The Active Historian

Hey, Friend! Welcome back to another post. Today, I want to show you the historic Municipal Building in Oklahoma City which is called the Civic Center today. Let’s get started!

“Oklahoma City’s municipal auditorium will be one of the finest in the country.”

-Morrison B. Cunningham, OKC Assistant City Manager (“City Auditorium To Rank With Best.” April 17, 1936)

History

Work orders for the Municipal Auditorium in Oklahoma City were issued in January 1936. The building permit was awarded to W.S. Bellows Construction Company in February 1936 for $1,042,565. The building plan included seating capacity for 6,200 people. This building also featured air conditioning, a large stage, and a system of drives and walks in the plans.

The Municipal Auditorium was another Public Works Administration (PWA) project in OKC built in the Neoclassical Style. The exterior in made of limestone and brick. The interior of the building has been remodeled several times according to my research.

The project completion deadline was set for June 30, 1937.

In a May 1937 article from The Oklahoma News, bids were being requested for additional finishing work, two pianos, and 550 parking meters. There were other things requested for the Civic Center Complex which also included three other buildings. Most of the additional requests were for the new Oklahoma City City Hall.

Once the building was complete and opened in August 1937, this was the largest auditorium in the city at the time. They hosted conventions, sporting events, and arts events. You can read about the various events in the local OKC newspapers.

In 1936, the estimated operating costs to run the future Municipal Auditorium was $30,000 per year. As I was doing research for this blog post, I ran across the operating budget for the Municipal Auditorium in 1937 and thought it was interesting so I’ve included it below.

In 1965, the Municipal Auditorium was given an update during OKC’s urban renewal. Changes included removing the flat seating in favor of sloped seating in the Great Hall. Seating capacity was also reduced to 3,200 as there were other larger conventions centers in OKC at this time. The building was dedicated to showcasing the arts and was renamed the “Civic Center Music Hall.” The city of OKC continues to invest in this venue as a home for the arts.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

I have attended several ballets at the Civic Center and love getting to dress up! It’s always a treat to go support the arts community in Oklahoma City.

Visit

201 N Walker Ave.

Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Sources

Primary Sources

Newspapers

“Work Orders Ready For City Buildings.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), January 3, 1936.

“February Building Exceeds Million.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), February 24, 1936.

“City Auditorium To Rank With Best.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), April 17, 1936.

“12.48 – Mill Tax Seen For City.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), June 21, 1936.

“Draft Rules For New Auditorium.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), June 26, 1936.

“City Bond Issue Looms In Fall.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), June 26, 1936.

“City Budget Approved.” Oklahoma City Advertiser (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), July 10, 1936.

“Draft Report On Needs.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), April 30, 1937.

“New Series of Bids Requested By City.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), May 29, 1937.

“Notice To Bidders.” The Daily Law Journal-Record (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), May 31, 1937.

“New Auditorium Nears Completion.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), June 18, 1937.

“City’s Budget Faces Battle.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), July 16, 1937.

“M.A. Department of Municipal Auditorium.” The Daily Law Journal-Record (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), July 23, 1937.

“Many Surprises Await Taxpayers When Doors of $1,200,000 Municipal Auditorium in Civic Center Are Swung Open to Public.” The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), September 15, 1937.

Bob L. Blackburn and Elizabeth M.B. Bass. “Civic Center connects OKC’s performing arts future, past.” The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), July 12, 2020.

Secondary Sources

“Municipal Auditorium – Oklahoma City OK.” Living New Deal.

“Civic Center approved this week… a long time ago.” Oklahoma City/County Historical Society.

“Civic Center Music Hall.” TravelOK.

“Civic Center Music Hall.” Clio.