Tulsa Fire Alarm Building
The Tulsa Fire Alarm Building is a fire station structure in Tulsa, Oklahoma, constructed in the early 1930s. It features Mayan Revival architecture with a steel frame and masonry walls, decorated with elaborate terracotta friezes depicting firefighters, a figure holding alarm tape, and a distinctive double-headed dragon motif on its facade.
Built in 1931 by architect Frederick V. Kershner, this structure served as Tulsa's central fire alarm dispatch center starting in 1934. The fire department abandoned it in 1984, leaving it vacant until the Tulsa Preservation Commission purchased it in the 1990s and the American Lung Association later restored it for their headquarters.
The building served as a visible symbol of Tulsa's commitment to fire protection and public safety in the early 20th century. The detailed sculptural work featuring firefighters and the alarm system embedded in its facade reflected how the city valued and honored the emergency workers who kept residents safe.
The building sits on East 8th Street in downtown Tulsa and is accessible on foot for viewing its exterior. The detailed terracotta decorations and sculptural work on the facade are most visible during daylight hours when the sunlight highlights the carved details.
One of the large Art Deco lanterns that originally hung above the entrance has been restored and now sits at Tulsa City Hall, serving as a reminder of the building's past. This displaced architectural element tells its own story and shows how individual details from historic structures can find new homes while honoring their origins.
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