Home |   Research Center |   Photographs |  Hillerman Map Project

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.


Ford Assembling Plant
Municipal Auditorium
Bird’s Eye View of Civic Center and Courthouse
Old County Courthouse
Montgomery Ward Building
Hotel Black
Motor Hotel
Plaza Court
Gene Jones Motor Co.
Magnolia Petroleum Company
Rockwell Apartments
Masonic Temple (Home State Life Building)
Kirkpatrick Hotel
Elks Lodge (Key Building, ONG Building)
Federal Building
US Post Office
Federal Reserve Bank
Cotton-Exchange Building
Oklahoma County Courthouse
YWCA
Hightower Building
Mercantile Building (Levy Building)
Majestic Building
First National Building
Wright Building
Skirvin Tower
Rock Island Railroad Depot
Skirvin Hotel
Insurance Building
Public Warehouse Company
Patterson and Hoffman Wholesale Cigars and Pipes
Milner Hotel
Hotel Kingkade
Herskowitz Building
Santa Fe Railroad Station
Wells Roberts Hotel
Sooner Theatre
Colcord Building
Baltimore Building
Midwest Theatre
Kress
Lerner
Katz Drug
The American National Building
Empire Building
Criterion Theatre
Biltmore Hotel
Oklahoma Club Building
Farmer's National Bank Building
Commerce Exchange Building
Huckins Hotel, Huckins Garage
Campbell Building
Hales Building
Fidelity Bank
Britling Cafeteria
Manly Office Supply Company
Perrine Building, Cravens Building
Baum Building
Security National Building
Ramsey Tower, City National Building
Petroleum Building
Franklin Building
Braniff Building
Kerr-McGee Building
Capitol Federal Savings and Loan
Telephone, Pioneer, Southwestern Bell
Street View
Street View
Street View
Street View
Street View
Street View
Street View
Street View
Street View
Parade on Broadway
Street View
Street View
Aerial View
Bird’s Eye View
Bird’s Eye View
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.