Jim Hewgley Jr. was an independent oilman who served two terms as Tulsa’s mayor from 1966 to 1970. In his first mayoral-election victory, he defeated incumbent Mayor Jim Maxwell, who was seeking a fifth consecutive term. And Jim defeated Maxwell again in 1968. Hewgley had been a registered Democrat until 1956, when he became a Republican and was the first Tulsa Republican mayor to be reelected.

Hewgley was mayor when the city was governed by the Tulsa City Commission. Shortly after Hewgley’s election in 1966, the city doubled in area by annexing 100 square miles of county land. During his time as mayor, the city passed its first 1-cent sales tax and established the Port of Catoosa following the passage of a $20, million bond issue to fund it. He was also instrumental in the start of the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority and Tulsa Housing Authority.

After leaving city office, he ran in 1972 for Oklahoma’s U.S. House District 1 seat but lost to James R. Jones.

His son, Jim Hewgley III served three terms as street commissioner.

Jim Hewgley Jr. was named to the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1984.

He served on many local boards, including those of the Tulsa Opera, the Tulsa Chapter of the American Red Cross, Children’s Medical Center, Hillcrest Medical Center, Holland Hall, and Southern Hills Country Club.

This oral history interview was recorded May 19, 2009. He was 94 when he died May 17, 2011.