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 Forklift Masts Bixby - Bixby (population 20,884) is a city within the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is a suburb of Tulsa and is located within both Wagoner and Tulsa counties. The population has increased by 7,500 people in the last 10 years and is among the fastest growing communities within the state. In spite of its growth Bixby is still referred to as "The Garden Spot of Oklahoma", the place to come for purchasing fresh produce.
The area was initially inhabited in the latter part of the 1800s by Alexander Posey, the son of Muscogee (Creek) and Scottish parents. Posey, who became a nationally known political satirist, founded a community referred to as "Posey on Posey Creek." The community had a blacksmith, a general store and two saloons, and by the year 1895 it had a post office. Bixby was named after a chairman of the Dawes Commission, Tams Bixby.
The discovery of oil fields during 1913 helped grow the township of Bixby, though the community remained a farming community for a long time. The primary agricultural products produced during the early part of the past century was alfalfa, cotton and wheat. After the 1930's vegetable production became more significant. Recognized as a regional shipping center for agricultural produce by railroad, Bixby was referred to as "The Garden Spot of Oklahoma." The railroad shipped cantaloupes, potatoes, turnips, squash, radishes, spinach and sweet corn from Bixby all around the country. More recently, these farms have been converted to producing sod, mostly Bermuda grass. Although just a fraction of residents are still working within agriculture, the township still carries on its traditions with the annual "Green Corn Festival" held every summer.
The city plays host to lots of public events at the Washington Irving Park and Arboretum. The park is named for a famous American author who visited the township during the year 1832. The Washington Irving Park contains a bronze statue of Irving, and the stage of the amphitheatre has been made to resemble the front of Irving's home in Tarrytown, New York. The entrance gates of the park are replicas of the Irving estate gates. Drama students of the city present a dramatization of Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow within the park every fall. The park also hosts the popular "Deutschesfest" and the "Bixby BBQ & Music Festival".
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