Unknown Places

One of the more amazing collections available through the Tulsa City-County Library is the Beryl Ford Collection. Ford collected thousands of images of Tulsa right up to his death in 2009. The Rotary Club of Tulsa purchased the collection and, with the help of the Tulsa City-County Library and the Tulsa Historical Society, began the monumental task of preserving and digitizing the collection.

An unidentified bathing beauty, just one
of hundreds of unknown images from the
Beryl Ford Collection.

Today you can browse the Beryl Ford Collection online, search the database and even purchase prints. It's a fascinating peak into our city's past.

Ranch Style Razed

Earlier this week I got a depressing call from a friend who was watching a bulldozer mow down the Ranch Acres Medical Building. For many years this ranch-style building has been a fixture on the corner of 31st & Harvard in Tulsa.

I knew the building had been empty for a while. But outwardly it appeared to be in solid shape, despite the beautiful brick being molested with paint several years ago. Today the two-story structure is laid bare and it appears it was inwardly pretty solid also. Watching all that nice hardware head to the landfill just makes my heart sink.

Most of the original retail and commercial structures at this intersection were built alongside the residential development of Ranch Acres neighborhood. Principally bounded by 31st and 41st Strreets between Harvard and Delaware, this well-preserved area was built during a time when commercial and residential buildings shared a look and feel. The corner store looked like your house. They matched.

Ranch Acres Time Capsule

I just discovered a unique home only a few blocks away from us. And I discovered it on a blog published halfway across the country. So amazing, this Internet thing.

The house is a 3200-foot, 3 bedroom in Ranch Acres. It's one of those cool floorplans with two main wings that make a flying V. Inside it's full Zsa Zsa Colonial with harvest gold appliances and mysterious woodgrains. The fireplace set into the curved sandstone wall is also noteworthy.

But don't take my word for it- here's a link to the article on Retro Nation about this awesome find:

Save the Date for Dallas Mods

One of our favorite events isn't in Oklahoma, but it is modern.

The White Rock Home Tour is an annual tour showcasing some of Dallas' nicest Mid-Century Modern homes. This area is northeast of downtown Dallas, near White Rock Lake, and features ranch-style and minimalist homes from the Fifties and Sixties. 

Each year the tour highlights 5 or 6 homes, some vintage and some new construction. The weekend also features architectural lectures and exhibits. Proceeds from the event benefit Hexter Elementary, a nearby public school. For 2012 the tour will be held April 21st and 22nd.

So mark your calendars, Okies! We'll round up the wagons and make ourselves a convoy. Breaker, breaker. Headin' down to Big D. 10-4.

More

• White Rock Home Tour Home Page
• White Rock Home Tour on Facebook
• Modern Dallas

Photo Tour: Broken Arrow Moderns

Just a few random images. 

Tulsa's largest suburb isn't usually associated with modernism, but if you look closely there are some unique examples of Mid-Century Modern. Here's a random sampling I snapped on a cloudy day in December...

By far the best known modern structure in BA would have to be this white building on the hill. For decades this former church has been turning heads near the Broken Arrow Expressway. Some people describe it as a covered wagon, others see a cornucopia. But Jackie's nickname for it my favorite is. She has called it the "chicken church" since childhood.