Ranch Acres an early suburban success

When everything south of 41st Street was still farmland, and Tulsa was growing fast in the post-war baby boom, Ranch Acres was born. Created in 1950 by I.A. “Jake” Jacobson, the innovative developer of Southland and Northland shopping malls, Ranch Acres was one of the first suburban tract developments in the United States. It initially stretched from Harvard to Florence, but by 1958, the development had spread to Delaware. Residents of this neighborhood should be aware of its historical significance, and should know that there are ways to protect its character. Historical preservation may be too extreme for this neighborhood, but certainly some action is in order to restrict the oversized, out-of-place houses that have been built in the last few years.