Erle P. Halliburton - Duncan, Oklahoma
N 34° 30.582 W 097° 58.029
14S E 594810 N 3819157
"An Uncommon Man" is the title of a monument dedicated to Erle P. Halliburton, the founder of the Halliburton Company and one of the founders of the modern oil industry.
Waymark Code: WMF3CD
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 08/16/2012
Views: 3
The monument is located in Duncan, Oklahoma's Memorial Park. The park is about 7-8 blocks along and runs along the west side of US 81 in the middle of town. It is filled with many monuments and memorials dedicated to historical events as well as to veterans and various wars. The Halliburton memorial is located in the southern sec of the park.
This monument is immediately adjacent to US 81, in front of a water fountain and the Memorial Park Gate. It is inscribed on all four sides with Halliburton's accomplishments as well as a very detailed drawing of one the oil field processes which Halliburton patented. There is a life-size statue of Halliburton on top of the plinth, dressed in early Twentieth Century clothing and sitting on some boxes.
Although Halliburton didn't found the town of Duncan, he certainly helped turn it into what it is today. He had already worked in the oil business prior to moving his family to Duncan sometime between 1915 and 1919. In 1919, he developed and patented a new process for cementing oil wells which made them much more controllable during their productive lives. This was the first of many innovations involving the oil and gas business and also led to the formation of what is today's Halliburton Corporation. Although Halliburton no longer has its headquarters in Duncan, it still has a major business and civic presence int he town.
The monument was dedicated in 1993. The sculptor was Dario Rossi. According to the Smithsonian's SIRIS data-base, there is apparently a difference of opinion as to whether the monument is carved out of marble or Georgia granite. Team Blakelylaw certainly doesn't know enough about the subject to be able to tell which.
(Information contained herein was based on personal knowledge as a long-time Oklahoma resident, as well as information contained on the monument, the referenced SIRIS article, and the Wikipedia article on Erle P. Halliburton.)
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