Published Books
Steve at a recent Barnes & Noble book signing
4th & Boston: Heart of the Magic Empire
In a wild and unlikely cauldron of outlaws and church-folk, Tulsa was born 50% sinner and 50% saint. As it was with J.M. Hall and his friend and advocate, George Perryman, it still falls on the good people to constantly weed out the roots of the bad. Yet, after all the city has been through, Tulsa has proven to be exactly what its founders dreamed it could be - a magic place built on the hard work and foresight of men and women empowered by a courageous heart heat still beats strong on the hilltop at 4th & Boston. This book was a finalist for the Best Oklahoma Nonfiction Book 2016.
Mullerhaus Publishing, 2016
Someone Left the Gate Open
Sitting around the dinner table in the fall of 2015, Eddy Gibbs Family considered the improbable good fortune of the proud man, sitting at the head of the table. Eddy's humble beginnings in a small, rural Oklahoma town, the limits of only a high school education and a series of personal tragedies hardly predicted his rise to manufacturing greatness. While Eddy revers the memories and influences of his mother, an uncle and a group of cherished friends and colleagues, Someone Left the Gate Open speaks to the virtue of American ideals granted to all its citizens, if only they will embrace the freedom to walk through the always open gate of opportunity.
Edward G. Gibbs Trust Publishing, 2015
Hidden History of Tulsa
The story of Tulsa's transformation from a nineteenth-century cow town into the "Oil Capital of the World" has been above ground for years, but a great reservoir of Tulsey Town's heritage has remained beneath the surface. These neglected tales include the dirigible flyover of 1929, the Hominy Indians' victory over the New York Giants and the legendary final performance of Spade Cooley, convicted killer and the self-proclaimed "King of Western Swing." From the horrors of the city's early race riot and the proud legacy of Greenwood (aka Little Africa or Black Wall Street) to Tulsa's iconic landmarks and unforgettable personalities, Steve Gerkin provides an evocative and enjoyable voyage through T-Town's Hidden History.
History Press/Arcadia, 2014