Preservation Oklahoma news, 04/2012, v.18 no.3

              PRESERVATION
OKLAHOMA NEWS
On March 29th, Preservation Oklahoma unveiled the 2012
Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Historic Places List. The
event was held at the Oklahoma Supreme Court Building,
formerly home to the Oklahoma Historical Society in
Oklahoma City. Attendees participated in a silent auction
and reception before the list was unveiled, and also had the
opportunity to watch a screening of Saving Yesterday, an
OETA program featuring many past and present Endan-gered
properties, as well as some great preservation suc-cess
stories. Event sponsors included BancFirst, Midtown
Renaissance, Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism, Running
Wild Catering, Forest Building Materials, MA+ Architec-ture,
Preservation El Reno, and Big Five Community Ser-vices,
with generous support from the Kirkpatrick Family
Fund and Kirkpatrick Foundation.
Since 1993, Preservation Oklahoma has recognized historic
sites across the state at risk of demolition or deterioration,
raising awareness of the need to protect Oklahoma’s his-toric
resources. While inclusion on the list does not guar-antee
protection or funding, it can be a key component in
mobilizing support for the preservation of historic sites.
This year’s list features many diverse new entries facing a
wide range of threats. Each tells a story important to its
community; some that have long been forgotten and oth-ers
that continue to fascinate and make people wonder
“what if?”. Hopefully this year’s list will inspire property
owners, local governments, and average Oklahomans to
take a second look at the historic resources around them
and to consider what those resources could become.
Walcourt Building: Oklahoma City
Empty for decades, the Walcourt has long caught the
attention of Oklahoma City residents and visitors, inspiring
fantasies and questions about its history with its
impressive but lonely appearance.
The Walcourt Apartment Building was constructed in 1927
in the Gothic style, and was listed on the National Register
of Historic Places in 1982. Its major period of use was from
the time of its opening through the 1950s, when it was a
posh apartment building for business people working
downtown. Architect Joe Davis, builder Charles Beveridge,
and consulting engineer and owner of the property, H.E.
Musson, gave great attention to detail to create stylish
apartments with high-end fixtures, including Kohler fixtures,
genuine maple wood trim, and Shaeffer mantles in every
unit. The imposing brick and cast stone exterior appealed
to oilmen and bankers flocking to Oklahoma City during
periods of prosperity.
Years of vacancy raise concern about deterioration, de-ferred
maintenance, and damage caused by people and
animals seeking shelter within. Owners reportedly have no
plans to demolish the building but need help to see it put
back into use. As surrounding neighborhoods see
redevelopment and revitalization, this grand building is ripe
for rehabilitation.
Continued on Page 3.
2012 Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Historic Places
April 2012 Volume XVIII, No 3
A joint project of the State Historic Preservation
Office and Preservation Oklahoma
PRESERVATION OKLAHOMA NEWS l APRIL 2012 1
The Walcourt Building in Oklahoma City. Photo and image: Justin Moore