Historic Downtown Oklahoma City Walking Tour

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Constructed in 1910 and originally called the Colcord Building, the Colcord Hotel was the first skyscraper built in Oklahoma City. The building was originally 12 stories tall and erected by local businessman and developer Charles Colcord (1859-1934) who made his fortune in the oil industry. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, it has been a hotel since 2006.

2. Katz Drug Store Sit-In (1958)

One of the first civil rights sit-ins in the Southern Great Plains occurred at this location, as over a dozen youth and adults waged a protest at the Katz drugstore lunch counter for three days between August 19th and 21st in 1958. The effort was led by local high school teacher Clara Luper, who served as an advisor for the Oklahoma City branch of the NAACP Youth Council. Together with vice president Barbara Ann Posey, area students, and members of the community, the protesters trained for the event and endured threats and violence for hours over three consecutive days. The protesters stoically sat at the Katz drug store lunch counter and endured insults, threats, and violence until the third day, when they were finally offered service. The event inspired many additional efforts to challenge racial discrimination throughout Oklahoma City and beyond, with additional protests led by Clara Luper who was arrested 26 times in her life for protesting against racial discrimination. The efforts of Luper and other community members culminated in a 1964 city ordinance against racial discrimination in public accommodations. In March 2022, area leaders announced that the event would be memorialized by a public sculpture dedicated in honor of the sit-ins that would be dedicated at this location following fundraising efforts.

3. Skirvin Hilton Hotel

Oklahoma City's landmark historic hotel, the Skirvin Hilton was built in 1911 by wealthy oil baron William Balser Skirvin. Constructed at a cost of $1.8 million, it was the most expensive and elaborate hotel in the city. The hotel initially consisted of two sections and was ten stories tall with 220 guest rooms. By 1928, the hotel had expanded in ways that reflected the growth of Oklahoma City, with three 14-story sections and 525 rooms. The hotel was completely renovated in the mid-2000s and reopened in 2007 with 225 rooms. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

4. Red Earth Museum

The Red Earth Museum holds over 1,400 pieces of Native American art, textiles, and pottery. Often at the museum, they have demonstrations of music and dance, art workshops, and also literature seminars. Red Earth Museum cares deeply about promoting the traditions of Native Americans, and keeping their traditions alive. Once a year there is a festival orchestrated by the museum to continue to bring awareness and promote the native American culture.

5. Deep Deuce Grill

Oklahoma City's Deep Deuce Grill is located in the Haywood Building which was constructed by Dr. W. L. Haywood in 1926.

6. Calvary Baptist Church

Established in 1890 Calvary Baptist has long been one of the religious and social centers of Oklahoma's City's Black community. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at meetings at this church which was constructed in 1921. Cavalry Baptist congregants and leaders played an important role in the civil rights sit-ins that led to the integration of 175 restaurants throughout the city. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Calvary was the place where protesters met before and after the protests despite bomb threats and the church's insurance company declaring that they would no longer cover the building if it continued to host civil rights meetings.

7. Oklahoma Publishing Company Building

Now home to the YMCA Association Offices and a community organization called Healthy Schools Oklahoma, the former Oklahoma Publishing Company Building is a fine example of Classical architecture. It features a number of notable features including composite capitals that sit atop tall columns that reach the base of the building. The building was erected in 1909 by the Oklahoma Publishing Company, which published "The Oklahoman" newspaper. The Oklahoman was originally established by a publisher named Reverend Sam Small in 1889. Another publisher, E.K. Gaylord, founded Oklahoma Publishing Company in 1903. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

8. St. Paul's Cathedral

Constructed in 1904 in the Norman Gothic style, St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the two oldest churches in Oklahoma City (the other is St. Joseph's Cathedral). It was built in 1904 and became the Episcopal Cathedral in 1908. The building features a Norman-style tower, stained glass windows (including two Tiffany windows behind the altar), and a carara marble altar. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

9. Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum commemorates the 168 Americans who died from the worst domestic act of terrorism in American history. Timothy McVeigh detonated a fertilizer bomb at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. Following this tragedy, Americans united to honor these victims by erecting a chain link fence, which served as a temporary memorial until the official memorial was completed. President Bill Clinton dedicated The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum five years after the bombing.

10. St. Joseph's Old Cathedral

The church that would become St. Joseph's Old Cathedral is the oldest congregation in Oklahoma City. The original building was constructed in 1888 and expanded with the growth of the congregation in 1904, making St. Joseph's the first cathedral in Oklahoma. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

11. Elks Lodge Building

The former Elks Lodge Building is historically significant for its association with the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks and its association with the Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, which moved into the building in 1932. The company was founded in 1906 and grew rapidly before making this building its headquarters in the early years of the Great Depression. The building was designed in the Italian Renaissance style and was originally meant to be twelve stories tall. Its exterior, which remains largely unaltered, features a number of interesting elements including double-arched windows separated by a column; above the windows are additional arches with tiles and a medallion inside. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 for its historically significant architecture as well as its connections to the business history of the state. While fraternal organizations have been faced with declining memberships over the past century, the oil and gas business remains central to the local economy and the Oklahoma Natural Gas Company still occupies the building today.

12. Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Opened in 2002, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art boasts an impressive collection covering five centuries art from around the world. Hihglights include European and American art from the 19th-20th centuries, contemporary art, and glass sculpture work by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. In addition to the collection, the museum also features a repertory cinema and a museum school which offers art classes for people of all ages. Over 130,000 people from all 50 states and over 30 countries visit the museum each year.

13. Civic Center Music Hall

Built in 1937 and originally called the Municipal Auditorium, the Civic Center Music Hall is renowned around the country for its excellent acoustics. It features three theatres as well as a large reception hall. Over one million attend events are held here per year and it is home to a number of local performing arts companies including the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the Oklahoma City Ballet. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 for its architecture and important role as an art and cultural center.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Historic Downtown Oklahoma City Walking Tour

Created by Clio Admin on August 3rd 2019, 1:43:11 pm.

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Description

This walk explores the history of Oklahoma's leading city and begins at two of the state's most significant cultural sites: the recently-constructed Oklahoma City Museum of Art and Civic Center Music Hall which was built during the Great Depression. The tour includes local landmarks and historic buildings such as the Skirvin and Colcord hotels as well as museums such as the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.

Entries on This Tour

Historic Downtown Oklahoma City Walking Tour

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