H.B. (Heinie) Bass

Class of
1967
H.B. (Heinie)  Bass

H.B. (Heinie) Bass

“He loved the heritage of Oklahoma, and he made others love it.”
Stanley Draper, Sr., 1975

Biography

Henry B. Bass, known to his friends as “Heinie,” was born and raised in Enid in the home of his parents, who were pioneer settlers. Bass attended the University of Missouri, where he was also a member of the football team. Upon graduation, he returned to his father’s construction firm in Enid and became its chief contractor and director throughout his life. His company, D.C. Bass & Sons, constructed many of Enid’s major buildings including the Bass Building, the Champlin home, and the Phillips University Administration Building and Library. The company also built the Kay County Courthouse, Ponca City’s First Christian Church, and structures throughout the Southwestern United States. Bass was also a nationally known authority on the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln and was the author of three books.

Fun fact

Henry Bass was famous for his life-long interest in the Civil War and his immense personal collection of Abraham Lincoln memorabilia. It included the largest known collection of poems about Lincoln, and even included Lincoln’s favorite poem, O, Why Should the Spirit of Mortal Be Proud?, in his own handwriting.

Oklahoma connections

Bass was born at his parents’ home in downtown Enid, Oklahoma, in 1897.

Hometown

Enid

Profession

Business Executive

Presenter

Born

1897

Died

1975
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