National Register Record for OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY

Historic Name: OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY
Current Name: SAME
Address: 200 NORTHEAST 23RD STREET
City: OKLAHOMA CITY            County: OKLAHOMA
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY IS ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES UNDER CRITERION A AT THE STATE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR MILITARY AND ECONOMICS AND UNDER CRITERION C AT THE STATE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR ARCHITECTURE. COMMONLY UNDERSTOOD AS A FEDERAL NEW DEAL PROJECT, THE ARMORY IS IN FACT A SYMBOL OF GOVERNOR ERNEST WHITWORTH MARLAND’S “LITTLE NEW DEAL” AND WAS FINANCED SOLELY BY STATE FUNDS. ADJUTANT GENERAL CHARLES FRANKLIN BARRETT AND MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM SHAFFER KEY, TWO LEADING FIGURES IN THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD, HAD LONG ARGUED FOR THE NECESSITY OF ARMORIES IN OKLAHOMA. THE CRISIS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION TRANSFORMED THEIR ARGUMENTS INTO ACTION AS STATE LEADERS RECOGNIZED THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARMORIES COULD PROVIDE ECONOMIC RELIEF AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OKLAHOMANS. UPON ITS COMPLETION IN 1938, THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY IN OKLAHOMA CITY PROVIDED A VALUABLE TRAINING SITE FOR MEMBERS OF THE FORTY-FIFTH INFANTRY DIVISION AND SERVED AS A PUBLIC MEETING SPACE FOR OKLAHOMA CITY RESIDENTS AND OKLAHOMANS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. LISTED 2 DECEMBER 2019.

Type: BUILDING
Historic Function: DEFENSE: ARMS STORAGE
Current Function: VACANT/ NOT IN USE
Area of Significance 1: MILITARY; ECONOMICS
Area of Significance 2: ARCHITECTURE
Architectural Style: EARLY MODERN MOVEMENT: STREAMLINE MODERNE
Architect: ARCHITECT: BRYAN W. NOLEN; BUILDER: CHARLES A. DUNNING CONSTRUCTION
Year Built: 1938            Original Site: YES
Condition: GOOD-EXCELLENT
Restricted: None
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: MAY 2019