Explore the locations across Osage, Oklahoma, that held the truth of the Osage Reign of Terror and served as inspiration for the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon.
For fans of the book by David Grann (and those interested in the upcoming Scorsese movie) about the Osage murders and subsequent birth of the FBI in 1920s Oklahoma, the places connected to Killers of the Flower Moon have a new significance. Back in May, months before the scheduled release of the movie, Osage County tourism director Mary Beth Moore told Osage News that as the hype about the movie grew, the expected tourism needed to be addressed. Tourists were already starting to arrive (“Oklahoma” was “trending,” a documentary filmmaker from Germany told the Osage News when he dropped by in May), and she reported that her office as well as the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce were already constantly fielding questions about the movie and locations where it was filmed.
“This is not my story to tell,” Moore told Osage News. “We assure everybody that, first of all, direct descendants of those who lost their lives are still in Osage County. ... I am not willing to give out addresses so people can go poke around houses and cemeteries.” Others were mystified at the thought that something akin to a “tourist trail” might develop around sites where “the dark story of white greed and Osage murder” that are chronicled in both the book and movie unfolded.
If you go, be aware of the sensitive context of real, not cinematic, lives, and the attendant true — not Hollywood — tragedy surrounding them.
Pawhuska: Many scenes filmed for Killers of the Flower Moon were filmed in Pawhuska, a northeastern town in Osage County named for Chief Paw-Hiu-Skah and filled with both American Indian and Western culture. Once you enter the county, you are on the Osage Reservation, where visitors are welcome. There you’ll find tribal headquarters, a visitors center, and a museum. The visitors center promotes Osage culture, artists, and businesses and has a curated boutique with items for sale and exhibits that include current and historic photos and displays on history, language, and more. The Osage Nation Museum is the oldest tribally owned museum in the U.S. and the repository of archival photographs and other material that author Grann availed himself of during his five years of researching his book. Nearby, you’ll find the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, the largest protected tallgrass prairie remnant in the world.
Bartlesville: In addition to being the heartbeat office of the film, Bartlesville is famed for its thriving little downtown, Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s only realized skyscraper. Wright designed Price Tower, a 19-story building of copper and concrete, for Harold C. Price (for whom he also designed the private Bartlesville residence Hillside) as the headquarters of his pipeline construction company in the 1950s. Now a 20-room boutique hotel, it includes a restaurant (a second restaurant is scheduled to open later this year), an art gallery, and a museum. The top three floors, which can be toured daily or by special appointment, maintain their original 1956 appearance.
Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve: A little over 10 miles into the countryside from Bartlesville, the Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve was a favorite destination for actor Leonardo DiCaprio during the filming of Killers of the Flower Moon. Tucked within the Osage Hills of northeastern Oklahoma, the preserve hosts bison, elk, and longhorn cattle and the museum houses one of the most impressive collections of Western art and artifacts, Native American material, one of the largest collections of Colt firearms in the world, and more.
The First Americans Museum, Oklahoma City: Opened in 2021, the First Americans Museum tells the collective history of Oklahoma’s 39 Native American tribes in Oklahoma today, from origin stories to the present, with stories and exhibits showcasing their history, culture, strength, and contemporary contributions. The museum boasts four permanent exhibitions as well as a myriad of events, programs, and camps.
Fairfax: The setting of Killers of the Flower Moon, Fairfax is steeped in Osage history. The site of the majority of the Osage murders depicted in the book and movie, the town of less than 1,200 is also known as the home of famed ballerinas Maria and Marjorie Tallchief. It’s hoped that interest in the movie will enable economic development and micro loans for small businesses in Fairfax. Outside of town, Ben Ranch has cabins within the rolling hills of a century-old pecan orchard, and the HaT Ranch Lodge is set amid a 1,500-acre working ranch and hunting spot.
This article appears in our November/December 2023.
Images courtesy of Apple TV.