Oklahoma County is named for the State of Oklahoma which in the Choctaw language: “okla” meaning “people” and “homma” meaning “red” – “Land of the Red People”.
Created: May 2, 1890
County Seat:
Oklahoma City 1890 – present
County Courthouse – Oklahoma City
Location: 321 Park Avenue / Hudson Avenue
Built: 1936– 1937
Style: Art Deco
Architect: Solomon Andrew Layton of Layton and Forsyth
Contractor: Manhattan Construction Company
Description: The building faces south and is a thirteen story Indiana limestone and concrete structure. The south front has an extended first story with a rectangular stone entrance in the center with steps of dark gray Cold Spring Minnesota granite. The building rises three stories and then recesses to 173 feet by 89 feet. The east and west sections also extend from the building. The windows have decorative designs. The interior has rich marbles and cast plaster.This was a Works Project Administration project with Robert E Leech as superintendant. The building is connected to the County Administration Building on the north side.
Note: The previous courthouse was designed by Berling, Hoff & Wells and constructed by Gross Construction Company in 1902.
See: The architect, Layton and Forsyth ( and associated firms ), designed courthouses in Beckham County, Carter County, Craig County, Creek County, Grady County, Greer County, Harmon County, Jefferson County, McIntosh County, Muskogee County, Okfuskee County, Pittsburg County and Washita County.
See: The contractor, Manhattan Construction Company, constructed courthouses in Oklahoma in Bryan County, Craig County, Creek County, Garvin County, Logan County, Muskogee County, Noble County, Pawnee County and Tulsa County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Oklahoma County Courthouse
County Administration – Oklahoma City
Location: 320 Robert S Kerr Avenue / Hudson Avenue
Built: 1966– 1967
Style: Modern
Architect: Hudgins-Thompson-Ball & Associates
Contractor: Walter Nashert & Sons, Inc.
Description: The building faces north and is a six story concrete and glass structure. The first story is recessed with pillars. The upper stories have vertical concrete dividers with recessed windows. The roof line is flat.The building is connected to the courthouse on the south side.
Courthouses:
N – Logan County
E – Lincoln County and Pottawatomie County
S – Cleveland County
W – Canadian County
Photos taken 2010