Ranch Acres is a neighborhood in Midtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was designated as Ranch Acres National Historic District (RAHD) in 2007 because it is an excellent example of a ranch house type of subdivision built after World War II. It is bounded on the north by 31st Street, east by Harvard Avenue, south by 41st Street, and west by Delaware Avenue and Florence Avenue. The significance of RAHD dates from 1949 to 1962, when the property was platted, the land was developed, and the vast majority of the houses were built. The district spans 182.1 acres and houses 324 people. Of these, 291 are considered contributing properties to the district’s historical appearance (roughly 90%). The registration document also identifies two commercial properties, five items, and three sites.
Background
Tulsa’s housing was primarily either custom-designed (and costly) mansions for those who had become wealthy in the oil business or relatively affordable houses with few amenities at the start of World War II. Construction was largely restricted to areas deemed critical to the war effort. By the war’s end, the demand for housing among young, relatively affluent professionals was far outstripping the supply. Like many other cities, Tulsa began by developing houses with almost assembly-line designs and few amenities that would be taken for granted later. A niche housing market developed for upscale houses that are attractively designed, offer as much privacy as possible, and have many modern conveniences. Bed Bug Exterminator Tulsa
History
Ben Kirkpatrick, a Tulsa, OK, real estate investor, proposed that developer I. A. Jacobson purchase a large tract of land at the intersection of 31st and Harvard for development into a ranch-style subdivision. The property was located outside the city limits and considered “…way out in the country.” Ranch-style houses had become popular in Arizona and Southern California. They shifted away from “G.I. housing,” the foundation for projects like Levittown. The Sand Springs Home owned a portion of the tract, which Charles Page, the Home’s founder and philanthropist, used as a hunting and horseback riding area. Kirkpatrick purchased the property from the Home in 1949 and immediately transferred ownership to Jacobson.
Jacobson hired the engineering firm Owen and Mansur to plan the development. He also hired Mack Hallum as the project’s builder and architect. They planned to develop the area in four stages, each with its plat, which would be filed in 1949, 1951, 1953, and 1956. Little Joe Creek ran through the property from north to south. Its presence encouraged the growth of many native pecan trees, creating a park-like atmosphere.
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