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Going Modern in Beaver

We crossed the Oklahoma Panhandle on a recent trip to Black Mesa for a hike up to Oklahoma's highest point (but that's another story). I had read about the two private residences in Beaver, Oklahoma designed by Bruce Goff, so we decided to make a detour. We discovered a great little town and a number of interesting buildings!

Things you probably didn't know about Beaver, Oklahoma:
  • Two homes in Beaver were designed by Bruce Goff (okay, that doesn't count)
  • Hosts the World Cow Chip Throwing Championship
  • Beaver Dunes State Park is nearby and actually has sand dunes
  • They still have an operating OTASCO*
Who knew?



Square State Scare
At one time the panhandle had aspirations of statehood. A short-lived movement hoped to turn No Man's Land into Cimarron Territory. They declared Beaver City their capital and petitioned Congress to officially recognize it. Fortunately the vote failed and preserved our state's unique shape- pan with a handle.

By 1890 the entire panhandle of Oklahoma was known as Beaver County, and I suppose it only made sense that the county seat must be Beaver City? After statehood the "strip" was divided into three counties, Beaver City became simply "Beaver" and the wind kept blowing. Today the town is home to about 1,500 and is world renowned for its annual flinging of bovine excrement.

Notable Buildings
The Beaver County Free Fair is hosted in this awesomely angular building designed by Tommy Jay Shaw and built in 1960. The roof extends almost to the ground. Towers out front have a distinctive similarity to oil derricks.

It looks like some windows have been covered over the years- not unusual for buildings of this period. The seemingly free energy of the Sixties met with reality during the energy crisis of the Seventies. Many Mid-Century Modern buildings suffer from single-pane windows and inefficient heating and cooling systems. But the building's overall condition appears to be quite good.

Just around the corner is the community swimming pool. The entryway of this building was rather unique.

But the real gems in Beaver are found off the main drag. Driving through the residential areas we found quiet neighborhoods lined with nice ranch-style homes. Two residences here were designed by our favorite eccentric architect, Bruce Goff.

The Barby House in Beaver, OK
The first one we found was a home built for Celestine Barby in 1962. The house features a low, long brick wall that hides an interior balcony. The exterior appears to have been modified over the last 50 years, but the general appearance is pretty original.


Beaver Jackpot
This spaceship was built for William Dace in 1964. A carport extends from the front of the home, and that's about the only conventional feature. The house is a series of two-story tall cylinders. Viewed from the rear the similarities to the "storage pods" of the Bavinger House are quite noticeable.

While some modifications to the exterior are evident, the house appears generally sound and very well maintained.

Our visit was all too short- and we had to rush on without visiting any of these remarkable structures. But we left wanting more! Beaver, Oklahoma offered us a refreshing surprise in the middle of No Man's Land.

Looking for more Goff?
Goff in the Desert is a video tour of Goff's work, including several no longer standing.


Goff in the Desert



*Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company

Comments

Great design. The house is really done by an expert as evidenced by the design. Thanks for sharing this one.
Anonymous said…
Ya think? Just one of the greatest architects of the 20th century.
Anonymous said…
I love reading about people appreciating the Goff houses in Beaver Oklahoma! It is a very small town and my grandfather was one of the primary carpenters in the area so naturally he worked on many of the surrounding projects. I have a copy of blueprints for the Dacy house which I could see from my grandparent's home. The Barby house was right across the street from my grandparent's. Naturally, I was intrigued. Grandpa told me to go knock on the door and ask to see the house. It was like stepping into a different World!

The Recent Past

The Bruce Goff House in Vinita

We were recently surprised to learn about a Goff-designed home just an hour away from Tulsa in Vinita, Oklahoma. Vinita is probably best known to OK Mod readers as the home of the Glass House on I-44, also known as (shudder) the World's Largest Largest McDonalds . Anywho, turned out the Goff house was on the market, and the owner was more than happy to let us have a look around. We took a short drive up the turnpike one Sunday afternoon to meet the realtor, snap some pictures, ask some questions and enjoy another one of Bruce Goff's unique creations. The home is known as the Adams House and was built in 1961. The 3,700 square foot home is arranged in a circular floor plan with a large sunken "conversation pit" at the center. Rising up from this pit is a large metal fireplace, its chimney surrounded by skylights, which dominates the entire house. Rooms surround the perimeter with folding accordion doors acting as walls. To maintain some semblance of privacy an inner

The World Museum

The widening of I-44 through Tulsa will soon claim another mid-century building (see Modern Homes Make Way for I-44 ). This unusual landmark near Peoria, once known as the World Museum, is being emptied in preparation for demolition. The concrete complex was built in 1963 by the Osborn Ministries as a museum and "Interstate Temple." Self-proclaimed minister, T. L. Osborn, and his wife, Daisy, traveled the world as Christian missionaries and collected art and artifacts on their journeys. The unusual La Concha-esque building housed their partial collection and distracted motorists touring along the new Skelly Bypass (aka I-44). The exterior of the building is adorned with maps of the world's continents. In its heyday there was a good deal more- a giant outline of Jesus was on one wall. The inscription below it, "REX," provided one of my earliest Latin lessons when I asked Dad why that building had my name on it. There was also a large globe that once stood out fr

Oklahoma State Capitol Bank

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