National Register Record for TULSA BOYS' HOME HISTORIC DISTRICT

Historic Name: TULSA BOYS' HOME HISTORIC DISTRICT
Current Name: SAME
Address: BOUNDED BY EAST 8TH STREET, SOUTH QUINCY AVENUE, EAST 7TH STREET, AND SOUTH ROCKFORD AVENUE
City: TULSA            County: TULSA
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME HISTORIC DISTRICT IS LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT UNDER NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERION A IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL HISTORY. THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY INSTITUTIONAL CHILDCARE FACILITY FOR ADOLESCENT BOYS IN TULSA AND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CONTINUALLY OPERATED INSTITUTIONAL CHILDCARE FACILITIES IN THE CITY. FOUNDED IN 1918, THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME HOUSED HOMELESS AND TROUBLED BOYS AGED TEN TO SIXTEEN. THE HOME BEGAN WITH FIVE BOYS IN A WOOD-FRAME HOUSE, EXPANDING AND RELOCATING AS DEMAND FOR THE HOME’S SERVICES GREW. IN 1927, THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME PURCHASED A FORMER GIRLS’ HOME SITE AT EAST 8TH STREET AND SOUTH QUINCY AVENUE, INCREASING THEIR CAPACITY TO 50 BOYS. THE SITE REMAINED THE LOCATION OF THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME FOR THE NEXT FIFTY YEARS. THE CURRENT COMPLEX WAS CONSTRUCTED FROM 1949 TO 1963 AND REPLACED THE OUTDATED WOOD-FRAME BUILDINGS WITH FIVE LARGER, MORE MODERN, INSTITUTIONAL BUILDINGS. DESIGNED BY TULSA ARCHITECT JOSEPH KOBERLING, THE BUILDINGS WERE FIREPROOF, CONSTRUCTED OF BRICK, STEEL, AND CONCRETE. FOUR OF THE FIVE BUILDINGS WERE DORMITORIES AND ONE BUILDING HOUSED ADMINISTRATIVE AND SOCIAL SERVICES. THE LARGE-SCALE EXPANSION OF THE HOME ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME IN TULSA’S INSTITUTIONAL CHILDCARE HISTORY AS THE ONLY PROVIDER OF CARE FOR ADOLESCENT BOYS IN THE CITY. THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME RELOCATED TO SAND SPRINGS IN 1978 AND IS STILL IN OPERATION TODAY. THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE BEGINS IN 1949 WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND ENDS IN 1978 WHEN THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME RELOCATED TO SAND SPRINGS. THE DATE 1978 IS THE MOST LOGICAL END TO THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE DUE TO THE RELOCATION OF THE TULSA BOYS’ HOME. WHILE THE TULSA BOY’S HOME HISTORIC DISTRICT IS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD AND ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANCE MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO, THE DATE OF THE END OF THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE IS LESS THAN 50 YEARS, THEREFORE, CRITERIA CONSIDERATION G DOES STILL APPLY. LISTED 12/1/2020.

Type: DISTRICT
Historic Function: DOMESTIC: INSTITUTIONAL HOUSING; LANDSCAPE: PARK; LANDSCAPE: PARKING LOT
Current Function: VACANT/NOT IN USE; LANDSCAPE: PARK; LANDSCAPE: PARKING LOT
Area of Significance 1: SOCIAL HISTORY
Area of Significance 2: None
Architectural Style: MODERN MOVEMENT: MODERNE
Architect: JOSEPH KOBERLING
Year Built: 1949-1978            Original Site: YES
Condition: GOOD
Restricted: None
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: JANUARY 2020