Backyard treasure is economic gold

Northwest Oklahoma 1 2011

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Diggers seek selenite crystals at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge east of Cherokee. (Photo provided)

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March 5, 2011

Backyard treasure is economic gold

By Joe Malan, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle The Enid News and Eagle Sat Mar 05, 2011, 07:50 PM CST

CHEROKEE — In 2007, Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge’s crystal digging area was closed after a vial containing a chemical was discovered.

The site was reopened in May 2009, and during that season, there were 21,000 visitors to the area. That’s according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa district, which Dr. Patty Wilber contacted because she was interested in the economic impact of the crystal digging site on surrounding towns.

Wilber, associate dean for economic development at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, said there were 30,000 crystal diggers in 2010 after the area opened in April. She said Tulsa district’s Greg Birkenfeld estimated each visitor spent, on average, $25 a day in Alfalfa County while at the digging site.

“If those 21,000 visitors spent $25 a day for that day visit, you have $525,000 spent in the regional economy,” Wilber said. “That’s over half a million dollars.”

Wilber said some analysts say $1 spent in a local economy will turn over seven times. Even if the dollar turns over only twice in the Alfalfa County market, there still would be a $1,050,000 impact to the local economy. Similarly, if you took the 30,000 visitors from 2010 and assume each person spent $25, that would mean $1,500,000 injected into the economy.

Susie Koontz, director of Cherokee Main Street, said she has seen the economic impact firsthand.

“From talking to our businesses, we get a lot of visitors in town who come to dig crystals,” she said. “It’s a big part of our identity.”

The area is the only place in the western hemisphere one can dig for a selenite hourglass crystal, Koontz said.

“In Cherokee, we’re very serious about the fact that crystal digging is right there in our backyard,” she said.

Wilber also touted the importance of the digging area.

“It’s a gem that we have in northwest Oklahoma for tourism,” she said.

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Northwest Oklahoma 1 2011

Northwest Oklahoma Part 1 2011
One of the attributes of living in Enid and Northwest Oklahoma is the abundant pride residents have in its people, land and businesses. The 2011 News & Eagle Progress edition highlights these areas and pays tribute to all of those who make our region shine 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

March 5, 2011 1 Photo
Boom a boon
SandRidge owns 750,000 acres of land in the area, and 37 horizontal wells are in Alfalfa, Grant and Woods counties.

March 5, 2011 2 Photos
Now the play begins
After years of holding small fundraisers and banking money toward the day, the money to move forward recently has come snowballing in, and the plan is to install equipment this summer.

March 5, 2011 2 Photos
It’s about time for an update

“We have building issues such as heaters and (problems with) gymnasiums and dressing rooms, and we’re trying to get some ideas what that will cost. There are tiles coming up off the floor. The tile floor we’re talking about was put in in the 1950s.” — Bob Meyer, Cherokee Public Schools interim superintendent

March 5, 2011 2 Photos
Backyard treasure is economic gold
Dr. Patty Wilber, associate dean for economic development at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, said there were 30,000 crystal diggers in 2010 after the area opened in April. She said Tulsa district’s Greg Birkenfeld estimated each visitor spent, on average, $25 a day in Alfalfa County while at the digging site.

March 5, 2011 1 Photo
Study time at the lake
“With tight budgets coming up, I don’t know how (we) will fare.” — Ross Adkins, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

March 5, 2011 2 Photos
Woodward’s carving a niche
The $7 million and more than 29,000-square-foot facility will accommodate about 650 people in a round-table event, 1,200 in lecture-type seating, 110 booth spaces and 75 people in the three training rooms, acting as a hub for multi-purpose conference and education facilitating.

March 5, 2011 2 Photos
‘A great area to call home’
Woodward Chamber of Commerce President CJ Montgomery said the city’s retail sector is looking “great.”

March 5, 2011 4 Photos
Bottled-up desire finally bubbles up into business
The business allows people to have their water for free from an artesian well located off Oklahoma 11, just north of the Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.

March 5, 2011 3 Photos
University of culture

“Our cultural offerings probably affect several thousand people during the course of the year.” — Steve Valencia, associate vice president for university relations.

March 5, 2011 5 Photos
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Backyard treasure is economic gold

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