The Tidal School Winery in Drumright

Drumright was a boomtown back in the 1920's, but in recent years it's been anything but booming. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Rick Wells found a spot in Drumright designed to bring people back.

Thursday, May 20th 2004, 10:19 am

By: News On 6

Drumright was a boomtown back in the 1920's, but in recent years it's been anything but booming.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells found a spot in Drumright designed to bring people back. Once a place to learn the ABC's, is now a place to learn the ABC's of Oklahoma wine.

Folks are touring the new Tidal School Winery in Drumright. They are on the Creek County Ag tour, learning about new agri-businesses and business opportunities.

Roger Wilson: "if you did nothing to grapes they'd make wine all by themselves." Of course the wine is much better if you have a place like this to make it in. Roger Wilson is the Wine Maker and is showing off his new place.

Wilson: "Nobody in Oklahoma has anything like this." Actually there are only a couple of wineries in the Midwest that have anything like this. It's located in the old Tidal School, which was built in the 1920's by John D Rockefeller for the children of his oil company workers.

Even after it closed as a school it was still a busy place. Debbie Wilson: "This became the Elks lodge, the boy scout meeting place, arts and crafts festivals that sort of thing." In recent years, Drumright's been struggling.

The Avis Call Center left town even the hospital closed, but about three years ago the city of Drumright, offered the Tidal School building to Roger Wilson for the winery. Wilson: "They're really looking for tourism to develop here in Drumright." It cost $30,000 to build the school building in the 20's, about half a million to renovate it and turn it into a winery.

It has a big reception room and a tasting room and gift shop. They've constructed a big deck so visitors can sit enjoy a glass of wine and as much as possible bring the California wine experience home to Oklahoma.

The grand opening festivities begin Friday and continue through the weekend. Music food and of course wine tasting.

For more information call them at 918-352-4900.