405 NW 15th Street - The Overholser Mansion

OVERHOLSER MANSION 405 NW 15th Street

The heart of the tour is always the historic Overholser Mansion, built in Territorial Days by Henry Overholser, known as the "Father of Oklahoma City." For well over a century, this magnificent home has stood, a living tribute not only to the Overholser family but also to the spirit of the '89ers who settled our state and built our city. The mansion's location on NW 15th Street is now a part of Oklahoma City's urban center, but in 1902, when Henry Overholser purchased three lots in the newly developed Highland Park Addition, many people questioned why he and his wife Anna would build a home so far out in the country. After all, the heart of Oklahoma City’s business and social life was located over a mile to the south and the rail lines ran only to 13th Street, two blocks south of the mansion’s future home.

The home Henry and Anna built on the Oklahoma prairie is considered Oklahoma City’s first mansion. W.S. Matthews, an architect trained at London's Kensington Academy, supervised the construction and furnishing of the house. The home, a French Chateauesque masterpiece, was originally furnished with handmade Brussels lace curtains, Axminster and Wilton carpets, and furniture reflecting the French and Oriental influences of the day. When the Overholsers opened their home with a gala reception in February 1904, The Daily Oklahoman printed this description: "The house is a sermon on beauty. It is uplifting and ennobling as works of art are ever. The taste with which it has been decorated and is being furnished is flawless and shows a praiseworthy mastery of the subject, and the whole Overholser house is an incomparable example of the possibilities of beautiful homebuilding."

For decades, the home remained a center of social life - hosting weddings, dinners, and literary events. From 1956 to 1968, the mansion served as the official residence of U.S. Senator Mike Monroney and in 1970, was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The home was owned by a member of the Overholser family until 1972, when it was sold to the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Today the mansion is owned by the Oklahoma Historical Society and managed by Preservation Oklahoma, Inc.

Preservation Oklahoma (POK) recently made updates and improvements to the Overholser Mansion's Carriage House in the winter of 2019. This space serves as a resource for the neighborhood and is a starting point for daily tours. The renovations make the space more attractive for tour guests as well as for those who wish to rent the space for meetings, private, or community events. The Carriage House, the lawn, and the Overholser Mansion may be rented for special events and weddings. Tour and rental information may be found on the Overholser Mansion website, www.overholsermansion.org.

To help support the continued maintenance and stewardship of the Overholser Mansion, please consider becoming a member of Preservation Oklahoma by visiting the POK website, www.preservationok.org. Contributions may also be made directly to POK for Overholser Mansion improvements. For more information, contact Executive Director, Cayla Lewis, director@preservationok.org. ※