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

The Pioneer Building is located at 401 N. Broadway in downtown Oklahoma City. The main entrance faces south on Dean A. McGee. This is a 7-story limestone building, designed by William A. Wells, who also designed the Colcord Building. When built, this was the tallest building in Oklahoma City. It is designed in the Sullivanesque style, characterized by three distinct horizontal zones, with a projected eave and cut-stone ornamentation. The building was built for Pioneer Telephone Company who occupied the building from 1907 to 1916. At that time, the company was purchased by Southwestern Bell Telephone Company who currently occupy the building, and who have constructed additional, taller buildings to the north and west of the Pioneer.

The ground level zone has large stone columns and the use of ornate stone cuttings for ornamentation. A semi-circular cutting over the east entrance is quite involved. Large plate glass openings on the ground level have all been infilled with blue-black granite, as has the original east entrance.

The mid-zone consisting of floors 2 through 5 has vertical piers with recessed spandrels. The windows are set in pairs and the panes have been replaced with bronze-colored sashes, The windows on the 5th floor are arched.

The upper zone is slightly recessed and consists of the 6th and 7th floors. There is a projected cornice with terracotta ornamentation in the form of intersecting circles. The windows are the same as the floors below.

The interior of the building is quite ornate, with all corridors in Georgian marble. The main entrance is Italian marble inlaid with glass mosaic. All woodwork is oak. This is a beautiful building, in excellent condition. It was placed on the National Register in 1980.

Street address: 401 N. Broadway Oklahoma City, OK US 73102 County / Borough / Parish: Oklahoma Year listed: 1980 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1900-1924 Historic function: Commerce/Trade Current function: Commerce/Trade Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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