Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: August 25th, 2005
State Capitol Bank, Oklahoma City, 1969
OKLAHOMA IS A MECCA OF MID-CENTURY MODERN!
Who knew? Well I certainly didn’t until I visited there last week. It’s the Tomorrowland of the mid-west - shocking but true.
In both Oklahoma City and Tulsa there is a truly spectacular array of deco, modern, roadside and vintage neon. They should change the name of the state to Okla-RAMA! One of many standouts is this week’s slide, STATE CAPITOL BANK, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, 1969. After we drove back and forth by it a few times, we saw an ultramodern 1958 church shaped like a giant breast. And I’m not talking chicken! A breathtaking 1956 gold anodized Buckminster Fuller dome, a former bank building, and its companion ultra, ultra, ultra modern gold skyscraper recently saved by the wrecking ball. Together they are pure sci-fi style and still look futuristic nearly half a century later. http://www.theclassen.com
From there it was time for smart cocktails in the creaky revolving lounge high atop a 1963 circular high-rise office building that I lovingly nicknamed the skyscraper cupcake. Dinner was downstairs on the ground floor in the untouched pristine 1963 Cafeteria called the Queen Anne. It is wonderful! I feasted on delicious deep fried chicken livers smothered beyond recognition in country gravy, okra -yes it was fried too, yellow watermelon and spinach salad drowning in what must be the sweetest dressing ever! And for dessert a big fat slice of chocolate pie. YUUUUUUM!!
It was now dark outside and time for the vintage neon tour. The 1958 Charcoal Broiler, a hamburger drive-thru, has a sign with a twenty foot neon chef that sent me to the moon. There were so many others but I’d have to say the animated neon gun-slinging cowboy on the marquee of the Winchester Drive-in Theater really took the cake
In Tulsa we toured neighborhoods where picture perfect mid-century modern tract homes sell for less than $100,000.00. Then it was off to the very ’60s Oral Roberts University campus. It’s heavenly! When I asked who the architect was, the answer I got was GOD! Then we found the plaque on the county courthouse lawn marking the time capsule that was buried there in 1957. Among the contents is a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere. When it’s unearthed in 2007 the car will be awarded to the person, or heir of the person, who guessed what the population of Tulsa would be in 2007. The bigger question is what condition the car will be in after being buried in a cement box and covered in some miracle wrap for half a century. We’ll just have to wait and see. I’ll see you in Tulsa at the excavation ceremony in 2007
Here’s to the mid-century modern in OKLARAMA and YOU
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
August 2005
Sets this Slide belongs to:
Space-Age Style
4 Comments on “State Capitol Bank, Oklahoma City, 1969”
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January 26th, 2006 at 4:18 am
Welcome to Salvador Dahli Savings…..The savings bank that pays surreal dividends.
There’s no waiting at toadstool #3.
“Excuse me…but where is the rest-shroom”?
Over next to Mr. Learys’ desk.
Jetson! You’re Fired!
March 13th, 2007 at 11:50 am
hey anybody have a pic of “the classen?” web site is down. sounds great tho!
May 29th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Hi, Charles.
When I was 13, in 1967, I got my very first “real” job, as a busboy, in that lounge atop the “cupcake skycraper”. It was called “The Chandelle Club”, and it was also a fine resturant. The buiding was, at that time, known as the United Founders Tower, because it was the home of a bank. The Queen Anne cafeteria came a few years later. The United Founders Tower is stall standing, but under what name, I don’t know. I no longer live in Oklahoma City.
The chuch you mention that is shaped like a “breast” is the First Christian Church at NW 36th and Walker, and was designed by my father, R.Duane Conner, and was completed in 1952 or 1953. (You can e-mail me for photos, if you like.)
The “Gold Dome” at NW 23rd & Classen was a branch of the Citizens National Bank, and was built in the late 1950’s if I am not mistaken. Its companion tower was the Citizens Tower, and is now being converted into condos.
Oklahoma City and Tulsa both have quite a few examples of both art deco, and “modern” architecture, and are well worth visiting if you happen to be in the area.
Anyone wanting photos of these buildings can e-mail me at: nhb471@yahoo.com
BTW, I now live in Claremore on old Route 66. You should see the Blue Whale over in Catoosa! There’s a lot of great old buildings in this area.
Robert Conner
January 4th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I hope the neighborhood in Tulsa you are refering to was Lortondale. Next time you come through Okla-Rama let us know.
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