March 1951 - Opening
Bell’s Amusement Park: the story of Tulsa’s lost family park
From a family miniature train to the loss of its historic site, Bell’s tells more than half a century of popular leisure in Oklahoma.
A historical account of Bell’s Amusement Park, from Robert Bell’s beginnings to the 2006 closure and the later return plans that never fully materialized.
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From modest beginnings at the Fairgrounds
Bell’s began before the park officially opened. Robert Bell had already built a miniature train around his Tulsa home and operated children’s rides before launching a small group of amusements at the Fairgrounds in March 1951. The park therefore began less as a large industrial project than as a simple local family outing.
A midway park that became a place of memory
Bell’s grew layer by layer: bumper cars in 1955, the Tilt-a-Whirl and miniature golf in 1957, then larger and more memorable attractions. Zingo gave the park its great wooden silhouette from 1968, Phantasmagoria added a dark scenic experience in 1973, and White Lightnin’ brought a water ride into a park strongly shaped by its permanent midway atmosphere.
The loss of the historic site
The end of Bell’s was not about a single ride but about the loss of its historic location. After the 2006 season, the lease was not renewed and the rides left Expo Square. The former site was later turned into parking, while several return plans followed without giving the park a lasting new home.
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