Bigheart

Oklahoma's ghost towns got it from both sides — oil booms that built them overnight and the Dust Bowl that emptied them.

The Bank of Bigheart was a bank based in Barnsdall, Oklahoma and is also the name of its surviving historic commercial building, at 308 W. Main St. in Barnsdall. It is one of four small bank buildings built in Richardsonian Romanesque style in Osage County, Oklahoma during 1904–1911, the peak of the county's oil boom. The others are Bank of Hominy, Bank of Burbank, and Osage Bank of Fairfax. The Bank of Bigheart was founded in what was then the town of Bigheart, Oklahoma, and was renamed to Barnsdall in 1922.

The on-the-ground condition of Bigheart is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Bigheart is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.