BARTLESVILLE, Oklahoma – With the future of Price Tower uncertain, people in Bartlesville are wondering what will happen to some of the city’s traditions and economy.
The tower’s owner has plans to close it. Bartlesville’s lighthouse was home to traditions. It hosted people in its hotel and hosted tours for architecture lovers. Now all of that is at stake.
2 News spoke with Maria Gus, executive director of Visit Bartlesville.
“Of course the challenges we are going through are sad and disappointing,” Gus said. “But we really believe there is a way forward.”
However, the path is uncertain.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen right now,” Gus said, “but I know a lot of people are worried.”
Among them were herself and a number of other Bartlesville residents, such as Allison Pruett. She visited the tower for the first time as part of a school trip.
“As a kid, you just didn’t care, that big tower downtown didn’t make sense to you,” Pruett said. “As you get older and you learn about it, and as you learn about Frank Lloyd Wright, you learn more about it and you appreciate it more.”
She suggests handing the tower over to the people of Bartlesville.
“Let’s try to get it back up and go from there,” Pruett said.
She suggests that everyone contribute a little money to help the city maintain the tower.
“I think it’s doable, but everything costs money and not everyone has it,” Pruett said.
There is no indication that anyone will save the tower. In the meantime, Gus and her team are making contingency plans.
“We want to continue to ensure that tourists, visitors and groups have the opportunity to experience the tower and take tours,” Gus said.
The tower will still stand after the closure.
Leaders will “develop some of these interpretive presentations that we can do outside so that we can tell the story in the meantime, even though they may not be able to see all the great parts inside the tower,” Gus said.
There is uncertainty in the city. Residents are unsettled. Rumors are flying like the Oklahoma wind. When 2 News contacted city leaders, they pointed us to Visit Bartlesville.
Even if there are no answers, there is hope.
“If you put the right people in charge of maintenance, it can be done,” Pruett said.
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