Historic Buildings, Oklahoma City

The 1903 Victorian home of Henry Overholser is located about 15 blocks north of the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. Though I myself do not care much for its gaudy exterior, there are windows of French stained glass and Antwerp oak paneling inside the home.
Tours: T-F, 10-4, Sa-Su 2-4
Fees: Adults, $3; Seniors, $2.50. Age 6-18, $1. Under 6, free.

The Oklahoman Building (former seat of the Oklahoma Publishing Company) is the cornerstone of what has become a publishing and entertainment empire. Listed on the national register of historic places, this building occupies a difficult slope on N. Broadway (note the varying heights of the pediments on the front columns). Built by the Gaylord family in 1909, the company's growth eventually forced the administration and newsprint production into a sprawling complex several miles north of this building, still on Broadway Extension.

One of the oldest buildings in the downtown area, Central High School used to be the high school for Oklahoma City students in the first few quarters of this century (hence, the building is also known as Oklahoma High School). Listed on the national register of historic places, this building (in the Late Gothic Revival style) is now the home of SBC Communications, and has since been renamed One Bell Plaza.

Another prominent downtown Oklahoma City mansion, the Hefner residence is now a museum displaying the home as it was during the residence of Judge Hefner and his family. Now the Oklahoma Heritage Center, the home is stocked with the art and furnishings of this world-traveled Oklahoma family.
Tours: 9-5 M-F, Closed Sat-Sun.
Fee: $3 adult, $2.50 seniors, $2 students.

The Kilpatrick Center is a complex of six or seven museums in a single building. Some of the museums are fairly contstant, and others changed a great deal (if I remember correctly). The most popular was probably the science museum. It contained many displays on a wide variety of science topics. Many of the displays were interactive in some way. One part of the museum was devoted to military aircraft and particularly to Oklahoma flyers. One of the museums was a photography museum, and the displays in this museum changed regularly. I don't remember the other museums in the complex. I believe one may have been an arts and crafts museum. I visited with my folks around Thanksgiving one year, and there was a large display of Christmas trees from around the world.

This restored 1898 landmark along the route 66 ( Arcadia ) is the only wooden round barn in Oklahoma. Exhibits and gift shop inside.