National Register Record for HOTEL MUSKOGEE

Historic Name: HOTEL MUSKOGEE
Current Name: MUSKOGEE HOTEL
Address: 26 WEST BROADWAY STREET
City: MUSKOGEE            County: MUSKOGEE
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE HOTEL MUSKOGEE, ERECTED IN 1922-23 AND OPENED IN 1923 AT 26 WEST BROADWAY (ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF WEST BROADWAY AND NORTH MAIN) IN MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA, IS LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT UNDER CRITERION A IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL HISTORY FOR THE YEARS 1923-1969. IT REPRESENTS A PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE, COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS, AS A SOCIALLY STRATIFIED LODGING INDUSTRY DEVELOPED WITHIN THE AMERICAN ECONOMY FROM THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY INTO THE POST-WORLD WAR II ERA. WITHIN THAT PATTERN, THE BUILDING ILLUSTRATES THE RISE AND FALL OF “COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS” HOTELS FOR MALE SALES REPRESENTATIVES INVOLVED IN MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION. IT ALSO ILLUSTRATES THE GENDERED NATURE OF A GROWING “BUSINESS CULTURE” IN AMERICA. THE HOTEL MUSKOGEE’S PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE BEGINS IN 1923 AND ENDS IN 1969 AS ITS PURPOSE AND ITS TYPE OF OCCUPANCY CHANGED WITH THE TIMES, A PURPOSE AND DESIGN THAT REFLECTED THE GENDERED AND SOCIALLY STRATIFIED NATURE OF SOCIETY IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY. FROM THE MID-1920S THROUGH THE 1940S THE HOTEL MUSKOGEE REPRESENTED THE LINK BETWEEN THE NATION’S COMMERCE AND MUSKOGEE’S COMMERCE AND ALSO THE SEGREGATION OF THE GENDERS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. THE BUILDING RETAINS A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY OF LOCATION AND SETTING, THOUGH DOWNTOWN MUSKOGEE HAS REDUCED IN SIZE AND PROMINENCE SINCE 1923. THE HOTEL’S DESIGN, MATERIALS, AND WORKMANSHIP HAVE SEEN LITTLE ALTERATION EXCEPT IN THE FIRST STORY’S SOUTH AND WEST ELEVATIONS, AND THE BUILDING REFLECTS THE FEELING AND ASSOCIATION OF A TRAVELER’S REST IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT. NATIONAL REGISTER LISTED 12 JULY 2019.

Type: None
Historic Function: DOMESTIC/HOTEL
Current Function: VACANT/NOT IN USE
Area of Significance 1: SOCIAL HISTORY
Area of Significance 2: None
Architectural Style: CLASSICAL REVIVAL
Architect: ARCHITECT: DAWSON AND BASSHAM; BUILDER: DOUGHERTY AND NICHOLS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Year Built: 1923            Original Site: YES
Condition: FAIR
Restricted: None
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: MAY 2018