Belvedere
winner announced
By Staff Reports
6/22/2007 12:14 PM
Last Modified: 6/22/2007 12:18 PM
R.E. Humbertson where are you? Your Belvedere is ready.
Humbertson, who would be 85 years old, won the 1957 contest to guess Tulsa's 2007 population.
First prize: A 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried in the Tulsa County
courthouse lawn for 50 years and unearthed last week.
Humbertson's victory over some 800 other contestants was announced Friday at a
press conference with the car, which turned out to be a rusted hulk despite
1957 state-of-the-art efforts to protect it.
Humbertson or his descendants have five years to claim the vehicle, which was
redubbed ``Miss Belvedere'' by officials who organized the unearthing effort.
Humbertson listed his place of birth as Cumberland,
Maryland, but little else is
known about him.
On Saturday at tulsaworld.com, find all the contestants and their guesses in
the Belvedere contest.
Special
section: Find complete coverage of the buried car, including
videos, stories and slide shows.
And
The Winner Is
KOTV - 6/22/2007 8:46 AM - Updated 6/22/2007 12:34 PM
Tulsa’s
buried Belvedere will soon have a new home. For the past week, the 1957
Plymouth Belvedere has been sitting at East Tulsa Dodge near 46th Street and Memorial. Friday
afternoon, officials announced the winner of the car. Only the people who
entered a contest in 1957 were eligible to win. They each took a guess at what
the city of Tulsa’s
population would be in 2007. The closest guess won the car.
News On 6
reporter Joshua Brakhage reports the winner is R.E. Humbertson. Humbertson
entered the contest 50 years ago to guess what the population of Tulsa would be a
half-century later.
Humbertson’s
guess was 384,743, only 2,386 away from the actual total of 382,457.
Belvedere
organizers hope R.E. Humbertson comes forward soon, but he has some time. The car
has to be held for five years to give the winner enough time to claim his
prize.
Many of
the people who entered the contest aren't around anymore. If that's the case,
the car goes to R.E. Humbertson’s next of kin. Watch the video: Belvedere On Display
Watch the
video: The Buried Belvedere Unveiled
Watch the
video: News On 6 Coverage Of The
Unveiling Of Tulsa's Belvedere
Watch the
video: Unearthing The Belvedere
Watch the
video: Time Capsule Removed From
Belvedere Vault
Related
stories:
2/15/2007
Car Show Entries Sought
4/17/2007
Unearthing Tulsa’s
History
06/01/2007
Tulsa's Population Holds
The Key To A Piece Of Tulsa History
6/7/2007 The Story Behind A
Famous Photograph
6/9/2007 Crews Practice Lifting The
Buried Belvedere
6/12/2007
Crews Prepare For The
Unearthing Of The Buried Belvedere
6/13/2007
Water Seeps Into Vault
Holding Buried Car
6/15/2007
Hundreds Gather To Catch A
Glimpse Of Tulsa's Belvedere
6/15/2007
Belvedere Lifted >From The
Vault
6/15/2007
Meet Ms. Belvedere
6/16/2007
- Ms. Belvedere, Belle Of The
Car Show