Hillerman Map Project
Photographs of Oklahoma City
21412.M210.3, Z.P. Meyers/Barney Hillerman Photographic Collection, OHS (map #3H)
Baum Building
Address: Grand (Sheridan Avenue) and Robinson Avenue
View: Northeast
Date: October 1950
Architectural Style: Venetian (Lackmeyer 29)
Architect: Layton and Smith (Edwards and Ottaway, Vanished Splendor 48)
Built: 1909 (Welge 16)
Destroyed: 1973 (Edwards and Ottaway, Vanished Splendor 48)
"Built in 1909 and completed by 1910, [the Baum Building] was patterned after the Doges Palace in Venice, Italy. It symbolized the growing economic boom after Oklahoma became a state. However, by the late 1960s, its fate was sealed with urban renewal as it was destroyed. Two of the cupolas have been preserved, one by the State Historical Society, the other by the Oklahoma City/County Historical Society." (Welge 16)
"The Baum Building, erected in 1910 at the northeast corner of Grand and Robinson, was a striking example of Italian-style architecture. The Doge's Palace in Venice is said to have provided architects Layton and Smith with the inspiration for its arches, towers, a vaulted ceilings, and marble veneer, all of which combined to make this one of the most beautiful commercial structures in the country. From 1923-1957, the Fidelity National Bank occupied the building. During these years the building carried the bank's name rather than that of the original owner. The wrecker's ball ended of existence of the Baum Building in 1973, although some of the decorative stone work has been preserved." (Edwards and Ottaway, Vanished Splendor 48)
"I.M. Pei wanted to clear the Venetian Style Baum Building in order to straighten Robinson Avenue." (Lackmeyer and Money 29)
"The Baum Building, patterned after the Doges Palace in Venice, Italy, was an early victim of urban renewal...To businessmen and investors during the early years of the century, functionalism in building design was not enough; their buildings had to be distinctive and unique. The original owners of the Baum building were the most successful in achieving that objective." (Blackburn, Henderson and Thurman 30)
Click points or areas on the map to view historic photographs of downtown Oklahoma City.
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- Ford Assembling Plant
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- Municipal Auditorium
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- Bird’s Eye View of Civic Center and Courthouse
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- Old County Courthouse
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- Montgomery Ward Building
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- Hotel Black
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- Motor Hotel
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- Plaza Court
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- Gene Jones Motor Co.
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- Magnolia Petroleum Company
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- Rockwell Apartments
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- Masonic Temple (Home State Life Building)
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- Kirkpatrick Hotel
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- Elks Lodge (Key Building, ONG Building)
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- Federal Building
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- US Post Office
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- Federal Reserve Bank
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- Cotton-Exchange Building
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- Oklahoma County Courthouse
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- YWCA
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- Hightower Building
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- Mercantile Building (Levy Building)
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- Majestic Building
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- First National Building
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- Wright Building
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- Skirvin Tower
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- Rock Island Railroad Depot
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- Skirvin Hotel
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- Insurance Building
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- Public Warehouse Company
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- Patterson and Hoffman Wholesale Cigars and Pipes
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- Milner Hotel
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- Hotel Kingkade
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- Herskowitz Building
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- Santa Fe Railroad Station
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- Wells Roberts Hotel
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- Sooner Theatre
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- Colcord Building
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- Baltimore Building
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- Midwest Theatre
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- Kress
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- Lerner
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- Katz Drug
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- The American National Building
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- Empire Building
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- Criterion Theatre
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- Biltmore Hotel
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- Oklahoma Club Building
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- Farmer's National Bank Building
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- Commerce Exchange Building
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- Huckins Hotel, Huckins Garage
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- Campbell Building
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- Hales Building
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- Fidelity Bank
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- Britling Cafeteria
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- Manly Office Supply Company
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- Perrine Building, Cravens Building
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- Baum Building
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- Security National Building
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- Ramsey Tower, City National Building
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- Petroleum Building
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- Franklin Building
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- Braniff Building
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- Kerr-McGee Building
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- Capitol Federal Savings and Loan
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- Telephone, Pioneer, Southwestern Bell
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Parade on Broadway
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- Street View
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- Street View
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- Aerial View
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- Bird’s Eye View
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- Bird’s Eye View
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- Bird’s Eye View
The Z. P. Meyers/Barney Hillerman Photographic Collection
The Z. P. Meyers/Barney Hillerman Photographic Collection includes thousands of images, many of which depict businesses in Oklahoma City. Many photographs in the collection are from the Meyers Photo Shop, which employed Barney Hillerman and other photographers. This map highlights significant buildings in the downtown Oklahoma City area, as well as street and aerial views. The map features images dating from the late 1920s to the 1960s.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Pauline Dwyer Macklanburg and Robert A. Macklanburg Jr. Foundation.
You can view more images from the Z. P. Meyers/Barney Hillerman Photographic Collection on The Gateway to Oklahoma History.
Visit The Gateway to Oklahoma History.
