Historic Kendall Whittier Neighborhood On Upswing Again

A food truck festival drew folks to one of Tulsa's most historic neighborhoods on Saturday.

Kendall Square is known as one of Tulsa's first suburban shopping areas, but it has seen its fair share of ups and downs.

There was live music, food trucks and a lot of fun.

The Kendall Whittier neighborhood, near Admiral and Lewis, is on its way back to the glory days.

“I grew up in the 30s when this was the shopping center of Tulsa,” Dan Ziegler said. “There was no Utica Square… and there was Whittier Square."

Ziegler has seen this area in its heyday, in its decline, and now, in its revitalization.

He's the man behind Ziegler Art and Frame, a fixture off Admiral and Lewis since 1973.

Ziegler established his store during the decline and says it became a far cry from what it had been in the 1930s and 40s.

"This was middle America, then people moved away and houses deteriorated,” he said.

But today, things are changing.

More businesses are moving in, and the neighborhood is getting back on its feet.

"We want to bring people down to have a good time, enjoy the area and see all the progress that's happening in Kendall Whittier," Ed Sharrer said.

And the food truck festival does just that, by bringing in hundreds of people for an all-day event.

From families to teens to four-legged friends, just about everyone can find something just for them.

It's not only a taste of the latest Tulsa trends in food, it's a taste of the area. And for some, hopefully a hunger for more.

“I hope that it just turns into a normal, busy, business area between here and Mohawk Boulevard," Ziegler said.