Golden Driller Statue

How to Get There

Take I-44 East to Yale Avenue, head north to 21st Street, then turn right and continue to the Tulsa Expo Center entrance.

Overview

The Golden Driller is one of Tulsa’s most iconic landmarks and a towering tribute to the city’s oil-rich history. Standing 76 feet tall and weighing 43,500 pounds, this colossal statue of an oil worker rests his hand on a real oil derrick and gazes proudly over the Tulsa Expo Center. Originally created for the 1953 International Petroleum Exposition, the statue was permanently installed in 1966 and later adopted as Oklahoma’s official state monument in 1979. Its belt proudly bears the name “TULSA,” and its sheer scale makes it one of the tallest freestanding statues in the United States.

The Golden Driller has become a beloved roadside attraction along historic Route 66, drawing visitors for photos, selfies, and a glimpse into Tulsa’s industrial past. The statue has even undergone temporary transformations, including a brief stint as “Tesla Driller” during a campaign to attract the electric car company. Today, it remains a symbol of the city’s resilience and innovation, offering a unique stop for travelers exploring Oklahoma’s stretch of the Mother Road.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for Golden Driller, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.