United States Post Office, Courthouse, and Federal Office Building (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Encyclopedia
The United States Post Office and Courthouse, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is a historic post office
, courthouse
, and Federal office
building built in 1912 and located at Oklahoma City
in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
. It previously served as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
, and of the United States Court of Appeals
, briefly housing the Eighth Circuit
and, then the Tenth Circuit
for several decades. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974. It continues to house the Bankruptcy
court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The building includes Moderne
and Beaux Arts.
As a courthouse, the building housed the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
. In 1926, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
began using the building, until the Courts of Appeals were reorganized in 1929, and Oklahoma was placed in the Tenth Circuit
. The Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit met here from 1929 until 1962.
Two important cases were decided in this building. George "Machine Gun" Kelly
, a notorious outlaw of the Prohibition
era, was found guilty of kidnapping Oklahoma City oilman and millionaire Charles F. Urschel
. Kelly was sentenced in 1933 to life in prison and sent to Alcatraz Island
in San Francisco Bay
. Kelly's trial was the first in the nation to allow sound and picture equipment in a federal courtroom. In 1949, the case of McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents
was heard. The court's decision desegregated graduate schools in Oklahoma.
The building is part of a Federal complex that included a separate courthouse constructed in 1959 and the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
. In April 1995, a terrorist bomb
destroyed the Murrah building causing tragic injuries and fatalities. Portions of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, most notably the tower, were damaged by concussions from the blast. Repairs were made to windows, ceiling tiles, and lights. Today, the site of the bombing is the Oklahoma City National Memorial
. A new federal building is located several blocks north of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse.
The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974. In 1992, the U.S. General Services Administration completed a restoration of significant interior spaces. The restoration was recognized with awards from the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office and the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
. Although the post office relocated in 1966, the building continues to function in its historic capacity as a federal courthouse and office building.
, Supervising Architect
of the U.S. Treasury Department. The building was constructed in 1912 in the Beaux Arts Classicism style. This style of architecture was commonly used for important public buildings from the end of the nineteenth century until the early years of the twentieth century. The building's symmetry, monumental form, balustrade
, and pilaster
s (attached columns) are characteristic of Beaux Arts Classicism. The original portion of the building is three stories tall and faced with limestone
. Pediment
s, arched openings, and shallow balconies are other notable components of the facade. The roof is covered with red tiles.
The original building was enlarged on two separate occasions. In 1919, an addition that doubled the building size was constructed on the west side of the original building. The Office of the Supervising Architect was once again responsible for the design, which was executed in the Beaux Arts Classicism style to blend with the original portion of the building. The facility was enlarged again in 1932 when another addition was completed. Both additions were carried out by James A. Wetmore
, Acting Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury. This second addition, located on the western end of the 1919 portion, once again respected the Beaux Arts Classicism of the earlier portions. As part of the 1932 expansion, a centrally placed tower was added over the 1919 addition. The tower features stylized decorative motifs that are characteristic of Art Deco
architecture, which emphasizes the verticality of the design and incorporates Classical forms while minimizing ornate elements.
The interior is as impressive as the exterior. In 1992, the U.S. General Services Administration restored major public spaces to their original splendor. The lobby, which runs the length of the building, contains a barrel-vaulted ceiling with arched openings that contain geometric, metal grilles. Also in the lobby, the patterned tile floor, green-and-gold starburst ceiling stencils, brass chandeliers, and bronze elevator doors were restored. Elaborate ceilings in the courtrooms, some of which contain skylights with grilles, were refurbished. An ornamental painted ceiling was added to the ninth-floor courtroom. Although the ceiling was shown as part of the architect's original design, it was not executed during construction in 1932.
Two murals near the main entrance were painted in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration
program. Covered up during modernization work, the murals have since been restored. One depicts a Postal Service Pony Express
rider seal, and the other is an image of the Great Seal of the United States
.
The first floor lobby contains two paintings by James D. Butler that were installed in 1993. "Sunset Near the Chisholm Trail" symbolizes the cowboy heritage and agricultural significance of Oklahoma. "A View Near Tahlequah, Cherokee County" symbolizes the state's Native American legacy and natural beauty.
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
, and Federal office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
building built in 1912 and located at Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Oklahoma County is a county located in the central partof the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 718,633 at the 2010 census. The county seat and principal city is Oklahoma City...
. It previously served as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma is a Federal district court....
, and of the United States Court of Appeals
United States court of appeals
The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system...
, briefly housing the Eighth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...
and, then the Tenth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Colorado* District of Kansas...
for several decades. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974. It continues to house the Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The building includes Moderne
Moderne architecture
Moderne architecture, also sometimes referred to as "Style Moderne" or simply "Moderne", a general United States landmarks term for styles of architecture that were popular from 1925 through the 1940s. It has expression in styles traditionally classified as Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and WPA...
and Beaux Arts.
Building history
The United States Post Office and Courthouse was the first monumental structure in Oklahoma City and served as an anchor for future federal development. Plans for the construction of the building began in 1903 when Congress appropriated funds for a downtown facility. Due to the region's rapid growth, original funding was insufficient and additional money was allotted in 1906, 1908, and 1910. It was the first federal building constructed in Oklahoma, which became a state only five years prior to the building's 1912 completion.As a courthouse, the building housed the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma is a Federal district court....
. In 1926, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...
began using the building, until the Courts of Appeals were reorganized in 1929, and Oklahoma was placed in the Tenth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Colorado* District of Kansas...
. The Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit met here from 1929 until 1962.
Two important cases were decided in this building. George "Machine Gun" Kelly
Machine Gun Kelly
George Kelley Barnes , better known as "Machine Gun Kelly", was an American gangster during the prohibition era. His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thompson submachine gun. His most famous crime was the kidnapping of oil tycoon & businessman Charles Urschel in July 1933 for which he,...
, a notorious outlaw of the Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
era, was found guilty of kidnapping Oklahoma City oilman and millionaire Charles F. Urschel
Charles F. Urschel
Charles F. Urschel was a Texas oilmen and kidnap victim of George “Machine Gun” Kelly.- Early years :Charles Urschel was born in Washington Township, Hancock County, Ohio in 1890 to Daniel Urschel and Emma M Bangert....
. Kelly was sentenced in 1933 to life in prison and sent to Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is an island located in the San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. Often referred to as "The Rock" or simply "Traz", the small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a Federal...
in San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
. Kelly's trial was the first in the nation to allow sound and picture equipment in a federal courtroom. In 1949, the case of McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents
McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents
McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637 , was a United States Supreme Court case that reversed a lower court decision upholding the efforts of the state-supported University of Oklahoma to adhere to the state law requiring African-Americans to be provided graduate or professional education...
was heard. The court's decision desegregated graduate schools in Oklahoma.
The building is part of a Federal complex that included a separate courthouse constructed in 1959 and the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States Federal Government complex located at 200 N.W. 5th Street in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. The building was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, which killed 168 people, including 19 children...
. In April 1995, a terrorist bomb
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
destroyed the Murrah building causing tragic injuries and fatalities. Portions of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, most notably the tower, were damaged by concussions from the blast. Repairs were made to windows, ceiling tiles, and lights. Today, the site of the bombing is the Oklahoma City National Memorial
Oklahoma City National Memorial
The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a memorial in the United States that honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The memorial is located in downtown Oklahoma City on the former site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal...
. A new federal building is located several blocks north of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse.
The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974. In 1992, the U.S. General Services Administration completed a restoration of significant interior spaces. The restoration was recognized with awards from the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office and the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
. Although the post office relocated in 1966, the building continues to function in its historic capacity as a federal courthouse and office building.
Architecture
This landmark building was designed by James Knox TaylorJames Knox Taylor
James Knox Taylor was Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1897 to 1912. His name is listed ex officio as supervising architect of hundreds of federal buildings built throughout the United States during the period.-Early career:The son of H...
, Supervising Architect
Office of the Supervising Architect
The Office of the Supervising Architect was an agency of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal government buildings from 1852 to 1939....
of the U.S. Treasury Department. The building was constructed in 1912 in the Beaux Arts Classicism style. This style of architecture was commonly used for important public buildings from the end of the nineteenth century until the early years of the twentieth century. The building's symmetry, monumental form, balustrade
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
, and pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s (attached columns) are characteristic of Beaux Arts Classicism. The original portion of the building is three stories tall and faced with limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. Pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s, arched openings, and shallow balconies are other notable components of the facade. The roof is covered with red tiles.
The original building was enlarged on two separate occasions. In 1919, an addition that doubled the building size was constructed on the west side of the original building. The Office of the Supervising Architect was once again responsible for the design, which was executed in the Beaux Arts Classicism style to blend with the original portion of the building. The facility was enlarged again in 1932 when another addition was completed. Both additions were carried out by James A. Wetmore
James A. Wetmore
James A. Wetmore was an American lawyer and administrator, best known as the Acting Supervising Architect of the U.S. Office of the Supervising Architect from 1915 through 1933. Wetmore is frequently and incorrectly described as the "architect" of the many federal buildings that bear his...
, Acting Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury. This second addition, located on the western end of the 1919 portion, once again respected the Beaux Arts Classicism of the earlier portions. As part of the 1932 expansion, a centrally placed tower was added over the 1919 addition. The tower features stylized decorative motifs that are characteristic of Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architecture, which emphasizes the verticality of the design and incorporates Classical forms while minimizing ornate elements.
The interior is as impressive as the exterior. In 1992, the U.S. General Services Administration restored major public spaces to their original splendor. The lobby, which runs the length of the building, contains a barrel-vaulted ceiling with arched openings that contain geometric, metal grilles. Also in the lobby, the patterned tile floor, green-and-gold starburst ceiling stencils, brass chandeliers, and bronze elevator doors were restored. Elaborate ceilings in the courtrooms, some of which contain skylights with grilles, were refurbished. An ornamental painted ceiling was added to the ninth-floor courtroom. Although the ceiling was shown as part of the architect's original design, it was not executed during construction in 1932.
Two murals near the main entrance were painted in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
program. Covered up during modernization work, the murals have since been restored. One depicts a Postal Service Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
rider seal, and the other is an image of the Great Seal of the United States
Great Seal of the United States
The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States federal government. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself , and more generally for the design impressed upon it...
.
The first floor lobby contains two paintings by James D. Butler that were installed in 1993. "Sunset Near the Chisholm Trail" symbolizes the cowboy heritage and agricultural significance of Oklahoma. "A View Near Tahlequah, Cherokee County" symbolizes the state's Native American legacy and natural beauty.
Significant events
- 1903: Initial plans made for a post office building in the Oklahoma Territory
- 1907: Oklahoma statehood
- 1912: U.S. Post Office and Courthouse completed
- 1919: First Addition to the original building completed
- 1932: Second addition, including the Art Deco tower, completed
- 1933: George "Machine Gun" Kelly trial 1949 McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents case decided
- 1974: U.S. Post Office and Courthouse listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- 1992: Restoration of the building completed
- 1995: Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombed
Building facts
- Location: 215 Dean A. McGee Avenue
- Architects: James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore
- Construction dates: 1912; 1919; 1932
- Restoration: 1992
- Landmark Status: Listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- Architectural Style: Beaux Arts Classicism with Art Deco Tower
- Primary Material: Limestone
- Prominent Features: Art Deco Tower; Restored First-Floor Lobby