Taft Stadium - Oklahoma City, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 29.748 W 097° 33.970
14S E 630049 N 3928972
Another long-enduring, distinctive WPA project in Oklahoma.
Waymark Code: WMAM6E
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 01/28/2011
Views: 11
UPDATE 6/28/14: A project is underway to renovate Taft Stadium. The OKC government website reports: "The new facilities that will be built consist of an artificial turf, resurfaced track, locker rooms, pressbox, new metal grandstand s, new concession buildings, public restrooms, fenced storage, and structural repairs to renovate the existing WPA wall on the East side of Taft Stadium." Additional photos have been added to the gallery showing the WPA wall standing amid other demolition.
At the northwest corner of N. W. 23rd Street and N. May Avenue in Oklahoma City is a beautiful art deco school building, constructed in 1930. To the north of this building is a full-sized football stadium, that once was the home of bowl games, car races and some of the biggest high school games in Oklahoma. One source showed the stadium built in 1934. Another indicated it was built in 1940, when a large addition was added to the nearby school.
Facing May Avenue, this is a native rock wall, approximately three stories high. It is immediately recognizable as a WPA project with its distinctive look. High above the center of the wall, in stone is a circular monogram reading TAFT and beneath that STADIUM.
There are six large, arched entries, and six ticket windows. All are filled with wood. High on the wall are four tall, narrow window openings. Behind the rock wall are concrete bleachers rising up to the third level.
This stadium in recent years has been the home of the National Women's Football Association team, as well as being used for football games by Northwest Classen High School and John Marshall High School.
This WPA project can also be found on Berkeley's Living New Deal website database: (
visit link)