Oil Rig Operator Turned Icon

My sensors picked up the glint of metal from miles away, signaling that I was nearing a new location on my voyage. Upon landing, I realized the source of the shine was the “Golden Driller,” a 75-foot-tall statue of an oil rig operator. The locals have dubbed it an icon and it certainly lived up to its name. I did some digging and found that the statue was constructed in 1952 and has since been moved multiple times. To me, this was an interesting example of how a workman in the oil industry could be memorialized as a representation for the region. An interesting fact I learned was that the statue was originally built to be a giant display at the 1953 International Petroleum Exposition. The history gives a glimpse into how oil has powered Oklahoma's economy for over a century.