Lee Van Winkle

The ninth and eleventh mayor of Oklahoma City, Robert E. Lee Van Winkle was born July 17, 1863 at Van Winkle’s Mills in Benton County, Arkansas. Van Winkle graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1882, and worked in the lumber business for several years after that. He came to Oklahoma in 1893. A veteran businessman, in addition to working in the lumber business and serving as president of the Retail Lumber Dealers of Oklahoma Van Winkle was involved in the oil business, he established and served as president of Oklahoma Sash & Door Company, and founded and served as president of Carpathians Life Insurance Company. He was elected mayor for the first time in 1899, then following Charles G. Jones’ second term as mayor he was elected again in 1903 making him the second mayor of Oklahoma City to serve multiple terms. During his time as mayor he managed to secure $2,000,000 in funding to pave Oklahoma City’s streets. The public library was also built during his tenure. He died on January 4, 1928 and is buried in Fairlawn Cemetery.