Press Release
June 3, 2024
Contact: Lynda Ozan
State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4484
lynda.ozan@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/nationalregister
Okarche Church Listed in National Register of Historic Places
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) are pleased to announce the National Register of Historic Places designation for the following property in Oklahoma. The National Register of Historic Places is our nation’s official list of properties significant in our past.
Canadian County
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
408 Colorado Ave., Okarche
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is significant as a distinct local example of the Late Gothic Revival style. Designed by architect Roy W. Shaw, St. John’s was built and dedicated in 1922, replacing an 1892 one-room church building that once stood on nearby lots. The 1922 church building served the first Lutheran congregation in the state and was the meeting place for the organization convention of the Oklahoma District, where the Oklahoma District synod constitution was signed in the basement in May 1924.
Listing in the National Register of Historic Places is an honorific designation that provides recognition, limited protection and, in some cases, financial incentives for these important properties. The SHPO identifies, evaluates and nominates properties for this special designation.
The State Historic Preservation Office is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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