The United States Post Office and Courthouse, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is a historic

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...

courthouse A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...

, and Federal

office An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific du ...

building built in 1912 and located at

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Oklahoma County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 718,633, making it the most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Oklahoma City, the state capital and largest c ...

. It previously served as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, and of the

United States Court of Appeals United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

, briefly housing the

Eighth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (in case citations, 8th Cir.) is a United States federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: * Eastern District of Arkansas * Western Distr ...

and, then the

Tenth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (in case citations, 10th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Colorado * District of Kansas * Dis ...

for several decades. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1974. It continues to house the

Bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...

court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The building includes Moderne and Beaux Arts.

Building history

The United States Post Office and Courthouse was the first monumental structure in Oklahoma City and served as an anchor for future federal development. Plans for the construction of the building began in 1903 when Congress appropriated funds for a downtown facility. Due to the region's rapid growth, original funding was insufficient and additional money was allotted in 1906, 1908, and 1910. It was the first federal building constructed in Oklahoma, which became a state only five years prior to the building's 1912 completion. As a courthouse, the building housed the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. In 1926, the

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (in case citations, 8th Cir.) is a United States federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: * Eastern District of Arkansas * Western Dist ...

began using the building, until the Courts of Appeals were reorganized in 1929, and Oklahoma was placed in the

. The Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit met here from 1929 until 1962.Federal Judicial Center Historic Federal Courthouses on the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Two important cases were decided in this building.

George "Machine Gun" Kelly Machine Gun Kelly most often refers to: * Machine Gun Kelly (gangster) (1900–1954), American gangster. * Machine Gun Kelly (musician) (born 1990), American rapper. Machine Gun Kelly may also refer to: * ''Machine-Gun Kelly'' (film), 1958 film a ...

, a notorious outlaw of the

Prohibition era Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic be ...

, was found guilty of kidnapping Oklahoma City oilman and millionaire

Charles F. Urschel Charles Frederick Urschel (March 7, 1890 – September 26, 1970) was an American oil business tycoon and kidnap victim of George "Machine Gun" Kelly. Urschel eventually helped solve the crime himself by carefully noting every piece of eviden ...

. Kelly was sentenced in 1933 to life in prison and sent to

Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island () is a small island in San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military pri ...

in San Francisco Bay. Kelly's trial was the first in the nation to allow sound and picture equipment in a federal courtroom. In 1949, the case of '' McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents'' was heard. The court's decision desegregated graduate schools in Oklahoma. The building is part of a Federal complex that included a separate courthouse constructed in 1959 and the

Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States federal government complex located at 200 N.W. 5th Street in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m. the building was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing ...

. In April 1995, a terrorist bomb destroyed the Murrah building causing tragic injuries and fatalities. Portions of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, most notably the tower, were damaged by concussions from the blast. Repairs were made to windows, ceiling tiles, and lights. Today, the site of the bombing is the

Oklahoma City National Memorial The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a memorial in the United States that honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The memorial is located in downtown Oklahoma City on th ...

. A new federal building is located several blocks north of the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse. The building was listed in the

in 1974. In 1992, the U.S. General Services Administration completed a restoration of significant interior spaces. The restoration was recognized with awards from the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office and the Oklahoma Chapter of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

. Although the post office relocated in 1966, the building continues to function in its historic capacity as a federal courthouse and office building.

Architecture

This landmark building was designed the

Office of the Supervising Architect The Office of the Supervising Architect was an agency of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal government buildings from 1852 to 1939. The office handled some of the most important architectural commissions of the nineteenth ...

of the U.S. Treasury Department under

James Knox Taylor James Knox Taylor (October 11, 1857 – August 27, 1929) was Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1897 to 1912. His name is listed ''ex officio'' as supervising architect of hundreds of federal buildings bu ...

. The building was constructed in 1912 in the Beaux Arts Classicism style. This style of architecture was commonly used for important public buildings from the end of the 19th century until the early years of the 20th century. The building's symmetry, monumental form,

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its con ...

, and

pilaster In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wal ...

s (attached columns) are characteristic of Beaux Arts Classicism. The original portion of the building is three stories tall and faced with

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

Pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

s, arched openings, and shallow balconies are other notable components of the facade. The roof is covered with red tiles. The original building was enlarged on two separate occasions. In 1919, an addition that doubled the building size was constructed on the west side of the original building. The Office of the Supervising Architect was once again responsible for the design, which was executed in the Beaux Arts Classicism style to blend with the original portion of the building. The facility was enlarged again in 1932 when another addition was completed. Both additions were carried out by the Office of the Supervising Architect under

James A. Wetmore James Alfonso Wetmore (November 1863 – March 14, 1940) was an American lawyer and administrator, best known as the Acting Supervising Architect of the U.S. Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department from 1915 through 1933 ...

. This second addition, located on the western end of the 1919 portion, once again respected the Beaux Arts Classicism of the earlier portions. As part of the 1932 expansion, a centrally placed tower was added over the 1919 addition. The tower features stylized decorative motifs that are characteristic of

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

architecture, which emphasizes the verticality of the design and incorporates Classical forms while minimizing ornate elements. File:OK-OKC-USPO-courthouse-southwest.JPG, Southwest corner File:OK-OKC-USPO-courthouse-northwest.JPG, Northwest corner File:OK-OKC-USPO-courthouse-southface.JPG, South entrance File:OK-OKC-USPO-courthouse-nrhp.JPG, National Register of Historic Places plaque The interior is as impressive as the exterior. In 1992, the U.S. General Services Administration restored major public spaces to their original splendor. The lobby, which runs the length of the building, contains a barrel-vaulted ceiling with arched openings that contain geometric, metal grilles. Also in the lobby, the patterned tile floor, green-and-gold starburst ceiling stencils, brass chandeliers, and bronze elevator doors were restored. Elaborate ceilings in the courtrooms, some of which contain skylights with grilles, were refurbished. An ornamental painted ceiling was added to the ninth-floor courtroom. Although the ceiling was shown as part of the architect's original design, it was not executed during construction in 1932. Two murals near the main entrance were painted in 1935 as part of the

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...

program. Covered up during modernization work, the murals have since been restored. One depicts a Postal Service

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pi ...

rider seal, and the other is an image of the Great Seal of the United States. The first floor lobby contains two paintings by James D. Butler that were installed in 1993. "''Sunset Near the Chisholm Trail''" symbolizes the cowboy heritage and agricultural significance of Oklahoma. "''A View Near Tahlequah, Cherokee County''" symbolizes the state's Native American legacy and natural beauty.

Significant events

*1903: Initial plans made for a post office building in the Oklahoma Territory *1907: Oklahoma statehood *1912: U.S. Post Office and Courthouse completed *1919: First Addition to the original building completed *1932: Second addition, including the Art Deco tower, completed *1933: George "Machine Gun" Kelly trial *1949: ''McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents'' case decided *1974: U.S. Post Office and Courthouse listed in the

*1992: Restoration of the building completed *1995: Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombed

Building facts

*Location: 215 Dean A. McGee Avenue *Architects: James Knox Taylor; James A. Wetmore *Construction dates: 1912; 1919; 1932 *Restoration: 1992 *Landmark Status: Listed in the

*Architectural Style: Beaux Arts Classicism with Art Deco Tower *Primary Material: Limestone *Prominent Features: Art Deco Tower; Restored First-Floor Lobby

References

Attribution

* {{NRHP in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Courthouses in Oklahoma Beaux-Arts architecture in Oklahoma Streamline Moderne architecture in Oklahoma Government buildings completed in 1912 Buildings and structures in Oklahoma City Federal courthouses in the United States Post office buildings in Oklahoma Works Progress Administration in Oklahoma Art Deco architecture in Oklahoma Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Oklahoma Post office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Oklahoma Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Oklahoma 1912 establishments in Oklahoma National Register of Historic Places in Oklahoma City