Boston Avenue Methodist Church
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Architect: Rush, Endacott & Rush (Bruce Goff / Adah Robinson)
Year Completed: 1929
Location: 1301 South Boston Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Style: Art Deco
Boston Avenue Methodist Church, completed in 1929, is considered by many to be the finest Art Deco church in the United States. This is one of the buildings I always look forward to seeing on visits to Tulsa.
The design of the building is credited to two individuals: Adah Robinson and Bruce Goff. Adah was an art teacher at Central High School and sketched the original ideas for the church. Bruce Goff, one of her students, then took the sketches and came up with the design for the church.
There is still some debate over who was more responsible for the building. The church credits Adah with the design of this building, while Goff experts maintain that it is clearly his design.
As you can see, the building has soaring straight lines pointing upward. At the top of the tower is a stylized sculpture that represents two hands raised upward in prayer.
The fourth picture above shows a close up of a terra cotta statue above an entrance. The statue represents spiritual life, religious education, and worship. Above other doors are terra cotta statues of important Methodists.
The Art Deco designs continue in the interior of the building. The sixth picture above shows a staircase and hanging light in the north entryway to the church. Notice the geometric designs in the staircase.
The seventh picture above shows another type of light fixture that can be found inside the building. The eighth picture shows a mural in the north end of the church. The south end has a corresponding mural and they were installed on the church's 100th birthday in 1993. They were designed by Chicago artist Angelo Gherardi who continued the Art Deco design to be consistent with the building's interior and exterior.