Tulsa Landmarks Tulsa's Famous and Most Interesting Places
Oklahoma Natural Gas Building (Noble Drilling Building) 624 South Boston Avenue Tulsa, OK 74119 Built in 1928 Architect: Arthur M. Atkinson/Frederick V. Kershner Information Provided by Tulsa Preservation Commission
The Oklahoma Natural Gas Company Building, now known as the Noble Drilling Building is a good example of Art Deco's first phase, Zig Zag. Many commercial Art Deco buildings are built by utilities which were rapidly expanding during the 1920's and 1930's. The PSO Building (Tulsa's electric company), built in 1928, is another good example of the Zig Zag style.
The Oklahoma Natural Gas Company Building was one of the first Art Deco buildings built in Tulsa. The selection of this style by a generally conservative utility company established its acceptance and paved the way for a host of Art Deco buildings which were to follow. This building is also significant historically because it reflects the tremendous growth of Tulsa from 1920 to 1930. By 1927, construction costs in downtown Tulsa were averaging one million dollars a month. By 1930, Tulsa had more buildings of ten or more stories than any city of its size in the world. The Oklahoma Natural Gas Company Building is constructed of reinforced concrete, enclosed with buff tapestry brick and trimmed with Indiana limestone and vitreous tile. The height of its ten stories is enhanced by the piers which rise unbroken to the top of the building. The windows are inset between the piers and spandrels that are covered with decorative tile whose motifs include the stepped-in chevron and geometrical shapes of Art Deco design. The richness of materials and designs in the interior of the building are a significant feature of the Zig-Zag Art Deco style and contrast with the austerity of the later Streamline and Public Works Administration periods of Art Deco. The building continues to be a viable part of downtown Tulsa and provides a visible and tangible link to an important period in its past.
ONG moved out of this building in the mid 1980's when the OneOK Building was completed. The first floor is now home to an architectural firm. The building was listed in the National Register on April 10, 1984. It was listed under National Register Criteria A and C, and its NRIS number is 84003458.
The Oklahoma Natural Gas Company Building, now known as the Noble Drilling Building is a good example of Art Deco's first phase, Zig Zag. Many commercial Art Deco buildings are built by utilities which were rapidly expanding during the 1920's and 1930's. The PSO Building (Tulsa's electric company), built in 1928, is another good example of the Zig Zag style.