About
TIMELINE

What started as two brothers in a small one-room office in 1945 has burgeoned into rich, storied history across a diverse portfolio of technology, real estate, oil and gas, and venture capital successes.

One of the company’s first shopping centers built in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1968 

FROM 1945 TO PRESENT, DAVIS HOLDINGS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE RECORD BREAKING DISCOVERIES AND HISTORIC AGREEMENTS.

FROM 1945 TO PRESENT, DAVIS HOLDINGS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE RECORD BREAKING DISCOVERIES AND HISTORIC AGREEMENTS.

About
TIMELINE

What started as two brothers in a small one-room office in 1945 has burgeoned into rich, storied history across a diverse portfolio of technology, real estate, oil and gas, and venture capital successes.

One of the company’s first shopping centers built in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1968

FROM 1945 TO PRESENT, DAVIS HOLDINGS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE RECORD BREAKING DISCOVERIES AND HISTORIC AGREEMENTS.

Below are highlights from 1924, when Herman Davis drilled his first well, to present.

1924

Herman Davis invested $10,000 in his first oil venture in 1924 in Osage County, Oklahoma. The well was dry, but Herman was determined to enter the industry because he figured that if one could lose money that fast, then with hard work and luck, one could make it that fast.

First Wildcat of Herman Davis 

1924

Herman Davis invested $10,000 in his first oil venture in 1924 in Osage County, Oklahoma. The well was dry, but Herman was determined to enter the industry because he figured that if one could lose money that fast, then with hard work and luck, one could make it that fast.

First Wildcat of Herman Davis

1945: After the war, in 1945, Leon and his brother, Elliot, formed Davis Bros., the parent company to Davis Holdings. From a small, one-room office, the two conducted business and shared a partners desk. From an ad in the newspaper, they purchased a hardware store. Later they formed Davis Sporting Goods in Tulsa, owning four stores in total. Leon (father of sons Ross Davis and Lance Davis) ran the stores and the real estate while Elliot, the first ever geologist hired by Shamrock Oil Company, ran the oil effort.

1950s: In the oil business, in the 1950s, Davis Bros. was the most active independent in Kansas. Davis Bros. acquired large mineral packages primarily from insurance companies. They acquired in excess 500,000 gross acres of minerals (over 100,000 net) in 22 states. These acquisitions represented the entire mineral assets of the Alliance Life Insurance Company, Peoria, Illinois; the Central Standard Life Insurance Company, Chicago, Illinois; the Commerce Trust Bank, Kansas City, Missouri; the Wilbe Lumber Company, Des Moines, Iowa; and the interests of numerous individuals and states. These mineral interests are primarily concentrated in the Anadarko and Arkoma Basins in Oklahoma, the Delaware Basin of Texas and New Mexico, and the Salt Basin and Smackover Provinces of Mississippi.

1958: Alliance was formed under the Small Business Act of 1958 to provide long-term growth and urgent assistance to energy and expansion-oriented campaigns. Davis Bros. enters the venture capital field.

1981: The West Building was acquired as part of Block 93 at Main Street, Fannin, Walker, and Rusk Avenue.

1981: North Belt and Milner was purchased and six acres immediately sold to an out of state buyer.  The remaining 4.3 acres will be developed in 2020.

1984: Beltway 8 at Imperial Valley was purchased from the FDIC and later sold.

1988: North Freeway Warehouse was purchased from Zales Corp. Converted partial into retail and later sold.

1995: Richmond at West Loop South in the Galleria was bought in bankruptcy and later leased to Hertz Rental for Regional office and car rental facility.

2002: The Lucky Leon Field was discovered in 2002 by Davis Bros. The discovery well contained over 300 net feet of pay at a well depth of 8,000 feet. It was the largest discovery in the non-pressured Yegua on the last 36 years in Southeast Texas.

1945: After the war, in 1945, Leon and his brother, Elliot, formed Davis Bros., the parent company to Davis Holdings. From a small, one-room office, the two conducted business and shared a partners desk. From an ad in the newspaper, they purchased a hardware store. Later they formed Davis Sporting Goods in Tulsa, owning four stores in total. Leon (father of sons Ross Davis and Lance Davis) ran the stores and the real estate while Elliot, the first ever geologist hired by Shamrock Oil Company, ran the oil effort.

1950s: In the oil business, in the 1950s, Davis Bros. was the most active independent in Kansas. Davis Bros. acquired large mineral packages primarily from insurance companies. They acquired in excess 500,000 gross acres of minerals (over 100,000 net) in 22 states. These acquisitions represented the entire mineral assets of the Alliance Life Insurance Company, Peoria, Illinois; the Central Standard Life Insurance Company, Chicago, Illinois; the Commerce Trust Bank, Kansas City, Missouri; the Wilbe Lumber Company, Des Moines, Iowa; and the interests of numerous individuals and states. These mineral interests are primarily concentrated in the Anadarko and Arkoma Basins in Oklahoma, the Delaware Basin of Texas and New Mexico, and the Salt Basin and Smackover Provinces of Mississippi.

1958: Alliance was formed under the Small Business Act of 1958 to provide long-term growth and urgent assistance to energy and expansion-oriented campaigns. Davis Bros. enters the venture capital field.

1968

  One of the company’s first shopping centers built in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1968

One of the company’s first shopping centers built in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1970

Leon Davis at Prudhoe Bay Oilfield, the largest oil field in North America.  

1970

Leon Davis at Prudhoe Bay Oilfield, the largest oil field in North America.

1970s: Organized Davis McCoy, Inc. to conduct an extensive exploration program on behalf of Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Gulf States Utilities of Beaumont, TX. This program led to the discovery of the giant 100 million-barrel Chunchula Field, in Mobile County, Alabama, and the Waveland Field in Hancock County, Mississippi, among others.

1974-1977: Acquired and developed The Sharpstown Centers, consisting of three buildings on Dashwood Street.

1977-1978: Acquired West Loop & 18th Street, a total of 5.6 acres, in two separate transactions 1977-1978.

1979: Purchased Baybrook Terrace land in front of the Baybrook Mall and a 57,000 sq. ft. shopping center was developed in 1980. Construction was underway at the same time Baybrook Mall was being developed.

1980s: Davis Bros. found the northern extension of the Alabama Ferry Field in Leon County, Texas. It was the largest Cretaceous-aged discovery of its kind since the Giant Fairway Field found in 1960.

2004: Town & Country North located on I-10 & Beltway 8 was acquired. Over the next five years the property was renovated and re-tenanted with Hobby Lobby, Busy Body Fitness, BEL Furniture and Paul Mitchell.

2007: The Rose Joint Venture was formed. The venture drilled over 50 wells resulting in 20 new field discoveries. Total reserves discovered are in the range of 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 bbls of oil at approximately 5,500 feet from the Yegua Formation, located in Southeast Texas.

2014: The 1488 Crossing Shopping Center was acquired and renovated in the same year.

2017: Acquired 1500 McGowen office building located at the corner of McGowen & La Branch. Currently converting to a mixed-use office/retail center.

1970s: Organized Davis McCoy, Inc. to conduct an extensive exploration program on behalf of Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Gulf States Utilities of Beaumont, TX. This program led to the discovery of the giant 100 million-barrel Chunchula Field, in Mobile County, Alabama, and the Waveland Field in Hancock County, Mississippi, among others.

1974-1977: Acquired and developed The Sharpstown Centers, consisting of three buildings on Dashwood Street.

1977-1978: Acquired West Loop & 18th Street, a total of 5.6 acres, in two separate transactions 1977-1978.

1979: Purchased Baybrook Terrace land in front of the Baybrook Mall and a 57,000 sq. ft. shopping center was developed in 1980. Construction was underway at the same time Baybrook Mall was being developed.

1980s: Davis Bros. found the northern extension of the Alabama Ferry Field in Leon County, Texas. It was the largest Cretaceous-aged discovery of its kind since the Giant Fairway Field found in 1960.

1981: The West Building was acquired as part of Block 93 at Main Street, Fannin, Walker, and Rusk Avenue.

1981: North Belt and Milner was purchased and six acres immediately sold to an out of state buyer.  The remaining 4.3 acres will be developed in 2020.

1984: Beltway 8 at Imperial Valley was purchased from the FDIC and later sold.

1988: North Freeway Warehouse was purchased from Zales Corp. Converted partial into retail and later sold.

1995: Richmond at West Loop South in the Galleria was bought in bankruptcy and later leased to Hertz Rental for Regional office and car rental facility.

2002: The Lucky Leon Field was discovered in 2002 by Davis Bros. The discovery well contained over 300 net feet of pay at a well depth of 8,000 feet. It was the largest discovery in the non-pressured Yegua on the last 36 years in Southeast Texas.

2004: Town & Country North located on I-10 & Beltway 8 was acquired. Over the next five years the property was renovated and re-tenanted with Hobby Lobby, Busy Body Fitness, BEL Furniture and Paul Mitchell.

2007: The Rose Joint Venture was formed. The venture drilled over 50 wells resulting in 20 new field discoveries. Total reserves discovered are in the range of 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 bbls of oil at approximately 5,500 feet from the Yegua Formation, located in Southeast Texas.

2014: The 1488 Crossing Shopping Center was acquired and renovated in the same year.

2017: Acquired 1500 McGowen office building located at the corner of McGowen & La Branch. Currently converting to a mixed-use office/retail center.