Boulder on the Park (Tulsa, Oklahoma) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Boulder on the Park
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| Built | 1923 |
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| Architect | Atkinson & Olston (1923) Malcolm McCune (1947) |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style Art Deco/Streamline Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000872 |
| Added to NRHP | September 2003 |
The Boulder on the Park building is a cool three-story building located at 1850 South Boulder Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was first built in 1923. This building is a great example of Commercial Style and Art Deco architecture. It was designed by Atkinson & Olston and built by C. A. Sanderson & Son. You can find it overlooking Veterans Park, just south of Downtown Tulsa.
This building has had many different jobs over the years! When it was first finished, it was home to the Holland Hall School. It was even named after the school until 1932. After the school moved to a bigger place, the Boulder building became offices for different companies. One of these was the Aero Exploration Company, which made maps from airplanes. They were there from 1938 to 1946.
In 1947, the building got a big makeover. Then, a radio station called KTUL moved in. They were the ones who gave the building its famous name, "Boulder on the Park." KTUL stayed there until 1956. After that, they moved to Lookout Mountain and became a TV station, KTUL-TV. Later, Holway Engineering Corporation bought the building in 1957 and stayed until 1974. Many other companies used it as office space until 2000. That's when Pan Western Energy Company sold it to Lanny McIntosh, who owns an architecture firm called The McIntosh Group.
Contents
Why is Boulder on the Park Special?
Becoming a Historic Landmark
Boulder on the Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in September 2003. This means it's considered a very important building because of its history. Its special number on the NRHP is 03000872.
Even though the building has been changed a lot since it was first built, it was still chosen for the NRHP. This is because it played a big part in the history of radio broadcasting in the area. The most important time for its history is from 1947, when KTUL radio station moved in, until 1953.
How the Building Changed Over Time
Original Look of the Building
This building faces east, looking out towards Veterans Park. It has three floors and a flat roof. The walls are made of brick, and it has a strong concrete foundation. Because the ground slopes up from the front to the back, the first floor is actually dug into the hillside. You can't see much of the first floor from the back of the building.
When it was a school, the building had about 8,200 square feet (762 square meters) inside. This space included at least nine classrooms, a workshop, a gym, and a science lab.
Big Changes in 1947
Before the KTUL radio station moved its studio into the building in 1947, they decided to make it look more modern. They added a new entrance on the back (west) wall. The brick walls were painted, which made the different types of brick stand out. The front of the building had more fancy bricks than the sides and back. Some new decorations were also added to the front. These changes gave the building a more Streamline Moderne style, which was very popular at the time.
