Tulsa, Oklahoma - Center of the Universe

I visited the much touted (among Oklahomans with paranormal interests) Center of the Universe in Tulsa, OK, on a misty October night a few years back. I am generally sensitive to energy, but I could feel nothing at the alleged area.

However, I felt a strong energy vortex several feet away near the railroad station entrance. It made for an interesting 20 minutes or so. I wonder if the damp weather had anything to do with the energy shift. I'd like to check it out again under different conditions. [Carol Anne Fulton, 06/01/2007]

I have spent many late nights here with friends and loved ones due to the peace and quiet, and the cool factor of talking to your loved one and hearing each others echoes. To this day I'm still not sure how it works but I do have one thing to throw in: it does not work when there is snow on the ground. I'm not sure why that makes a difference, but it does... [tyler roberts, 03/05/2007]

I've worked in downtown Tulsa, four blocks from the "Center of the Universe," for 5 years and finally visited the spot today. A friend of mine accompanied me. Sure enough, you hear an eerie reverberation when standing in the middle of the brick formation in the sidewalk. This can only be heard by the person speaking.

Now, my friend and I consider ourselves fairly intelligent guys, so we begin developing theories as to the cause of this phenomenon. Some people claim the "echo" is from the surrounding buildings. I do not believe this is an echo for two reasons: 1) the buildings are too far away (the speed of sound is not as fast as the phenomenon is heard); 2) the phenomenon can be heard no matter which direction you are facing: toward or away from nearby buildings.

My friend thought perhaps there was a hollow metal pillar supporting the bridge directly under the mystical spot, so we trekked down under the bridge and discover this is not the case. Concrete pillars support the bridge from either side of the railroad tracks. The "Center of the Universe" is directly over the tracks.

Other theorists believe the phenomenon is caused by the circle of 20-24 inch tall concrete planters spaced equidistantly around the spot in question. I'll leave the testing of this theory up to someone with a more scientific college degree. My theory of preference (probably because I developed it) involves the metal seam that is visible running directly across the middle of the bridge, parallel to the train tracks. I believe this metal seam vibrates with the tones of one's voice, causing the phenomenon.

One thing I can say for sure is there is no manhole in the "Center of the Universe." I wonder if a person standing in the "Center of the Universe" can hear only their own voice when a train passes beneath! [Cary Walker, 01/10/2006]

The Center of the Universe is a phenomenon located on the old Main Street bridge over the rail line. If you stand in the center of the brick circle, you hear the echo of your voice. If you stand on the opposite side of the bridge circle from someone else, you hear their echo, but not your own. There is not a manhole cover here. This is included as "just a neat little spot" on the Tulsa Ghost tours provided by the Paranormal Investigation Team of Tulsa (P.I.T.T.). [Cory Gage, 06/27/2004]

It is on a pedestrian bridge, and is in fact a manhole cover -- why anyone would want to put a manhole on a bridge is beyond me. When you stand on it and talk you hear a loud reverberating echo coming from beneath you (quite a spooky experience). The site is quite popular with the locals, especially about 2:30 in the morning after the Cain's has let out for the night. [Zoran Vedek, 07/01/2001]