Lexford Park (formerly First Christian Church)

[barrettd]

Here's some history from the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club website:

I had no idea! Thank you for sharing!

[Timshel]

Here's a map I have in my house that shows the area with the courses. Also peep all of those streetcar lines.



I had better photos at one time but can’t find them, but here are the clubhouses that were on the original crown heights property. (Screen grabs from that video).

[ShopontheRiver]

Thanks for posting that map Timshel, I've been looking for something like that!

I stumbled onto some photos of the clubhouse looking at photos at OHS/LOC...look at how open it was in 1947 (second photo).

[okatty]

^Those pics are very cool. Thanks for posting!!

[Pete]

^Those pics are very cool. Thanks for posting!!

Yes, very cool. This type of thing is so interesting.

[citywokchinesefood]

It would be fascinating to see what the metro would be like if that public transit infrastructure was left in tact and maintained.

[Urbanized]

So, this thread has taken me down a Newspapers.com rabbit hole. Until I did this, I personally had an incomplete understanding of the histories of Crown Heights (bordered by Walker on the east and Western on the west) and Edgemere Heights (east of Walker).

I’d always (or almost always) known that this was the general location of the original Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, but had a misunderstanding of the exact locations and timing of the relocation. I’d assumed that Crown Heights was a neighborhood adjacent to OCG&CC and that when people said that the club was originally in/near Crown Heights they really meant Edgemere Heights, immediately to the east.

The homes in Edgemere Heights are clearly 2-3 decades newer than those in Crown, and it is pretty obvious that tract was developed later. I assumed on land vacated by the golf course. Well, I was right, in a way, just not right about WHICH golf course. Before seeing the map above, I was completely ignorant to the fact that there were TWO golf courses; one private (OCG&CC) and one public, directly across the street (Edgemere Golf Course).

This spurred my deep dive on Newspapers.com, specifically looking for articles and ads related to the Edgemere course, which survived in that location for nearly two decades after the country club relocated to Nichols Hills.

As it turns out, the public Edgemere course had an interesting history itself. To begin with, it was located on state owned school land, owned by the Commissioners of the Land Office.

About 25 years ago I got an education on CLO land when I served on a jury in a civil trial where the plaintiff had been hired by the CLO to design a database, and was accusing the corporation hired for peer review of stealing the business from him. All of that is immaterial here, but there I learned that the CLO manages land in all 77 counties that is designated for the benefit of schools.

In some cases that meant the land might actually CONTAIN a school, but in others - such as the land now home to Edgemere Heights and the ruins of the First Christian boob church - schools benefitted from revenue generated by the land via leases and mineral rights (more on that later).

While the country club was founded in 1911, the Edgemere course appears to have opened in or about 1925. Both were going strong, across the street from each other, in the early 20th century. While OCG&CC was, well, a club, Edgemere was a public course, though not a municipal. It was owned by an individual, who leased the land from the CLO (apparently for only $800 a year!!!). The course was apparently quite popular and during the 20s and 30s results of tournaments and players based there got equal billing with Lincoln Park and Twin Hills.

The owner of the course R.Q. Blakeney was - perhaps not coincidentally - also secretary of the Oklahoma County Election Board. This became a sticking point at times when there was political and legal wrangling relative to the land. There were accusations during a mayoral campaign that he was trying to tilt the election in favor of a candidate who - if elected - would buy the land and use it as the new home of the fairgrounds.

The land was also in play during the 1930s to house a WPA-built armory (instead eventually built at Lincoln Park).

I also found articles related to the building of First Christian, which was tied to the redevelopment of the rest of the land as housing. The church was build roughly where the golf course’s clubhouse was located (illustrated in the aerial above).

Here is an article showing the vacated clubhouse as the intended temporary home of the church’s youth home, while plans were underway for the full redevelopment of the church property:



There was also a 1969 article about the above-mentioned amphitheater. Apparently it predated the church and instead was a feature of the golf course. It was renovated in the late forties, and then again in 1969, essentially rescued from overgrowth and ruin.

Another interesting aspect of the story was related to oil wells. Since this land was owned by the state and not the city (or private owners), the CLO started entertaining offers to drill, and eventually allowed drilling to occur along the eastern edge of the property, which caused homeowners in the now-burgeoning Crown Heights to take legal action. It sounds like the state ignored City restrictions related to exploration and production within City limits, much as they did on state capitol grounds; state property being not subject to City regulation.

While there was initially some success with an exploratory well, it sounds like it played out pretty quickly. There was a state law that required school land first be deemed as worthless from an oil and gas production standpoint before being sold to third parties. Here’s an article from 1944 that details Champlin Oil’s decision to vacate their lease, which would set the wheels in motion for the land to be auctioned.



After a false start in 1944 it was eventually successfully auctioned in 1946 to W.P. (Bill) Atkinson, et al. It should also be noted that E.K. Gaylord and The Oklahoman were involved; they purchased part of the land and then donated it to the City of OKC to facilitate the extension of Broadway to the north; essentially the beginnings of the Broadway Extension. The City agreed to additional street construction projects to enable the development.



Anyway, the golf course outlasted by nearly 20 years the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club course, once located across Walker in what is now properly Crown Heights. Based on timing, I think the Lake Hefner north course (opened in 1951) must’ve to some extent been viewed as a replacement for Edgemere, which closed in the late 40s.

By the way, Perry Maxwell, whose work included Dornick Hills in Ardmore, Twin Hills in OKC, Southern Hills in Tulsa, the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, the Colonial in Fort Worth, Prairie Dunes in Hutchinson, KS (probably America’s best dunes-style course), plus major renovations at places like Pinehurst, Augusta National, Pine Valley, Marion, Westchester - all legendary fixtures of USGA and PGA events - designed the original Hefner North course, his very last before he passed away in 1951. I suspect this connection (replacing the Crown Heights and Edgemere tracts with new courses) might explain the naming of the streets, likely in his honor.

If you’ve bothered to read this far I’ll reward you with a clip from The Oklahoman in 1948, advertising the Edgemere Heights addition to prospective home buyers:

[ShopontheRiver]

Thanks for sharing, Urbanized!

I think you're right on the amphitheater predating the church. I found an amphitheater construction photo from 1947, and a photo of the completed amphitheater from 1949. The photo "Edgemere Under the Stars" is from the same year. I've enjoyed looking back at the acts there from the 50s and 60s. This one from 1956 was amusing to me:

Photograph used for a story in the Oklahoma Times newspaper. Caption: Barbara Roos, Enid, will be making her second appearance in the Miss Oklahoma contest next Friday night at the Edgemere Amphitheater when she appears as "Miss Rattlesnake Queen."

On the O&G note, I'll never get over this photo from 1936 overlooking Edgemere toward the Capitol--look at all those derricks!

Source: OHS

[barrettd]

Thanks for sharing, Urbanized!

I think you're right on the amphitheater predating the church. I found an amphitheater construction photo from 1947, and a photo of the completed amphitheater from 1949. The photo "Edgemere Under the Stars" is from the same year. I've enjoyed looking back at the acts there from the 50s and 60s. This one from 1956 was amusing to me:

Photograph used for a story in the Oklahoma Times newspaper. Caption: Barbara Roos, Enid, will be making her second appearance in the Miss Oklahoma contest next Friday night at the Edgemere Amphitheater when she appears as "Miss Rattlesnake Queen."

On the O&G note, I'll never get over this photo from 1936 overlooking Edgemere toward the Capitol--look at all those derricks!

Source: OHS

Thank you for these! Those early photos of the amphitheatre are so cool.

[Martin]

great pictures and information in this thread!

i thought i could see the amphitheatre in post 503 and now i have an explanation!

[Richard at Remax]

Great pics of Edgemere. My old house I lived in from 2010-2013 on Edgemere Ct is just off the pic to the right. The street in foreground is Harvey Parkway and street running down middle is NW Eubanks

[mugofbeer]

I was wondering if it was recognizable without all the trees. That answered my question.

[Midtowner]

I performed in the first summer of Jewel Box Theatre's amphitheatre re-opening (Jewel Box Under the Stars) in 1992, and it was quite successful. They did a few shows each summer for several years, so it was definitely up and running, at least in the summer months. I couldn't tell you when they stopped doing regular shows there, but I always had high hopes for the restoration of that amphitheatre.

I remember Chuck Tweed, the man behind Jewel Box forever, telling the story of opening night for the amphitheatre reopening. He had printed, I think, 500 programs for the run of the show (4 nights), and ran completely out before they finished seating the first night's audience. It was a lot of fun.

I performed there a few times around that same time with the youth symphony that used to rehearse in the church's youth building, which at the time even in the 90s seemed to have been more active with youth maybe 10-15 years before that time--we paired with the church's choir. I can't really remember what we performed, but it was a really beautiful venue, and at this point in my musical career, I've performed all over town and in all kind of indoor and outdoor settings and that is one which would be worth preserving, but I guess it's not in the plans.

[Pete]

Press release:

********

Name Announced for New Neighborhood on OKC’s Former First Christian Site; Plat Approved

Oklahoma City – Drumroll, please…the name of the newest and largest urban infill neighborhood project in Oklahoma City has been selected.

Welcome to Lexford Park. The Lex in Lexford subtly nods to Reverend Alexander, founder of the beloved First Christian Church that once stood on the property. Ford means to cross a river, referencing the creek that traverses the land. Every part of this brand is intended to create a sense of established reverence that fits seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhoods, the property's history, and the land's natural beauty.

Developer Ron Bradshaw worked with Oklahoma City-based Cooper House to create a name, logo mark, color palette and brand voice explicitly crafted to show respect to the neighboring communities, the property’s history, and the landscape.

“We are pleased and proud of the Lexford Park name and concept. It is very important to us that our neighborhood should fit seamlessly into its surroundings, which are some of Oklahoma City’s most beloved historic neighborhoods,” Bradshaw said.

Lexford Park’s name isn’t the only part of the project to see progress. On March 28, 2024 the City of Oklahoma City Planning Commission unanimously approved the preliminary plat and Planned Unit Development of Lexford Park. The final approval is tentatively scheduled to be heard by the City Council on May 21, 2024.

The current project team includes Ron Bradshaw, Colony Developers, Inc., developer; Bruce Bockus, Bockus Payne, architect; Tim Johnson and Mark Zitzow, Johnson & Associates, LLC., engineers and urban planners; and Jennifer Kragh, Sage Sotheby’s International Real Estate, sales and marketing agent.

The team also hosted an informational meeting for neighbors on March 25, during which the team presented an update and answered questions. About 150 neighbors attended the meeting, which was held at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4400 N. Shartel Blvd.

Beginning this fall, Bradshaw, Zitzow and Bockus will begin preliminary work on the grounds of the property including removing existing asphalt, planting grass to mitigate erosion and creating infrastructure to prep the site for construction.

Right now, Bradshaw, Bockus, Kragh and the team are creating design guidelines for construction and will begin selecting builders for the single-family homes and townhomes. Kragh’s team is also meeting with individuals interested in purchasing lots in the neighborhood when they become available.



The 32-acre plat includes:

101 single family lots
28 townhomes
14 acres reserved for greenspace and common areas
Walking trails
Preservation of mature trees and creek

Interested parties may contact Kragh at (405) 363-7575 or visit www.lexfordpark.com to be placed on a list to receive updates and notification of lot-purchase availability.

[Bowser214]

This sounds like it has the potential to be something special.

[SEMIweather]

Not a large enough area (for comparison, Wheeler is 150 acres) and not enough density for this to make any significant impact on this part of the core.

[bison34]

Not a large enough area (for comparison, Wheeler is 150 acres) and not enough density for this to make any significant impact on this part of the core.

Might as well scrap it then.

[BDP]

Not a large enough area (for comparison, Wheeler is 150 acres) and not enough density for this to make any significant impact on this part of the core.

Which is probably the best approach, given that it's in the middle of several historic neighborhoods. Preserving and complimenting the established identities of our oldest neighborhoods and districts has helped OKC create a mix of diverse areas with their own character as the inner parts of the city have been brought back to life over the past 20-25 years. That's what makes for interesting cities. Something like Wheeler creates its own identity from scratch, and, even then, they have incorporated its past use as an airport.

Obviously, it sucks to have lost a great piece of mid-century architecture in the middle of the city and we still don't really know exactly what this will look like, but it sounds like the approach is to respect the almost 100 year old area, rather than to ignore it. That's usually a much better recipe for success.

[Mississippi Blues]

Talk is talk but the little bit that they’ve said makes me feel optimistic about it. I think it could’ve been a neat spot for a more density focused development, like Alley North but with a heavier emphasis on residential. But it’s easy to talk about what might be neat versus what developers can afford, is healthy for the market, and the neighborhood will support.

[bombermwc]

I don't think they will really have any problem leasing anything out that they build there. It's close enough to the really budding 23rd corridor. Near the capital. Short commute to everything up near American Fidelity. Schools suck, but there are several private options nearby and Classen SAS is close.

Like BDP said, it sucks to have lost the old structure, but the cost of bringing that thing into the modern day was just never going to happen. And like oh so many other church locations, they've turned into something totally different. I do with something could have been done, but I know a lot of effort had gone in to trying to make that happen.....and it just didn't. They fought the good fight for a long time trying to keep the doors open, but there's only so much you can do before things start to fall behind. It's a story being told at churches all over.

[DoctorTaco]

Not a large enough area (for comparison, Wheeler is 150 acres) and not enough density for this to make any significant impact on this part of the core.

Idk 500-600 more humans in an area that currently houses 0 people seems like a difference maker to the area. That's more people buying groceries, picking up prescriptions at the CVS on 50th, eating out, walking dogs, etc.

This will be a character changing development for sure. That stretch of 36th is a dead zone currently.

[OkieBerto]

I think the best place in the city to be out in nature, walk the dog, or have a picnic is Edgemere Park. It is such a beautiful green space, and the neighborhood surrounding it has so many wonderful homes. I hope they keep Lexford open like that as well. All that green space will make this a comfortable place to live.

[stlokc]

I have high hopes here.

Building styles have changed immensely in the years since the surrounding neighborhoods were built, and nobody expects exact duplicates of Crown Heights/Edgemere but I do hope that attention is given in regards to the appearance and sizing of these homes so that they blend with, and build on, the character of the area. A gated off McMansion"subdivision" like something to be found in West Edmond is definitely not what is appropriate here.

[Oski]

I have high hopes here.

Building styles have changed immensely in the years since the surrounding neighborhoods were built, and nobody expects exact duplicates of Crown Heights/Edgemere but I do hope that attention is given in regards to the appearance and sizing of these homes so that they blend with, and build on, the character of the area. A gated off McMansion"subdivision" like something to be found in West Edmond is definitely not what is appropriate here.

I hope we won't see another Wheeler District there, those designs won't age well with time.

[dankrutka]

I hope we won't see another Wheeler District there, those designs won't age well with time.

Can you explain more?