Endangered Historic Places presentation set in Chandler

CHANDLER — A presentation to discuss the 2016 list of Oklahoma’s Most Endangered Historic Places is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

David Pettyjohn, executive director of Preservation Oklahoma, will speak at the Museum of Pioneer History, 717 Manvel Ave. The event is open to the public. An exhibit featuring the 2016 list will be on display at the museum until Sept. 1.

“The Endangered Historic Places List is an effort to raise awareness about historic sites and preservation issues, but has also been a powerful mechanism for saving significant buildings,” Pettyjohn said. “We are delighted that the Museum of Pioneer History is hosting the exhibit.”

The Chandler Memorial School Building is included on the 2016 list as an example of endangered structures from the nation’s New Deal projects, which were initiated in an effort to bring the economy out of the Great Depression. Completed in 1942, the building is the largest Works Progress Administration-built school in Lincoln County and is constructed of native stone exhibiting the Moderne influence.

Since 1993, Preservation Oklahoma has recognized historic sites across the state that are at risk of demolition or deterioration, raising awareness of the need to protect Oklahoma’s historic resources.

While inclusion on the list does not guarantee protection or funding, it can be a key component in mobilizing support for the preservation of historic sites.

The exhibit is funded by the Kirkpatrick Foundation and Cherokee Nation Businesses.

[PHOTO PROVIDED] The Chandler Memorial School Building is an example of an endangered structure that was built in a New Deal program. Completed in 1942, the building is the largest Works Progress Administration-built school in Lincoln County.