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1947 – Ponca City’s population increased to 25,600, a boost of over 3,000 since 1945.

Continental Oil bought the defense plant it operated during the war, and it became Conoco’s South Plant.

Conoco’s exploration teams, known as “doodlebuggers,” roamed the United States looking for drilling prospects.

Wally Edwards, home from the service, opened the Edwards Implement Company with the franchise for Massey Ferguson farm equipment.

The Wildcats winged-T formation, drawn up by Coach Earl Sullins, carried the team through the regular season undefeated. They went on to win the district football title.

The first Piper PA-12 Super cruiser rolled off the assembly line.

The City bus company was granted a 25-year franchise in a city election.

Ponca City civic and study clubs named Mrs. Francis Smith Catron, supervisor of music, “Woman of the Year.”

Over 150 citizens interested in art met to form The Ponca City Arts Association.

Ponca City celebrated again with its three traditional big events – the Cherokee Strip Celebration, the Ponca Indian Powwow, and the Wentz bathing revue. All three drew record-breaking crowds.

Laura Clubb, Kaw City, announced that she was giving her $1,000,000 art collection to the Philbrook Art Center in Tulsa.

W.J. Casemore, owner of Casemore Plumbing Company, was elected mayor. His opponent was T.J. Cuzalina, local pharmacist.

The American Business Club hosted 2,000 youngsters at their annual Easter egg hunt.

On April 7, Ponca City telephone workers joined the Bell Telephone union employees in a nationwide strike. They walked off the job at 6:00 a.m., ending all service except emergency calls. Normal service resumed on May 18 after settlement of the strike.

A $244.00 bond issue was approved to construct an addition to the Ponca City hospital. The hospital was expanded to 100 beds with a new maternity floor and delivery room to accommodate the post-war baby boom.

Organized baseball returned to Ponca for the first time since 1938. In their season opener, the Ponca City Dodgers, managed by Boyd Bartley, former Brooklyn and Montreal infielder, defeated the Bartlesville Oilers, 9-5.

D.F.B. Harsh resigned as Kay County Sheriff to become Ponca City’s new Chief of Police, succeeding Joe McFadden.

On July 14, twenty people reported seeing “flying saucers” wheel across Ponca City skies.

The next day, temperatures reached 104 degrees. On July 18, Mrs. Evelyn Pierce, 714 S. Fourth Street, fried an egg on the sidewalk in 106-degree heat.

The wheat yield in Kay County was estimated at 3,035,000 bushels.

The county agent received 1,000 pounds of poison to combat grasshoppers.

The first railroad car of watermelons grown in the 101 Ranch area were shipped to Racine, Wisconsin.
In August, the board of county commissioners was awarded a farm-to-market contract to build the local lake road. Construction began immediately.

Dan Moran, in ill health, resigned as president of Conoco. He was replaced by Leonard F. McCollum, who reestablished the research department and refocused the company’s exploration effort.

The Ponca City Chamber of Commerce announced that 96 new business firms had opened or established businesses had been purchased in 1947. Retail sales were estimated to be over $22,000,000, compared with $8,000,000 in 1937.

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