City of Jenks
Jenks Real Estate
Located along the west bank of the Arkansas River, you’ll find the small city of Jenks. Jenks offers a small town atmosphere with the conveniences of Tulsa just on the other side of the river. Jenks has been growing quickly over the past few years and has begun to revolutionize the tourism industry in this part of the state. In May 2003, the Oklahoma Aquarium opened its doors and over 450,000 people and 100,000 children visited the facility in its first year. The latest success of Jenks is the RiverWalk Crossing, which offers retail, restaurants and office space. The plaza overlooks the river and also features an outdoor dining spacing with amphitheater for live concerts and events.
Jenks is also known as the “Antique Capital of Oklahoma.” If you enjoy shopping for antiques, you’ll be right at home in downtown Jenks with its turn of the century style and charm.
The real estate industry is booming in Jenks with over 300 new homes being built each year and more and more people are looking to become residents. The Jenks educational system is award winning and nationally recognized, as is their high school football team, the Jenks Trojans. Under the guidance of head coach Alan Trimble, the Jenks Trojans have 12 state championships under their belt and have been recognized nationally.
In 2007, Jenks was named as one of “The Country’s Best Places to Live” by Money Magazine. Each year the city grows from a small town to a city that is poised to lead the state in many industries.
If you’re interested in making Jenks your home, contact Bedlam Realty today at (918) 274-HOME.
The History of Jenks
The Midland Valley Railroad established Jenks in 1906 between Tulsa and Muskogee along the Arkansas River. The river was used by steamboats in the early days and this proved vital to the development of Jenks in the early days. The city was named after the director of the Midland Valley Railroad at the time.
In 1905, petroleum was discovered and further bolstered the economy of the town. The Glenn Pool oil well was established and entrepreneurs were attracted to the for more oil claims. In 1906, numerous oil depots were constructed in the town. After the oil business waned, the area became largely agricultural with many families from Bulgaria immigrating to farm the area.
Life was rough for Jenks residents from 1904 to the 1950s, as the area experienced extensive flooding from the river and nearby Polecat Creek. In the 1920s, one flood completely filled the town with water and covered all but the roof of the high school building, which was three stories tall. In 1948, the U.S. Army Corps built a levee for the town to prevent future flooding and the town began to prosper.
Jenks has had three bridges crossing the Arkansas River. Today, the bridge built in 1948 is now a pedestrian bridge, allowing people to access park areas by foot. Today’s four-lane bridge was built in 1996.
The 1970s saw the water system in Tulsa was expanded to Jenks and the Public Service of Oklahoma gas-fired electric power plant was built as well. In the 1980s, the Kimberly-Clark manufacturing facility was built and it still provides numerous jobs to the area today.
