On a recent trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma we absorbed some of the Mid-Century karma that is sprinkled around the city. This is not an exhaustive list- just what we managed to visit in one day before we were exhausted. First Christian Church This beauty sits at the edge of the OSU campus on Duck just south of Hall of Fame. The unique steeple sports several bells and is flanked by the interesting roof. Stillwater National Bank Downtown Stillwater is dominated by this 1967 bank building at 6th and Main. The bank features underground parking and unique "umbrellas" along the perimeter. Above the entrance is this massive light fixture. St. Andrews Episcopal Church This tidy box was dedicated in 1965 on Third Street, just around the corner from Hideaway Pizza. St. Andrews has some interesting stained glass windows. St. Andrews was designed by three church members, F. Cuthbert & Christine Salmon and Phil Wilber. I bet that awning was not their idea! Well, that's all for now.
On the Trail of Julius Shulman: Stop 2 "This is a bank," the sign outside the futuristic building read. According to legend a prankster added a strategic question mark and echoed the sentiment of many passers-by: "This is a bank?" That was back in 1964 when it opened. Today the Arvest on Lincoln Boulevard looks a bit less Jetsonian, mostly due to replacement of structural glass below the "saucers," but it's still an unusual bank. Designed by Robert Roloff of the architectural firm Bailey, Bozalis, Dickinson & Roloff, the State Capitol Bank caused quite a stir in Oklahoma City when it opened. Heck, it's still pretty shocking today! Originally the flying saucers appeared to hover above the building (as seen in this vintage postcard). All the glass that made that effect possible also made heating and cooling an expensive proposition. Security concerns also mandated replacement of those windows with solid materials and small square portholes