysical method records reflected seismic waves as they travel through the earth, helping to find oil-bearing formations. It has been responsible for the discovery of many of the world's largest oil and gas fields, containing billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas. Pioneering research and development was led by Dr. J. C. Karcher, an Oklahoma physicist. The Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma were selected for a pilot survey of the technique and equipment because an entire geologic section from the basal permain to the basement mass of granite is exposed here. This survey followed limited testing in June 1921 in the outskirts of Oklahoma City. Verification and confirmation testing was conducted in the Arbuckles beginning July 4, 1921, by Dr. Karcher and Dr. W. P. Haseman, Dr. D. W. O'Hern, and Dr. Irving Perrine, of the University of Oklahoma. Results were promising. The world's first reflection seismograph geological section was measured on August 9, 1921, along Vines Branch a few miles north of Dougherty near here. The reflection technique has become the major method of energy exploration throughout the world. By 1983 more than 80 percent of the members of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists in 112 countries were involved in reflection seismography.

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Price’s Falls

Murray County
Location: at Falls Creek (OBHC)
Sponsor(s): Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
Topics: Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Recreational/Service; Religion/Philosophy

In 1916, Baptist leaders saw a picture of the falls and wanted to purchase the land for a Baptist assembly. Price's Falls was not available, so Baptists bought land farther up the mountain and named it Falls Creek Baptist Assembly. In 1998, the Price's Falls area finally became part of the Baptists' Falls Creek complex.

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