Address: 101 Yahola St, Cromwell, OklahomaCounty:Seminole
Started: Completed: 1939
Agencies:WPANRHP:No

Current Usage:

School Property

Description:

The campus at Butler School (Cromwell) is home to four WPA-built structures, only three of which are included here. These are a shop, a garage, and a teacherage. The shop is a single-story, rectangular shaped (62′ x 40′) structure constructed of untooled sandstone with random rubble masonry and beaded mortar. The gable roof has lunette window openings in the gable. The main, double door entry, is covered with a small intersecting center gable roof supported by shafts. An additional single door entry is on the east end. The window openings, with cut stone sills on the north, east, and west sides of the structure have been filled with wood insets, and the windows on the south side are metal sash with stone sills. The integrity of this building is intact.
The campus garage is located 42 feet west of the shop. It is a single-story, rectangular shaped (23′ x 19′) structure constructed of untooled native sandstone with random rubble masonry and beaded mortar. Its gable roof has projecting eaves and an intersecting side gable on the east side. There are two large garage doors in front with a row of stones standing on end above them. There is one single door side entry, and the windows are all replaced with wood insets. The windows have stone sills.
The teacherage is located four feet west of the garage. It is a six-room, single-story structure constructed from untooled native sandstone with random rubble masonry and beaded mortar. Measuring 64′ x 40′, the teacherage is plains cottage in style, having a gable roof with two intersecting gables on the north side and one intersecting gable on the south side. There is a large arcade porch on the east end of the cottage. The building has wood sash windows with stone sills, stepped entryways with stone railing, and a stone exterior chimney on the north side.
The Butner School buildings in the community of Cromwell are significant because they are a remnant of a complete educational plant constructed by the WPA that also included a ten-room class facility. Literally modern education in the oil community had its genesis with the WPA. Construction also assisted the destitute worker who had been unemployed for months, giving him a measure of economic security. Architecturally the structures are notable for their excellent masonry and stone placement and for the uncut character of the rocks. Prominent elsewhere, uncut stones were used infrequently in southcentral Oklahoma. They are also unique with reference to type and workmanship.

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: From the SE corner of Block 34, Cromwell original, go west 240 feet, north 200 feet, east 240 feet, and south 200 feet.

Sources:

  1. Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory Nomination

Supported Documents:

  1. WPA Properties Seminole County – Butner School Campus
  2. Accomplishments of the Works Progress Administration for Oklahoma, July 1, 1935 to March 1, 1937

Photos: