Erle P. Halliburton - Duncan, Oklahoma
N 34° 30.582 W 097° 58.029
14S E 594809 N 3819157
Although Halliburton didn't found the town of Duncan, he certainly helped turn it into what it is today. This monument to him is one of many found in Duncan's Memorial Park.
Waymark Code: WMHTZA
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 08/13/2013
Views: 3
Memorial 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 northern half of the park is dedicated to various military monuments; the Halliburton memorial, as well as numerous non-military monuments is located in the park's southern section. Parking is extremely limited on the US 81 side of the park; however, there is parking along the park's entire length on the back side.
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 20th Century clothing, sitting on some boxes.
There is a discrepancy regarding the material out of which Halliburton was carved. The original SOS submission indicated that the statue was marble. SIRI's own documentation, however, contains an article from the local school system indicating that the statue is Georgia gray granite.
Halliburton 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 his many innovations involving the oil and gas business. It 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 the town.
The front of the plinth simply states Halliburton's name, the years of his life (1892-1957), and the phrase "An Uncommon Man" underneath. Each of the other three sides give detailed descriptions of Halliburton's contributions to the industry and Duncan. For purposes of the following, the statue faces East.
NORTH SIDE INSCRIPTION (centered):
ERECTED 1993 IN MEMORY OF A
MAN WHO LEFT AN INDELIBLE
IMPRESSION ON DUNCAN AND STEPHENS
COUNTY. HE TOUCHED THE LIVES OF
MANY PEOPLE NOT ONLY AS THE
COUNTY'S LARGEST EMPLOYER BUT
AS A PERPETUALLY INQUISITIVE PERSON
WHOSE TECHNICAL INSPIRATIONS
BECAME LEGENDS IN THE OIL
INDUSTRY AROUND THE WORLD. HIS
DEEP AND ABIDING CONCERN FOR THE
WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS
AREA IS REMEMBERED FONDLY
WEST SIDE INSCRIPTION (drawing is on fight; see photo):
THE OIL WELL CEMENTING
PROCESS AS DEVELOPED
BY ERLE P.
HALLIBURTON,
ISOLATES THE
VARIOUS DOWNHOLE
ZONES, GUARDS
AGAINST COLLAPSE
OF THE CASING
AND PERMITS
CONTROL OF THE
WELL DURING ITS
PRODUCING LIFE.
THIS IS WHAT PUT
MR. HALLIBURTON
IN BUSINESS
SOUTH SIDE INSCRIPTION (centered):
HALLIBURTON (in fancy type)
PATENTED PROCESS (superscript size)
Oil Well Cementing Co. (italics)
DUNCAN, OKLAHOMA
ERLE P. HALLIBURTON LIVED TO
SEE HIS HALLIBURTON OIL WELL
CEMENTING CO. OPERATING ON
LAND ON EVERY CONTINENT AND
IN THE OFFSHORE OIL, AND GAS
PRODUCING FIELDS. HOWCO WAS THE
TAPROOT OF TODAY'S HALLIBURTON
COMPANY. THE PREMIER WORLDWIDE
PROVIDER OF MANY OTHER ESSENTIAL
TECHNICAL OIL FIELD SERVICES
(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.)
TITLE: Erle P. Halliburton
ARTIST(S): Sculptor: Dario Rossi; Carver: Bill Crowdis; Fabricator: Jones Monument Company
DATE: May 12, 1993
MEDIUM: Sculpture: marble or Georgia gray granite; Plinth: Autumn Rose granite
CONTROL NUMBER: IAS OK000163
Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link]
PHYSICAL LOCATION:
Memorial Park
600 block N. US 81
Duncan, OK
DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH:
The monument is still in excellent condition. The information contained in the data base is basically accurate; however, it does not note that the inscriptions on the base also contain a very detailed drawing of one of the oilfield processes which Halliburton patented.
Minor changes:
Inscription on the North side - there is a period after the last word, "fondly."
Inscription on the West side - there is a period after the last word, "business."
Inscription on the South side -
there is period after "CO" on third line;
the phrase "gas producing fields" is broken between "gas" on one line and "producing" on the next
in the third line from the end, the period after "company" should be a comma.
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