Route 66 in Oklahoma. Tulsa’s astounding ecclesiastical art deco architecture.
First, Christ the King Church, which is noted as a combination of Gothic, Byzantine and Art Deco architecture (1926). It is quite an unusual building and very striking. It is somewhat away from the center city.
Next, two less striking 1920s churches (not strongly deco but of the era) in the heart of the downtown deco district: First Baptist Church, 1927, and Trinity Episcopal Church, 1926. There are other churches from this period; these are a sample. It was very hard to photograph First Baptist; not my best work.
Most of these, however, are of the stunning Boston Avenue Methodist Church (all of the interiors are that church). What a church! It’s one of those places where one sees it for the first time and just thinks “wow”. Built by a congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1926, Boston Avenue Methodist is considered to be one of the finest examples of ecclesiastical Art Deco architecture in the United States.
I took a first set in the drizzle during the first day shoot and then went back the next morning for some more exterior shots and also to visit (and photograph) the interior. There was a team there working on the organ.
In 1978 this amazing art deco building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places; it was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1999.
Click here to go on a virtual tour on the church’s excellent website. They were very friendly and welcoming at Boston Methodist, and there was no charge for the tour of the interior. On the way out I left something at the church office desk for the following Sunday’s collection plate. It has to be very expensive to keep that building up.
