The park, named for Helen Woodward, the original property owner, was established in 1929, after a lengthy court suit over ownership.

[1] The city of Tulsa purchased a 45-acre (18 ha) tract of land in 1909 for $100 an acre from Herbert Woodward.

She was 14 years old, under legal age, when her white father and guardian, Herbert Woodward, sold the land without her consent.

According to the Tulsa World, "The opinion ended one of the hardest fought land suits in the history of the city and decided a question which has been before Oklahoma courts for years.

The Samuel Travis mansion and its 3.2 acres (1.3 ha) grounds are at the southeast corner of Peoria Avenue and 21st Street.

[5] Helen Woodward Slemp retained the rest of her headright land, which extended eastward from Utica to Lewis streets.

[3] The Tulsa Municipal Rose Garden was begun in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project.

According to the Tulsa park horticulturist who oversees the garden, Mark Linholm, new species of roses that are more resistant to this virus would be planted in 2015.

Both the garden and the club were named for Anne Hathaway, the wife of English playwright William Shakespeare.

Varieties exhibited have included,"... geraniums, sages, mints, basil, summer and winter savory, lemon thyme, burnett [sic], rosemary, marjoram, oregano and tarragon..."[6] The Upper and Lower Rock Garden areas were created in 1930, north of the herb garden.

It is a popular venue for dog walking, but the animals must be kept on a leash or obedient to the owner's verbal command.

The city added the property to Woodward Park, "... providing an educational resource center and a meeting place for horticultural and environmental organizations in Tulsa and surrounding communities.

THS renovated the original 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) structure and added a 17,000-square-foot (1,600 m2) wing after the purchase, to make it suitable as an office and museum.

A grand opening occurred January 28, 2008,[13] A one-third-size plaster version of sculptor Cyrus Dallin's Appeal to the Great Spirit was donated to Tulsa Central High School in 1923.

[14] That plaster sculpture was used as a model for a full size bronze version, which was installed in Woodward Park in 1985.