Boston Avenue Methodist Church

It’s no wonder this behemoth of a church is heralded as one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States. Its green-capped tower stretches impressively toward the heavens, commanding attention even from a distance. Crowning the tower is a striking sculpture meant to symbolize two hands clasped together in prayer.

Get closer, and you’ll spot all the little details that make the building even more impressive. Scan the exterior, and you’ll find classic nature-inspired Art Deco details dotting the structure. Many of these floral designs are a nod to Oklahoma and feature flowers native to the state.

Gilded, stoic sculptures stand above its entrances like guards to a fortress. Above the north entrance, you’ll spot images of John and Charles Wesley (co-founders of Methodism) and their mother peering down at church goers. The sculptures above the south entrance are particularly intriguing. There, figures of men on horseback depict the Circuit Riders, the Methodist clergymen who once rode around a young United States to organize congregations.

The church was designed by Adah Robinson and Bruce Goff. Robinson, a high school art teacher, drew the original idea. Goff, an architect who was one of her former students, used her sketches to complete the final design.