Hey friend! Welcome back to another post. Today, we’re talking about the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Walking into this home feels like taking a step back into the past! This historic home was built in 1903 and still has the original paint, carpet, and furniture. Everything in this home is absolutely stunning! Let’s go look around!
*All photos in this post were taken by myself at the Overholser Mansion in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Who were the Overholsers?
Built in 1903, the Henry & Anna Overholser Mansion contains the original paint and furniture and is considered to be the first mansion ever built in Oklahoma City.Â
Anne Ione Murphy moved from Arkansas to Oklahoma City in June 1889. She met Henry Overholser in Oklahoma City and they were married four months later. They had a large social and business influence in town.
Linda Kennedy Rosser assembled pieces from the Overholser archives to create the Memory Album of a Territorial Lady which contains many items from Mrs. Overholser. It’s a cool book with photos, newspaper clippings, and more. You can grab a copy in the gift shop!
The mansion was built in the Queen Anne and Chateauesque style. This stood out amongst the other homes built in the area at the time.
No details were spared in creating the Overholser Mansion. Look closely at the photos below… Do you see the letter “O” in the stand glass on the right? I also thought it was super interesting they were able to put their family crest in the glass shown on the right.
The home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 1970. Two years later David Jay Perry, the Overholser’s son-in-law, sold the historic home and its contents to the Oklahoma Historical Society so it could be preserved. Perry said, “it was Mrs. Overholser’s wish that it go to the city or state. She would be pleased.” (Overholser Mansion Website)Â
Let’s go look around the mansion!
First Floor
The first floor contains the following rooms: Kitchen, Dining Room, Parlor, Music Room, and the Library.
Second Floor
The second floor contains the following rooms: Master suite, Blue Room, Ladies Sitting Room(?), Child’s Room, and a Sewing Room.
Third Floor
The guests would often stay on the third floor. The man who painted the home stayed on the third floor for two years while completing the project. The detailed stenciling and painting throughout the home is AMAZING!
Fancy Light Fixtures
I always love looking at the light fixtures throughout the old houses. They are so pretty!
Carriage House, Fountain, & Garden
The Carriage House is original to the property. The carriages would pull up to the front of the house in the circular drive and people would then enter the house. Unfortunately, you can’t tour the Carriage House, but the outside is still very impressive!
“The Overholser Fountain was commissioned by the Board of Directors of Heritage Hills Historical Preservation Inc. and is dedicated in recognition of the generosity of Carolyn Skelly Burford and Mary Mills Johnson in the formative years of Heritage Hills as a Preservation District. November, 1999”
-Plaque in front of the fountain
Concluding Thoughts
The Overholser Mansion is absolutely stunning. I would definitely consider this a hidden gem in Oklahoma City. The staff was so kind and answered all of the questions I had.
They have tour options available on certain days of the week, but I went on a Saturday and wandered around on my own. The staff was more than happy to walk around with you and answer your questions though!
I hope you’ll stop by and visit! You won’t regret this trip!
Happy traveling, friend! I’ll talk to ya soon 🙂
Visit
405 NW 15th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Sources
Websites
Henry & Anna Overholser Mansion – website
Henry & Anna Overholser Mansion – Oklahoma Historical Society
Dianna Everett, “Overholser, Henry,” The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
Books
Linda Kennedy Rosser, Memory Album of a Territorial Lady (Oklahoma City: Bobwhite Publications, 1988).
The Active Historian 
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