George H. Shirk

George Henry Shirk (May 1, 1913 – March 23, 1977) was a lawyer, historian, and former Mayor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In addition to being an author on several subjects related to the history of Oklahoma, he was known as a civic leader and proponent of various municipal development projects within central Oklahoma.

Early life and military experience George Shirk was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 1, 1913, son of John Henry Shirk and Carrie (Hinderer) Shirk. Having earned an LL.B. degree from the University of Oklahoma (OU) Law School, George Shirk passed the Oklahoma bar exam in 1936 and entered practice at his father's Oklahoma City law firm of Shirk and Danner. While attending OU he enrolled in Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and eventually saw active duty in a field artillery command in the European theater of World War II. He attained the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army in 1945. For his efforts, Shirk earned the nickname "Mr. Oklahoma History." In this capacity, Shirk was a proponent of the public works project which connected Oklahoma City's water supply to Lake Atoka Reservoir in southeastern Oklahoma via Lake Stanley Draper. In addition to completing the Lake Atoka project that he advocated in the 1950s, Shirk also obtained the adoption of a comprehensive downtown re-development plan envisioned by architect I.M. Pei in September 1965.

Awards and recognition On November 14, 1976, the George H. Shirk Oklahoma History Center at Oklahoma City University was dedicated. The center houses his collection of rare books, stamps, and maps. Before his death on March 23, 1977, Shirk was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1969. He was also inducted into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Oklahoma City.