List of Art Deco buildings in Tulsa, Oklahoma facts for kids

Tulsa, Oklahoma, is famous for its amazing collection of buildings designed in the Art Deco style. Art Deco was a popular design movement from the 1920s to the 1940s. It's known for its sleek, modern look, often using geometric shapes, bold lines, and rich decorations. Think of it as a super stylish and futuristic look from nearly 100 years ago!

Tulsa has so many Art Deco buildings because the city was growing very fast during the oil boom in the 1920s and 1930s. Many new buildings were needed, and architects chose the fashionable Art Deco style to show off Tulsa's modern spirit. This list will introduce you to some of these cool buildings, grouped by their specific Art Deco style.

Zigzag Style Buildings in Tulsa

The "Zigzag" style of Art Deco is one of the earliest and most recognizable forms. It gets its name from the zigzag patterns, sharp angles, and geometric shapes often found in its designs. These buildings often have decorative details like chevrons, sunbursts, and stepped-back shapes that make them look like they're reaching for the sky.

• Eleventh Street Bridge (1916-17, modified 1929): This bridge, part of the historic Route 66, crosses the Arkansas River. Even though it was built earlier, its 1929 modifications gave it a cool Art Deco look. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it's a really important historical site!
• Southwestern Bell Main Dial Building (1924, modified 1930): Located at 424 South Detroit Avenue, this building also got a stylish Art Deco update. It's another building recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Tulsa Club Building (1927): Found at 115 East 5th Street, this building was designed by Rush, Endacott and Rush and Bruce Goff. It's a great example of how grand and decorative Zigzag Art Deco could be.
• Page Warehouse (1927): This building at 2036 East 11th Street was also designed by Rush, Endacott and Rush, with Bruce Goff. It shows that even industrial buildings could have Art Deco flair.
• Adah Robinson Residence (1927–1929): This unique home at 1119 South Owasso Avenue was designed by the famous architect Bruce Goff. It's a special example of Art Deco in a residential setting.
• Oklahoma Natural Gas Building (1928): Standing at 624 South Boston Avenue, this building was designed by Arthur M. Atkinson and Frederick V. Kershner. It's a prominent example of the style downtown and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Boston Avenue Methodist Church (1929): This church at 1301 South Boston Avenue is one of Tulsa's most famous landmarks. Its design is truly unique, with many people crediting both Adah Robinson and Bruce Goff for its look. It's so important that it's a National Historic Landmark!
• Public Service of Oklahoma Building (1929): Located at 600 South Main Street, this building by Joseph R. Koberling is another great example of Zigzag Art Deco and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Westhope (1929): This incredible home at 3704 South Birmingham Avenue was designed by the world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It's a truly special piece of architecture and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Gillette-Tyrell Building (1930): You can find this building at 423 South Boulder Avenue. Designed by Edward W. Saunders, it's another listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Philcade Building (1931): At 511 South Boston Avenue, the Philcade was designed by Leon B. Senter. It's a beautiful example of Zigzag Art Deco and is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

PWA Style Buildings in Tulsa

The "PWA Style" refers to buildings constructed during the Great Depression, often funded by the Public Works Administration (PWA). These buildings are usually more solid and less decorative than the Zigzag style. They often feature strong, simple lines, smooth surfaces, and a sense of permanence. They were built to last and often housed government offices, schools, or public services.

• Tulsa Union Depot (1931): Located at 3 South Boston Avenue, this historic train station is now the home of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall Of Fame, often called the "Jazz Depot." It's a great example of the PWA style's strong, functional design.
• Fairgrounds Pavilion (1932): This large building at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds, now known as Expo Square Pavilion, was designed by Leland I. Shumway. It showcases the grand scale of PWA projects.
• Tulsa Fire Alarm Building (1934): At 1010 East 8th Street, this building by Frederick V. Kershner is a classic PWA design. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is now home to the American Cancer Society.
• Daniel Webster High School (1938): This impressive school at 1919 West 40th Street was designed by a team of architects including Arthur M. Atkinson and John Duncan Forsyth. It's a fantastic example of PWA-style schools, built to be sturdy and inspiring.
• Will Rogers High School (1938): Another grand school building, located at 3909 East 5th Place, designed by Joseph R. Koberling. It shares the strong, functional aesthetic of other PWA buildings.

Streamline Style Buildings in Tulsa

The "Streamline Style" of Art Deco came a bit later, in the 1930s and 1940s. It was inspired by modern transportation like trains, cars, and airplanes. This style uses smooth curves, long horizontal lines, porthole windows, and often has a sleek, "speedy" look, like it's ready to glide through the air.

• Lerner Shop (remodeled ca. 1931): This building at 419 South Main Street was remodeled to have a Streamline look, showing how older buildings were updated with the latest style.
• William D. Whenthoff Residence (1933): This home at 1142 South College Avenue, designed by Joseph R. Koberling, is a great example of Streamline Art Deco applied to a house.
• Tulsa Monument Company (1936): Located at 1735 East 11th Street, this building by Harry H. Mahler shows how even smaller businesses adopted the sleek Streamline look.
• Day and Nite Cleaners (1946): This building at 1012 South Elgin Avenue, designed by William Wolaver, is a later example of the Streamline style, still looking modern for its time.

Deco Moderne Style Buildings in Tulsa

"Deco Moderne" is a term sometimes used for later Art Deco buildings, especially those from the 1940s and 1950s. It often blends the decorative elements of earlier Art Deco with the simpler, more functional lines of modernism. These buildings might be less ornate than Zigzag style but still have a strong sense of design and quality.

• Loew's Brook Theater (1945): This theater at 3307 South Peoria Avenue, designed by William Henry Cameron Calderwood, is a classic example of a Deco Moderne movie house.
• Fire Station #7 (1947): Located at 601 South Lewis Avenue, this fire station by Joseph R. Koberling shows how public buildings continued to use Art Deco influences into the mid-20th century.
• Fire Station #16 (1948): At 1401 North Lewis Avenue, this station by John Wesley Robb is another example of Deco Moderne public architecture.
• Fire Station #15 (1948): This station at 4162 East Admiral Street, designed by Hanton and Wilson, also fits the Deco Moderne style.
• Fire Station #14 (1950): Located at 3602 South Lewis Avenue, this station by Joseph R. Koberling continues the Deco Moderne tradition.
• Fire Station #17 (1953): At 1351 North Sheridan, this station by Hanton and Wilson is one of the later examples of the style.
• Fire Station #3 (1909, remodeled 1948): This station at 1013 East 3rd Street was remodeled in 1948, giving an older building a fresh Deco Moderne look.

Art Deco Revival Buildings in Tulsa

The "Art Deco Revival" refers to newer buildings that are designed to look like the original Art Deco style. These buildings aren't from the original Art Deco period but are built much later, showing how much people still love the look!

• Metro Diner (1980): This diner at 3001 East 11th Street, right on historic Route 66, was built in 1980 to look like a classic Art Deco diner. It's a fun example of the style making a comeback!
• MTTA Downtown Transfer Center (1999): This bus station at 4th and Denver was built in 1999, but its design clearly takes inspiration from the Art Deco period, showing how timeless the style can be.

Images for kids

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  The historic Eleventh Street Bridge, part of Route 66.

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  The Southwestern Bell Main Dial Building.

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  The Page Warehouse, showing industrial Art Deco.

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  The unique Adah Robinson Residence.

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  The Oklahoma Natural Gas Building in downtown Tulsa.

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  The iconic Boston Avenue Methodist Church.

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  The Public Service of Oklahoma Building.

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  The Riverside Studio, designed by Bruce Goff.

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  Westhope, a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

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  The Warehouse Market building.

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  The Gillette-Tyrell Building.

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  Milady's Cleaners, a smaller Art Deco building.

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  Fire Station #13.

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  The Philcade Building, a downtown landmark.

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  The Tulsa Union Depot, now the Jazz Hall of Fame.

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  The Tulsa Fire Alarm Building.

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  Daniel Webster High School.

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  The tower of Will Rogers High School.

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  The William D. Whenthoff Residence.

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  The Tulsa Monument Company building.

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  Day and Nite Cleaners.

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  Fire Station #7.

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  Fire Station #16.

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  Fire Station #15.

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  Fire Station #14.

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  Fire Station #17.

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  Fire Station #3.

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  The MTTA Downtown Transfer Center.