National Register Record for WOODWARD PARK AND GARDENS HISTORIC DISTRICT

Historic Name: WOODWARD PARK AND GARDENS HISTORIC DISTRICT
Current Name: None
Address: 2101 SOUTH PEORIA
City: TULSA            County: TULSA
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE WOODWARD PARK AND GARDENS HISTORIC DISTRICT IS NOMINATED FOR LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE UNDER CRITERION C, IN THE AREA OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, AS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A DESIGNED LANDSCAPE IN THE CITY OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, AND AS ONE OF THE FINEST PUBLIC GARDENS ESTABLISHED IN THE CITY DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. WOODWARD PARK IS BEST KNOWN FOR TWO GARDEN AREAS—THE UPPER AND LOWER ROCK GARDENS, AND THE FORMAL TERRACES OF THE TULSA ROSE GARDEN—THAT WERE ESTABLISHED DURING THE 1930S USING PUBLIC MONIES AND CONSTRUCTED BYLABORERS ENROLLED IN WORK‐RELIEF PROGRAMS. THE WOODWARD PARK AND GARDENS HISTORIC DISTRICT IS ALSO ELIGIBLE TO BE LISTED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER AT THE LOCAL LEVEL UNDER CRITERION C FOR ARCHITECTURE, FOR THE DAVID R. TRAVIS HOUSE, AN ITALIAN RENAISSANCEINSPIRED VILLA DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT NOBLE B. FLEMING AND CONSTRUCTED IN 1919. THE CITY OF TULSA PURCHASED THE TRAVIS HOUSE IN 1954 TO SERVE AS THE TULSA GARDEN CENTER, AND IT HAS FUNCTIONED IN THIS CAPACITY SINCE THEN. THE GROUNDS OF THE TULSA GARDEN CENTER INCLUDE OTHER DESIGNED LANDSCAPE FEATURES AND RELATED BUILDINGS, SUCH AS A STONE DRIVEWAY, A BRICK CARRIAGE HOUSE, A SUNKEN GARDEN, A GLASS CONSERVATORY FROM THE LORD & BURNHAM COMPANY, AND A LARGE, FRAMED BARN THAT NOW SERVES AS THE LEARNING CENTER OF THE LINNAEUS TEACHING GARDENS. FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TULSA GARDEN CLUB AND THE TULSA GARDEN CENTER, THE WOODWARD PARK AND GARDENS HISTORIC DISTRICT IS ALSO ELIGIBLE TO BE LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE UNDER CRITERION A, IN THE AREA OF ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION. THE DISTRICT INCLUDES THE FIRSTMUNICIPAL ROSE GARDEN ESTABLISHED IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, AND THE PARK AND ITS GARDENS CONTINUE TO SERVE AS THE PREMIERE ENVIRONMENT IN THE CITY OF TULSA FOR THE PUBLIC’S ENJOYMENT AND KNOWLEDGE OF ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE AND TREES.

Type: DISTRICT
Historic Function: LANDSCAPE; EDUCATION; SOCIAL; DOMESTIC; RECREATION/CULTURE
Current Function: LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE; SOCIAL; EDUCATION; RECREATION/CULTURE
Area of Significance 1: LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Area of Significance 2: ARCHITECTURE
Architectural Style: LANDSCAPE; ITALIAN RENAISSANCE; MODERN MOVEMENT
Architect: ARTHUR S. PHILLIPS, C. BURTON FOX
Year Built: 1909-1969            Original Site: YES
Condition: EXCELLENT
Restricted: N
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: 2013