The Urban Legend Of The Tulsa Center Of The Universe

For over a year and a half now I had heard about the Tulsa Center Of The Universe, which is an acoustical anomaly in downtown Tulsa. There is a spot where there are stones in a small circle surrounded by a larger circle. According to what I have been told and read online if you were to stand in the smaller circle and speak anybody standing outside the larger circle would not be able to hear you, no matter how loud you raised your voice. Also, if the person standing outside the larger circle were to speak it would be distorted and you would be unable to understand them. That was the rumor at least.

Last weekend my wife, son and mother-in-law and I were in that general area so I decided that the time had come for me to find out what the truth was. As it turned out the truth was something altogether different. I first told my family to see if they could hear me and then I stood inside the small circle and began to speak. Immediately I did notice that my voice had a strange echo but much to my dismay they understood me clearly. I then told them to talk to me and I encountered the same from them, I could clearly understand everything they said even with the echo. They all took turns standing in the small circle and the result was the same.

I couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed. Perhaps I had built the whole thing up in my head and was expecting this marvelous, mystical experience that was unexplainable even to science. Instead I found that while there is an acoustical anomaly it is minor at best. Still, it was fun to do as a family and at least now I know the truth. If I ever have the chance to investigate another urban legend I know I'll do it in a heartbeat however perhaps I'll be able to lower my expectations to a more realistic level. Nah, probably not. 

Written and Published by Don Leach. May not be used without permission from the author.