A Streamline Moderne landmark that evolved from a combined high school and junior college into one of Oklahoma’s distinctive mid-century educational buildings.
At a glance
Bartlesville High School is a public secondary institution housed in a 1939 Streamline Moderne structure designed by Tulsa architect John Duncan Forsyth. The building originally served dual purposes as both a high school and junior college until 1950, reflecting the expansive educational ambitions of early twentieth-century Oklahoma.
History
Completed in 1939, the building was originally named College High School. For eleven years it functioned as a combined facility, housing both junior college and secondary students within its modernist walls. When the junior college program ceased in 1950, the building continued serving high school students. In 1982, a significant institutional merger unified Sooner High School and College High School to create Bartlesville High School, consolidating operations at the original College High School site. The merged institution held its first graduating class in 1983.
What you see
The building exemplifies Streamline Moderne design, the aerodynamic aesthetic that flourished during the 1930s and early 1940s. Architect Forsyth’s design captures the style’s characteristic emphasis on horizontal lines, curves, and forward-looking optimism—visual metaphors for speed and progress that appealed to Depression-era American institutions.
Cultural significance
The school represents an important chapter in Oklahoma’s mid-twentieth-century educational development. Its architectural style reflects broader American confidence in modernism as a framework for civic improvement and institutional identity during the pre-war and wartime periods.
Key facts
- Country: United States
- City: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
- Built: 1939
- Architect: John Duncan Forsyth (Tulsa)
- Original name: College High School
- Coordinates: 36.733782, −95.974163
Practical information & getting there
Bartlesville High School remains an active public institution in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. For visiting information or tours, contact the school directly through Bartlesville Public Schools.
Sources & resources
- Bartlesville High School – Wikipedia
- Cultural Heritage Online
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