The Methodist Church on Boston Avenue in Tulsa is one of the few examples of an art déco style church. The style was associated with the bourgeoisie, industry and commerce, not religious themes. However, in the former capital of American art déco in the state of Oklahoma, local architects decided on a bold design for the church. The coherent and rich detailing depicts a motif of hands folded in prayer. Rising to 76 m, the tower is peppered with pinnacles, while delicate pink interiors emphasise the sacredness of the building. Interestingly, there is still a dispute to this day as to who is actually responsible for the design of this globally unique temple.
Not very sacred style
The well-known art déco style is all about geometric forms, expensive materials and serene luxury emerging just after the tragedy of the First World War. However, apart from a few examples from Europe, it is difficult to pinpoint a distinctive church built in this style. After all, art déco celebrated industrial, commercial and consumer wealth, which did not coincide with the church’s vision of the world.
In the 1920s and 1930s, small Tulsa became the capital of American oil. The burgeoning industry and sudden influx of vast resources encouraged investors to build ever more grandiose buildings in the current style – art déco. The new church may have been no different.
According to some researchers, the author of the project is local University of Tulsa lecturer Adah Robinson. However, the official documents and records of the Rush, Endacott and Rush office responsible for the project include the name of Bruce Goff, who was a student of Robinson. Goff was said to have taken his teacher’s plans and given them to the company where he did his apprenticeship, but there is no firm evidence of this. Either way, the building was completed just before the Great Depression in 1929. Interestingly, one of the church’s bricks was built into the iconic Chicago Tribune Building as a mark of respect for the unique Oklahoma design.
Art-gothic
It would not be an art déco building if it were not for the soaring and vertical lines. The church tower resembles a narrow skyscraper topped by rows of pinnacles. Slightly below are the almost gothic buttresses of the tower. The tower is intended to resemble hands folded in prayer. This motif runs through the entire façade of the building. In total, the church is decorated with almost 100 sculptures with praying figures of missionaries. The sculptures are made of terracotta, typical of the art déco style, and were created by another Robinson student. In addition to the terracotta, the building is clad in limestone and granite from the North. Interestingly, the architect described the style of the building as ‘modern Gothic’.
The ornamentation of the stained glass windows and the small details of the façade should also be appreciated. The predominant floral motifs are evocative of local Oklahoma prairie flowers. The windows have been refracted to form sharp geometric shapes, and their narrow spacing emphasises the soaring massing. More such motifs are found in the cohesive interior finishes.
Herringbone and florals
Both the façade and the interior are art-deco interpretations of the Gothic, as can be seen in almost every element of the church. Even the plan of the building itself is somewhat reminiscent of Gothic cathedrals. From above, a short transept is noticeable, and the rear part of the building is rounded, as if there would be an apse and chapels. In fact, this is only a distant reference, as the rounded section houses the main assembly hall with a sizable auditorium. The walls of the sanctuary are lined with wooden stucco with an arrow motif.
Geometric details also appear on the other walls, which are painted pink. Also noticeable is the chevron (herringbone) symbol and a few other geometric shapes. The zigzags go all the way around the circular ceiling. Over the heads of the worshippers stretches a blinded oculus decorated with ‘arrows’ or ‘feathers’. It is also the only interior element that resembles gold. Prairie tritoma flowers play an important role. The patterns appear on the ventilation grilles, balustrades and stained glass windows. The organ in the main auditorium, which is a functional and aesthetically pleasing design element, is also worth mentioning. The instrument was installed in the 1960s and was manufactured by the Möller company.
Multi-year plan
The remaining rooms and corridors are flooded with pink. The lamps have been set quite low, which significantly darkens the corridors. Typical of the art déco style, the glass lampshades consist of rows of geometric arrows. It is worth mentioning that some of the walls were decorated with mosaics depicting a chalice, cross and other religious motifs. This and many other elements were only added in the 1990s. It is worth noting that there are other, much smaller chapels in the church with simpler decoration.
Since its completion in 1929, the Boston Avenue community has expanded the building. The distinctive steeple was not finished until 1966. It was then that the education building was completed and many of the details were added. In the 1990s, the remainder of the ornamentation included in the original plans was added, and a columbarium (mass grave) was added.
In 1999, the building was included in the national list of monuments and is still considered one of the most interesting examples of sacred art déco. The inspiration of local nature and the delicate religious motifs inside make Boston Avenue Methodist Church an original work of the late 1920s. The architect’s idea of interpreting Gothic elements also adds to the originality. The religious application of the art déco style has never gained popularity, but this is why the church in Tulsa is an architectural gem on a global scale.
Source: Oklahoma Historical Society
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