Lost Bartlesville

It's been over 5 years now that I've been commuting to/from Bartlesville for my job. Although I prefer to live in Tulsa, I am quite fascinated with Bartlesville's history and structures. I finally got out and took some new photos of the places that interest me the most. With the new pics added to old photos I've been holding onto, I realized that I've got a pretty huge collection of Bartlesville-related stuff. So, breaking from the strictly Tulsa-centered sets, I present Lost Bartlesville [flickr].

Bartlesville in many ways mirrored Tulsa's growth in the 20th century, with a large oil-driven surge early in the century, then explosive growth after WWII. They managed to keep many of their downtown structures preserved from a fate as surface parking. There are many excellent examples of varied architectural styles, including some wonderful art deco and mid-century buildings.

Some items of interest in this set:


Downtown Bartlesville with all of it's great brickwork, fading advertisements and fire escapes. Top photo: May Brothers Apparel is going out of business after almost 100 years of service to the area.


Murphy's Steak House Neon Sign - If you're going to hurt yourself, you have to do it right with a wonderfully decadent Hot Hamburger!


Frontier Pool - A 1969 two pool former Olympic platform diving tryout location (10m). It's now being torn out to be replaced by a splash pad park.


Travelers Motel - Fantastically preserved mid-century neon sign.


Bartlesville Downtown Tunnels - Follow the tunnel network beneath downtown Bartlesville.


Hotel Phillips - 1950 luxury hotel threatened by new modern facilities opening in Bartlesville.

These and much more are in the Lost Bartlesville photoset for your browsing pleasure. For those of you who don't care about Bartlesville will just have to wait a bit longer for a new Tulsa entry.

Thanks for all the kind words and excellent memories in your e-mails and comments. Please keep them coming. It's your recollections of these places that bring these inanimate buildings to life.

Labels: Bartlesville

Price Tower Designated Historic Landmark

From the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Price Tower, a 19-story structure in Bartlesville designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, was designated Wednesday by U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne as a National Historic Landmark.

The Price Tower was one of 12 sites in 10 states so designated on Wednesday. Fewer than 2,500 historic places in the United States bear the National Historic Landmark designation, the highest such recognition accorded by the federal government to historic properties, according to the Interior Department.

Two other buildings designed by Wright also were designated Wednesday as National Historic Landmarks — the Hollyhock House at the Aline Barnsdall Complex in Los Angeles and the Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pa.

Congratulations to a most deserving landmark. If you're ever in the Bartlesville area, make a point to do the Price Tower tour. It's a wonderfully unique look into mid-century architecture and F.L. Wright. The only drawback is their insistence that you not take photographs inside the building. I was only able to get these shots when I toured there last year.

Labels: Bartlesville