Mid-Continent Life Building - Oklahoma City, OK - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The beautiful Mid-Continent Life Building at 1400 Classen (N.W. 13th and N. Shartel), stands as a monument to the prosperity and forward thinking in Oklahoma during the boom days of the 1920s. It was placed on the National Register in 1979 (#79002009).

This is a four-story NeoClassic building, designed by the well-known and prolific Layton, Hicks and Forsyth team of architects. The cornerstone was laid in 1926 for this 150 ft. by 70 ft. building, which cost $300,000 to build. Facing south, the building is accessed by a long concrete sidewalk with three series of stairs, which lead to a double set of bronze doors. The final set of stairs is flanked with stone handrails and balustrades. The formal, balustraded entrance portico is supported by four massive Corinthian columns which rise to three stories.

Symmetrically arranged, all windows are metal framed and eight-paned. The exterior of the building is gray limestone. Between the second and third levels is a frieze band with carved wreaths. Beneath each third floor window is a panel showing a globe, with vines and floral patterns. From ground level to the top of the third floor windows are fluted pilasters with decorate capitals.

Above the formal entrance the words "MID-CONTINENT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY" are carved into the limestone. Above the double-door is the date "1926."
[Information gleaned from the National Register nomination.]

The Mid-Continental Life Insurance Company was organized in 1909 and moved to Oklahoma and into this building in 1927. In 1997, the Oklahoma Insurance Department took over the assets of this company. In 2001 the building was purchased by the Oklahoma Heritage Association. It was renovated in 2004 with funding from philanthropists Boone Pickens and Edward L. Gaylord and on May 10, 2007, 80 years to the date when first opened, it re-opened as the Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum. The museum entrance is on the north side of this building.

The museum hours are:
Sun-Mon - Closed
Tue-Fri 9-5
Sat 10-5
Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, New Years Day

Street address: 1400 N. Classen Oklahoma City, OK US 73106 County / Borough / Parish: Oklahoma County Year listed: 1979 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Person Periods of significance: 1925-1949 Historic function: Commerce/Trade Current function: Museum Privately owned?: yes Hours of operation: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/12/2012 DangerHole visited it